All anglers fishing on Manx freshwaters (rivers, reservoirs and stillwaters, whether in public or private ownership) must be in possession of a valid licence.

Full details of the Duties, Regulations, terms and conditions and categories of licence relating to freshwater fishing on the Isle of Man can be found on the Inland Fisheries section of the DEFA website.

The Inland Fisheries Regulations 2017 came into operation on 1 March 2017 and anglers are advised to be fully aware of these new rules before going fishing.

Please print your licence as soon as possible after purchase and carry it with you at all times whilst fishing. If you are unable to print your licence immediately, then please make a note of your licence number and receipt number, and carry these with you when fishing along with an additional form of identification.

Failure to produce a valid licence on demand to an authorised person constitutes an offence under Section 69(1) of the Fisheries Act 2012. It is also advisable to carry another form of identification with you when you go fishing.

NB – Senior Citizens / Disabled reservoir concession licences are currently not available for purchase online – these can be obtained from DEFA offices in St John's, The Welcome Centre (Sea Terminal Building, Douglas) and most Island Post Offices.