Belgian Lakes & Rivers Fishing Map

River (Inland Water) Fisheries Act of 1 July 1954; Special Act on Institutional Reform of 8 August 1980 (transfers fisheries competence to the regions) (01.07.1954; 08.08.1980). Inland fishing has been a regional competence since 1980. There is no current angling legislation at federal level. The 1954 act is still the basic law in the Flemish Region (as amended) and in Brussels (via the Royal Decree of 13.12.1954). The Walloon Region amended this act by a 2014 decree. Licences are regional: a permit from one region is not valid in another. Permit: A separate annual angling permit is required for each region (visverlof / permis de pêche). Competent authority: Regional competence: ANB (Flemish), SPW ARNE – Service de la Pêche (Walloon), Bruxelles Environnement (Brussels).

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Flanders (Vlaanderen): 1954 River Fishing Act (as amended by Flemish decrees) + Flemish Government Decision of 1 February 2013 implementing the 1954 Act ('Riviervisserijbesluit') (BVR 01.02.2013 (last amended BVR 19.07.2024); annual summary: 'Reglement openbare visserij 2026'). Angling in public waters (bevaarbare waterlopen, canals, open lakes): prohibited species (Annex 1), prohibited places (art. 11), general ban during the spawning period 16.04–31.05, night fishing ban and exempted waters (art. 12, Annex 3), closed season for salmonids (art. 12 §1 3°), method/bait bans (art. 13), retention/transport limits and size limits (art. 15). No separate new 'Visserijdecreet' was found; the framework is still the amended 1954 Act. Licence: annual 'visverlof' (valid until 31.12, visverlof.be): Gewoon visverlof €13 (2 rods, daytime only – from 2 hours before sunrise to 2 hours after sunset, from the bank only, baitfish prohibited, all fish released); Groot visverlof €48 (2 rods, including night, also from a boat, baitfish permitted, fish may be retained only with this licence); Jeugdvisverlof €5 (≤17 years); persons ≤17 years exempt from licence with a single rod. Additional permission is required in non-navigable waters belonging to the riparian owner, polder canals and waters on private land. Note: 'VISpas' is a Dutch document and is not valid in Flanders. Competent authority: Agentschap voor Natuur en Bos (ANB); provincial fisheries commissions (Provinciale Visserijcommissies); federation: Sportvisserij Vlaanderen.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Wallonia (Wallonie): Decree of 27 March 2014 on river fishing, fish stock management and fishing structures (27.03.2014). The basic decree for fishing in Walloon inland waters. Fishing rights, permits and federations are regulated by this decree. Implementing rules are in Walloon Government decrees (AGW). Permit: Details in the AGW 19.10.2017 entry below. Competent authority: Service public de Wallonie (SPW ARNE), Département de la Nature et des Forêts – Service de la Pêche.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Wallonia (Wallonie): Walloon Government Decree of 8 December 2016 on the opening conditions of fishing and implementing rules (AGW 08.12.2016 (in force 01.01.2017); latest amendments AGW 20.12.2023 (in force 01.03.2024) and AGW 19.04.2024 (in force 01.01.2025)). Species protected all year (Annex 1). Open seasons for the 4 species groups in Annex 2 are set according to the water zones in Annex 3: eaux calmes (still/large waters), eaux mixtes (mixed waters), eaux vives (running/trout waters). It also regulates night fishing (Art. 5, 12), prohibited places (Art. 6), methods and baits (Art. 8–10) and size and catch limits (Art. 13). This 3-zone system replaces the '1re/2e catégorie' classification of the old 1954 system. Permit: Details in the AGW 19.10.2017 entry below. Competent authority: SPW ARNE – Service de la Pêche; Conseil supérieur wallon de la Pêche; river basin fishing federations.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Wallonia (Wallonie): Walloon Government Decree of 19 October 2017 on angling permits (AGW 19.10.2017 (consolidated text from 01.01.2025)). Permit types, fees and exemptions. Permit: Permis A: €20 (daytime only, from the bank, 1–2 rods, max. 5 crayfish nets). Permis B: €45 (rights of A, plus fishing from a boat, from a pontoon and by wading). Permis C: €110 (rights of B, plus carp fishing day and night, max. 3 rods, at night only from the bank). Permis J: free (under 15, one rod, barbless hook). Permis T: €25 (rights of B, 14 consecutive days). Permis L: €15 (daily boat fishing on the Plate Taille lake). Fees are indexed annually from 2027. Up to 4 young people under 15 accompanying a permit holder may fish without a permit. Carrying identification while fishing is mandatory. Competent authority: SPW ARNE; permits are only available online: www.permisdepeche.be.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Brussels-Capital Region: 1954 River Fisheries Law and implementing Royal Decree of 13.12.1954; Nature Conservation Ordinance of 1 March 2012 (Art. 79–81); regional police regulation for the Brussels Canal and Port (AR 13.12.1954; Ordonnance 01.03.2012). Fishing is permitted only in the Canal and in certain ponds. Only catch-and-release applies: all fish must be released immediately and transporting fish is prohibited. Night fishing is prohibited. The Region is preparing a new Government decree; whether it has entered into force as of 2026 could not be verified. Permit: Regional annual licence (from some Bpost offices): Type A (from the bank, max. 2 rods) €6.20 + €4.85 fee. Type B (from a boat) €18.59 + €4.85 fee. In some ponds a separate permit from the fishing rights holder (association, municipality, private person) is required. In the Canal, a permit from the harbour master's office is required. Flemish and Walloon permits are not valid in Brussels. Competent authority: Bruxelles Environnement / Leefmilieu Brussel; for the Canal, Port de Bruxelles (capitainerie).

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Flanders: Spawning period (paaitijd). All fishing is prohibited in all waters. Exception: waters marked 'vissen in paaitijd' in the Annex 3 table. In these waters too, all fish must be released immediately, baitfish may not be used and fish may not be retained. In addition, during this period fly fishing from the bank with a fly of a total length of at most 2 cm is permitted in all waters (catch and release). Period: 16.04–31.05.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Flemish Region: Night fishing is prohibited. It is permitted only in waters marked in the 'nachtvisserij' column of Annex 3 and with a Groot visverlof. In these waters all fish are released, no fish may be kept, including fish caught during the day, and bait fish and artificial lures longer than 2 cm are prohibited. Period: All year; from 2 hours after official sunset to 2 hours before sunrise.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Flanders: Fishing with baitfish (dead or alive) and pieces of fish is prohibited. The use of sea fish as bait is also prohibited during this period and at night. Period: 01.03–31.05.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Flemish Region: Fishing while wading or walking in the stream bed (wadend vissen) is prohibited. Period: 01.12–28.02 and 16.04–31.05.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Flemish Region: Fishing under ice, using coloured maggots, and using any gear other than rods and the peur (bunch of worms for eel) plus a landing net is prohibited. At most 2 rods may be used; each rod may have at most 3 single or multiple hooks. Leaving rods unattended and using a keepnet (leefnet) or keep sack is prohibited. Caught fish may not be consumed on site. Period: All year.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Flemish Region: The retention limit applies only to holders of the Groot visverlof. Only 10 species may be retained: perch, brown trout, roach, common bream, eel, white bream, ide (winde), pikeperch, rudd and gudgeon. All other species (pike, carp, tench, wels catfish, etc.) must be released all year. Dead fish over 15 cm: at most 5, of which eel and pikeperch together at most 3. Bait fish of 15 cm or less: at most 20, of which at most 5 may be alive. No fish may be kept during the spawning period or at night. Period: All year.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Wallonia: Night fishing for Annex 2 species is prohibited all year. Exception: common carp (carpe commune) may be fished only in the main channel of the eaux calmes zone and in the water bodies of this zone, from the bank and with Permis C. This exception does not apply to the following lakes and ponds: Nisramont lake, Nismes pond, Bocq pond in Scy, Happe ponds, Trapperie, Pont d'Oyes, Châtelet and Fabrique ponds in Habay, Poix pond. Night fishing from the Meuse islands is prohibited. Conditions for night fishing: only plant-based bait and dough, all fish are released, fish caught during the day may not be kept, audible bite alarms may not be used closer than 50 m to houses. Period: All year.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Wallonia: Where and when pike is closed (eaux calmes/mixtes: 01.02 – Friday before the 1st Saturday of June; eaux vives: 01.10 – Friday before the 1st Saturday of March), fish bait (live/dead, whole/pieces) and artificial lures may not be used. Exceptions: in eaux mixtes, a dead vairon or goujon of max. 7 cm mounted on a rig (monture); in eaux calmes, artificial lures of max. 7 cm used with fly tackle. Period: Whenever and wherever pike fishing is closed.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Wallonia: Blood, bone marrow, brain, offal, fish roe and (from 2025) all birds, amphibians and mammals (live/dead) may not be used as bait/groundbait. Live bait only with the following species (excluding coloured varieties): ablette commune, ablette spirlin, carassin commun, chevaine, gardon, goujon, rotengle, vairon; AGW 19.04.2024 removed perche, brème, carpe, ide, tanche from the list (01.01.2025). In the Meuse, Sambre and Escaut live bait is prohibited OUTSIDE the main channel (side arms, basins/harbours); general rules apply in other waters. Fishing under ice and by hand is prohibited. In eaux vives and eaux mixtes only barbless or crushed-barb hooks. Pike, zander and brown trout may not be kept alive in a keepnet/container. Period: All year.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Wallonia: Bag limits per person per day: dead fish 15 cm and under, max. 20; dead fish over 15 cm, max. 5 (except group 4); perch 5; zander 2; pike 1; salmonids (group 3) 5 in total; schneider (ablette spirlin), gudgeon (goujon) and minnow (vairon) 20 per species. Grayling (ombre) and corégone may not be retained. In the Meuse downstream of the Lixhe dam no fish may be retained. In the Meuse, Sambre and Escaut fish may only be taken from the main channel. At Plate Taille lake brown trout and fish caught from a boat may not be retained. Sale of fish is prohibited. Period: All year.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Wallonia: In the eaux calmes zone (except lakes and ponds) retaining pike is completely prohibited. Period: 01.01.2025–31.12.2027.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Wallonia: On the Semois river, fishing by entering the riverbed (wading) is prohibited from the 1st Saturday of March until the Friday before the 1st Saturday of June. Period: 1st Saturday of March – Friday before the 1st Saturday of June.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Brussels-Capital Region: Night fishing is completely prohibited. Period: All year; from 30 min after sunset to 30 min before sunrise (official IRM times).

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →

Brussels-Capital Region: Only catch-and-release is permitted: all fish must be released immediately and transporting live or dead fish is prohibited. Only rods (max. 2, max. 3 hooks per rod) and landing nets may be used; spears and gaffs are prohibited. Fish hooked outside the mouth must be released. Damaging spawning areas and floating plant islands is prohibited. Period: All year.

The article text is taken from the communiqué. The table above was carried into our own records from the relevant rows of the communiqué and may be abridged. The official publication is what binds. Official communiqué (PDF) →