Fishing regulations
National fishing legislation
Check the national catch sizes, catch quotas and closed seasons here.
It is the fisher’s responsibility to check which prohibitions and restrictions apply before going fishing. The fisheries management fee does not entitle you to fish in rapids and currents in waters with migratory fish, at sites requiring a site-specific permit, or at sites where fishing is entirely prohibited. You can check these at the web site Kalastusrajoitus.fi.
Local fishing regulations
In addition to national restrictions and regulations the fisheries region has its own local fishing regulations.
The following fishing regulations are in force within the fisheries region:
1 January – 15 March: Jomalsund
All fishing is prohibited.
To protect the spawning of burbot.
In force 2023–2027.
1 April – 15 June: Loviisanlahti
All fishing is prohibited except for angling.
To protect the spawning of pikeperch, pike, and perch.
In force 2023–2027.
15 May – 15 June: Kullanlahti, Hormnäsfjärden, Pernajanlahti, Fasarbyviken, Dalsviksfjärden
All fishing is prohibited except for angling.
To protect the spawning of pikeperch.
In force 2023–2027.
1 September – 30 November: Pernajanlahti
All fishing is prohibited except for fishing with fish traps, herring nets, angling, or ice fishing. However, fishing is permitted from Friday at 14:00 until Sunday at 14:00.
To protect the spawning migration of sea trout and whitefish.
More detailed information can be found on the national Kalastusrajoitus.fi website.
Please note that if you are fishing with permission from the owner of the water area (local permit), the regulations might be even stricter than the national and fisheries region ones. The local permit seller will inform you about their own regulations.
Local recommendations
The fisheries region hopes that the various recommendations presented in the regions´s management plan will be followed, even though they are not official regulations confirmed by the fishing authorities.
▪ Pikeperch measuring 60 cm or longer should not be taken as catch, as large fish are particularly valuable from a reproductive perspective.
▪ In the sea, nets made of monofilament (over 0.20 mm thick), twisted thread, or strong fiber should be avoided within 50 meters of the shore during the periods 1 October–31 December and 1 April–15 May. This recommendation is important as it protects sea trout during their spawning migration.
▪ Lure fishing for sea trout in the sea should only be done using lures equipped with a maximum of one barbless hook. This restriction is important to enable the careful release of undersized and adipose-finned sea trout.
▪ The former Fisheries Regions of Ruotsinpyhtää and Pernaja recommended not using mesh sizes smaller than 45 mm. This recommendation does not apply to net fishing for Baltic herring, sprat, smelt, vendace, or baitfish. Fisket kan vara begränsat av olika orsaker och av olika instanser.
!! Please note that if you are fishing with permission from the owner of the water area (local permit), the regulations might be even stricter than the national and fisheries region ones. The local permit seller will inform you about their own regulations.!!
Handling Fish Properly
When keeping fish for food, regulations require they be killed quickly and humanely. A recommended method is to first stun the fish with a firm blow above the eyes, then bleed it by cutting the gill artery. Small fish can often be killed by bending the neck.
Fish that are undersized, protected, or otherwise released must be handled gently to prevent injury and give them the best chance of survival. Avoid touching the fish and minimize the time it spends out of water. Unhook it quickly and carefully and release it back as soon as possible. Barbless hooks and smooth, knotless nets help reduce harm.
Even if an undersized or protected fish is injured, it must not be kept. If the fish is badly hurt and unlikely to survive, it must be killed before being released to prevent unnecessary suffering.