RULES FOR AMATEUR FISHING IN INTERNAL WATERS
GENERAL PROVISIONS
1. Rules for amateur fishing in internal waters (hereinafter – Rules) determines objects, gear, methods, treatment, order of amateur fishing organization, regulates other activities, related with amateur fishing in internal waters.
2. Rules shall not apply to amateur fishing in Baltic Sea, private reservoirs and ponds. Rules for amateur fishing in other private water bodies are applied in such an extent as specified in the declaration on Fishing order in private and other fisheries in inland waters owned state and natural persons or legal entities by general partial right of ownership, approved by the order No. D1-771 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 25 September 2012 (O.G., 2012, No. 113-5748).
3. During the implementation of limited fishing, Rules are applied in such an extent, as described by legal acts regulating limited fishing. In the protected areas amateur fishing is also regulated by the provisions of these territories, individual security regulations and management arrangements.
DEFINITIONS
4. The following terms are used in these Rules:
4.1. crayfish trap net – trap that is no longer than 100 cm and no wider than 50 cm;
4.2. single fishing – amateur fishing or limited fishing from person’s arrival to fishing site until the end of fishing;
4.3. amateur fishing ticket – amateur fishing permit, which provides natural person the right to fish in state fishery water bodies, which are not used as fishing areas and in which amateur fishing is not prohibited in accordance with legal acts that regulate amateur fishing and if such fishing does not require amateur fishing card;
4.4. amateur fishing card – amateur fishing permit, which provides the right to fish in specified state fishery water body, in which limited fishery is executed;
5. Other definitions, used in these Rules, are comprehended in such way, as described in the Republic of Lithuania Law on Amateur Fishing (O. G., 2004, No. 118–4395; 2012, No. 108-5463), the Republic of Lithuania Law on Fisheries (O. G., 2000, No. 56-1648; 2004, No. 73-2527) and other legal acts of the Republic of Lithuania.
AMATEUR FISHING REGULATIONS
6. An amateur fisherman can simultaneously use a maximum of 5 trap nets or dip nets for catching crayfish and 4 other amateur fishing gear. When fishing from boat, one fisherman can simultaneously use a maximum of 2 fishing rods. The total number of hooks used simultaneously shall not exceed 6, except in smelt fishing on ice where the total number of hooks can reach 12. A double or triple hook shall be considered as one hook. The number of trap nets and dip nets for catching spiny cheek crayfish and signal crayfish is not limited, theses crayfish species are permitted to catch by hands and skimmers, and however, broad-clawed crayfish and narrow-clawed crayfish, caught during such fishing, shall be immediately released back into the same water body.
7. During single fishing, it is allowed to catch 1 catfish, no more than 2 asps, barbells, 3 eels, brown trout, graylings, no more than 5 burbot, pike-perch, pike, chubs, cod (total amount of fish, described in this paragraph, cannot exceed 5 units), no more than 50 crayfish (exception for spiny cheek crayfish and signal crayfish, which could be caught in an unlimited amounts and unlimited sizes). The total weight of a permitted daily catch of fish not indicated in this paragraph shall not exceed 5 kg, 7 kg in the Curonian Lagoon, excluding smelts that are permitted to catch 10 kg and excluding the weight of the last caught fish, except in cases when the weight of one fish is higher than the standard referred to in this paragraph. The catch shall not include fish that are included in the list of Invasive Species of the Republic of Lithuania, approved by Order No. D1-433 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 16 August 2004(O.G., 2004, No. 130-4677; 2009, No. 135-5904; 2012, No. 76-3953) (hereinafter – List of Invasive Species) and fish released alive back into a water body immediately after being caught.
8. It is permitted to catch small fish and larvae of non biting midge for bait with a single mesh scoop for bait, of no more than 1 meter diameter and no more than 10 mm mesh holes. During single fishing it is allowed to catch a maximum of 30 crucian, roach, perch and other fish fingerlings, except carnivorous fish, fish, indicated in paragraphs 12.1-12.3 of these Rules, fish, inscribed in the list of Protected Fish and Crayfish Species, approved by Order No. 84 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 31 March 1999 (O.G., 1999, No. 33-970).
9. During the amateur fishing competitions, limitations described in paragraph 7 and prohibition determined in paragraph 11.1 of these Rules, may be disregarded after a written reconciliation is received from:
9.1. Regional Environment Protection Department of the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania (hereinafter – Regional Environment Protection Department), in which administered territory the water body is located – state water bodies which were not permitted to be used as fishing area;
9.2. fishing area user – in state water bodies, which were permitted to be used as fishing areas. Fishing area user must conciliate fishing conditions with respective Regional Environment Protection Department;
9.3. State park directorate (additional), if water body is within the territory of state park.
10. Prohibited activities:
10.1. fishing with electric energy, toxic or explosive substances, firearms or pneumatic guns (except guns for underwater fishing), aqualungs and other autonomous equipment, fishing by stabbing, hooking (when fish is caught by hooking any other body part, except head), hitting, or by using non amateur fishing gear (hereinafter – prohibited fishing methods);
10.2. to keep or transport spears, long lines and non amateur fishing gear (hereinafter – prohibited fishing gear), except cases, when such gear is used for commercial or special fishing, according to the legislation;
10.3. to remove from water bodies spears, long lines, non amateur fishing gear and fish out of them. Persons, noticed fishing gear, which are not marked as described by the Order of Fishing Gear Marking, approved by Order No. D1-383 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 29 July 2005(O.G. 2005, No. 96-3609) (hereinafter – Rules for Fishing Gear Marking), or prohibited fishing gear, informs state control officers of environmental protection, without removing them from water;
10.4.to use animals for bait, which are inscribed in the List of Invasive Species;
10.5. to implement underwater fishing ant night time – from dusk until dawn, to implement underwater fishing without clearly visible buoy in fishing area, to use arrows with a barb, wider than 10 cm in underwater fishing, to shoot fish from a boat, by wading or from the coast with guns for underwater fishing;
10.6. to be at water bodies or near them closer than 25 m with amateur fishing gear, if fishing in such water bodies is prohibited or prohibited at that time, or without amateur fishing permit, providing the right to fish in that water body, or without the right to fish free of charge, to be at water bodies or near them closer than 25 m with fishing gear for underwater fishing, if fishing in such water bodies is prohibited;
10.7. to sell fish, caught by amateur fishing methods, or their products;
10.8. to be on the ice of frozen water bodies, when there is threat to human life or health, due to thin ice or after Lithuanian Hydrometeorological Service Under the Ministry of Environment has announced about ice conditions that could cause threat to human life or health.
11. Prohibited to fish:
11.1. without amateur fishing permit, providing the right to fish in certain water body, except for persons, having the right to fish free of charge, also on 6 July and 15 August, when all persons have the right to fish free of charge in all state water bodies, where amateur fishing is not prohibited and limited fishing is not organized; in water bodies of Nemunas Delta Regional Park, where amateur fishing is not prohibited;
11.2.by using prohibited fishing gear or methods;
11.3. by using rubbers longer than 20 cm that are attached to amateur fishing gear
11.4. to catch broad-clawed and narrow-clawer crayfish with other gear or methods than using trap nets or dip nets;
11.5. grayling, brown trout, sea trout, salmon by using bait of natural origin;
11.6. asps by using more than two baits;
11.7. closer that 50 m from non amateur mesh fishing gear, marked in accordance with the Order of Fishing Gear Marking;
11.8. in fish paths (special facilities for fish migration though dam) and closer than 100 m from dams;
11.9. on ice without the equipment to help to get out on ice – two spikes with flexible connection;
11.10. from 20 April to 20 May in 400 m range around Dabinta peninsula in Kaunas Lagoon;
11.11. from 1 January to 20 April, by using small fish for bait (this prohibition is not applied for fishing in Kaunas Lagoon and for fishing with a piece of fish);
11.12. from15 December to January 15 in Nemunas river from Gėgė river firth to Jurbarkas bridge and in Nevėžis river from firth to Babtai bridge at the night time from dust until dawn (according to inscriptions in calendar);
11.13. all year round in water bodies, indicated in paragraph 1 of these Rules;
11.14. from 1 October to 31 December in rivers, indicated in paragraph 1 of these Rules, except catching spiny cheek crayfish and signal crayfish with trap nets and dip nets;
11.15. from 16 September to 15 October without amateur fishing cards or without the right to fish free from charges in river stretches, indicated in annex 3 of these Rules, except catching spiny cheek crayfish and signal crayfish with trap nets and dip nets;
11.16. from 16 October to 31 December in river stretches, indicated in annex 4of these Rules, except catching spiny cheek crayfish and signal crayfish with trap nets and dip nets;
12. Prohibited to catch:
12.1. these types of fish:
12.1.1. Common nase (Chondrostoma nasus);
12.1.2. European weatherfish (Misgurnus fossilis);
12.1.3. Sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus);
12.1.4. European brook lamprey (Lampetra planeri) and their fingerlings;
12.1.5. Gulf sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus);
12.1.6. Other water animals, indicated in the List of Protected Animal, Plant and Mushroom Species of the Republic of Lithuania, approved by Order No. 504 by the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 13 October 2003 (O.G., 2003, No. 100-4506; 2007, No. 36-1331; 2010, No. 20-949; 2011, No. 53-2567), if amateur fishing card for such species has not been issued;
12.2. these fish without amateur fishing cards:
12.2.1. Salmon (Salmo salar);
12.2.2. Sea trout (Salmo trutta trutta);
12.2.3. Whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus);
12.2.4. River lamprey (Lampetra fluviatilis);
12.3. smaller than these sizes (the size of fish shall be measured from the tip of the snout to the extreme end of the tail fin and that of crayfish from the tip of the head to the end of its stretched out tail):
12.3.1. salmon (Salmo salar) 65 cm;
12.3.2. European Wels (Silurus glanis) 75 cm;
12.3.3. sea trout (Salmo trutta trutta) 65 cm;
12.3.4.asp (Aspius aspius) 52 cm;
12.3.5. burbot (Lota lota) 49 cm in Curonian Lagoon, 40 cm – in other water bodies;
12.3.6. barbell (Barbus barbus) 47 cm;
12.3.7. pikeperch (Sander lucioperca) 46 cm;
12.3.8. pike (Esox lucius) 45 cm;
12.3.9. grayling (Thymallus thymallus) 29 cm;
12.3.10. brown trout (Salmo trutta fario) 30 cm;
12.3.11. chub (Leuciscus cephalus) 25 cm;
12.3.12. cod (Leuciscus idus) 28 cm;
12.3.13. tench (Tinca tinca) 25 cm;
12.3.14. carp (Cyprinus carpio) 30 cm;
12.3.15. grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) 30 cm;
12.3.16. bighead carp (Artistichtys nobilis) 30 cm;
12.3.17. wide-claw crayfish (Astacus astacus) 10 cm;
12.3.18. narrow-claw craufish (Astacus leptodactylus) 10 cm.
12.4. such fish and crayfish during indicated periods:
12.4.1. pike (Esox lucius) from 1 February to 20 April
12.4.2. pike perch (Sander lucioperca) from 1 March to 20 May;
12.4.3. asp (Aspius aspius) from 1 April to 15 May;
12.4.4. grayling (Thymallus thymallus) from 1 March to 15 May;
12.4.5. brown trout (Salmo trutta fario) from 1 October to 31 December;
12.4.6. whitefish (Coregonus lavaretus) from 1 October to 31 December;
12.4.7. burbot (Lota lota) from 15 December to 15 January;
12.4.8. vinba (Vimba vimba) from 15 May to 15 June;
12.4.9. wide-clawed and narrow-clawed crayfish from 15 October to 15 July;
12.4.10. Bream (Abramis brama) from 20 April to 20 May in water bodies located within the territory of Nemunas Delta Regional Park.
13. Caught fish and crayfish, smaller than indicated in paragraph 12 and fish, which are prohibited to catch or prohibited to catch at that time, must be released back into the same water body immediately.
14. All prohibitions, indicated in paragraphs 11 and 12 are valid at first and the last day of the indicated term. When the first day of prohibition is weekend or state holiday, prohibition enters into force the next day after weekend or state holiday. Prohibition is not valid on the last day of prohibition, if such day is weekend or state holiday.
15. Underwater fishing shall be allowed in the following public water bodies, except recreational areas:
__________________________
| No. | Name of water body |
Municipality |
Area, ha |
Comments |
| 1. | Alaušas | Utena | 1071,8 | |
| 2. | Antalieptės Hydropower plant pond | Zarasai | 1572,3 | |
| 3. | Asveja | Molėtai, Švenčionys | 978,2 | Underwater fishing is allowed in the area from the Dubingiai bridge to the Žingiai bridge, except recreational areas |
| 4. | Baltieji Lakajai | Molėtsi | 699,8 | |
| 5. | Didžiulis (Daugų) | Alytus | 912,7 | |
| 6. | Drūkšiai | Zarasai | 3204,9 | In the part of the lake within the territory of the Republic of Lithuania |
| 7. | Galuonai | Molėtai | 591,5 | |
| 8. | Sartai | Rokiškis, Zarasai | 1336,8 | |
| 9. | Vištytis | Vilkaviškis | In the part of the lake within the territory of the Republic of Lithuania | |
| 10. | Elektrėnai pond | Elektrėnai | 1389,6 |
16. Users of fishing areas in water bodies, to which permits to use fishing area are issued, may allow underwater fishing, which should be included in amateur fishing permit conditions, if such state water bodies are not included in areas of recreational functional priority, established in state parks and within their areas, which are approved by resolutions of the Republic of Lithuania.
FINAL PROVISIONS
17. Persons, engaged in amateur fishing are required:
17.1. to possess and, if requested by state control officers of environmental protection, who, under the powers, granted by the law, have the right to execute environmental protection state control, to submit amateur fishing permit (electronic number of amateur fishing permit), which provides the right to fish in a certain water body and person’s identity document or document, approving the right to fish free of charge,
17.2. to ensure cleanliness at the fishing site:
17.2.1. to collect all municipal waste located in 5 m range of the fishing site and place them in bags and other packages, before and during fishing;
17.2.2. after the fishing has ended, to take away the collected municipal waste to municipal waste containers;
17.3. to inform Regional Environmental Protection Department of the Ministry of Environment or Fishery Service under the Ministry of Agriculture, after marked fish have been caught or found. To indicate place, where the fish was caught, date, time, fishing gear and bait that were used to catch fish and the number of marking. If the fish has not been released back to the water body, weight, length (L) (from the tip of the snout to the extreme end of the tail fin), gender and additional marking must be indicated. Also other information (noticed mechanical damage, indications of diseases, parasites, etc.) should be specified.
18. Persons, who have breached the Rules, shall compensate for damage caused to fish recourses, assessed in accordance with description of calculation procedure for damage caused for fish resources, approved by Order No. D1-280 of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania of 21 May 2009 (O.G. 2009, No. 63-2526).
19. if the owner or user of amateur fishing gear is absent, gear may be taken away by state control officers of environmental protection or other officers authorized by the law, until the owner or user has been ascertained.