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Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs An Roinn Talmhaíochta, Comhshaoil agus Gnóthaí Tuaithe Depairtment o' Fairmin, Environment an' Kintra Matthers

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  • Inland Fisheries Statutory Approvals Sections

    Topics:
    • Angling and Commercial Fishing (Inland Fisheries), 
    • Inland Fisheries Statutory Approvals

    Information on permits issued under sections 14 and 48, and exemption permits issued under 54, 58 and 59 of the Fisheries Act (NI) 1966.

    Permits issued under section 14

    Section 14 of the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966, as amended, provides exemptions for artificial propagation and improvement of a fishery. The Department may, by permit in writing, and subject to any conditions specified in the permit, authorise any named person to do, at any season of the year, such things as may be specified in the permit for the purpose of artificial propagation of salmon or freshwater fish or for the improvement of any inland fishery.

    A section 14 permit authorises the holder to carry out activities which would normally be illegal. Examples of activities permitted under the authority of these permits include catching and being in possession of salmon or trout by electric fishing for supportive breeding programmes, or catching fresh water fish by an approved method for transfer between inland fisheries.

    Application form and guidance

    Applications for Section 14 permits MUST be received 7 working days before the start date of the operation.

    • Application form and guidance for a section 14 permit

    Permits issued under section 48

    Section 48 of the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 as amended makes it an offence to remove material from a riverbed without prior approval from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. The removal of watercourse substrate can degrade fisheries habitat, cause mortalities to the spawn and fry of salmonids (Atlantic salmon and brown trout) and disturb the natural behaviour of adult fish with resulting negative impacts.

    A section 48 permit authorises the holder to carry out activities which would normally be illegal (i.e. the removal of river bed substrate) with operations restricted by such conditions as the Department considers appropriate.

    Application form and guidance

    Applications for Section 48 permits MUST be received 28 working days before the start of the operation.

    • Application form and guidance for Section 48 permit

    Exemption permits issued under sections 54, 58 and 59

    The Fisheries Act provides powers for the Department to grant an exemption from the requirements of the Act upon application and in certain circumstances as outlined in Section 54, 58 and 59 of the Fisheries Act.

    Abstractors must fully comply with the provisions of the Fisheries Act unless the Department has issued an exemption certificate.

    Where an Exemption has been issued under Section 58 and 59, the Department may at any time:

    (a) revoke the exemption; or

    (b) vary or revoke any condition for the time being attaching to the exemption; or

    (c) attach any condition or any further condition to the exception;

    But no exemption shall be revoked nor shall any condition be varied or any condition or further condition imposed unless at least twenty-eight days' notice of the Ministry's intention to make a revocation or, as the case may be, to vary or impose the condition, has been given to the person who appears to the Ministry to be for the time being entitled to the benefit of exemption, and the Ministry has considered any representations made before the expiration of the notice.

    Application

    Persons applying for an exemption permit con do so via the application form and guidance below:

    • Application form and guidance for Section 54, 58, and 59 permit

    Contact

    For more information or further guidance, contact:

    Inland Fisheries (Headquarters)
    Clare House
    303 Airport Road West
    Belfast
    BT3 9ED

    Email: IF.StatutoryPermissions@daera-ni.gov.uk

    During office hours Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm:
    Phone: 0300 200 7860

    Outside Northern Ireland and UK:
    Phone: +44 28 9151 3101

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