Fishing

Common fishing rights and the fisheries management fee 

Angling with a hook and line, ice-fishing and herring fishing with a rig are common fishing rights – free of charge. For all other types of fishing, you need to pay the fisheries management fee. However, if you are under 18 or over 70 years old, you are exempt from the fisheries management fee. 

The fisheries management fee entitles you to lure fishing using one rod, reel and lure in the whole of Finland, except Åland islands or areas where fishing is prohibited. You can check prohibited areas at the website Kalastusrajoitus.fi.  
 
The fisheries management fee is available for purchase as a yearly, weekly, or daily permit. Purchase the fisheries management fee on the website eraluvat.fi, by downloading the Eräluvat app, or by calling Metsähallitus’ toll-free service number +358 20 69 2424, weekdays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. 

Check fishing permit table here.

Local fishing permits 

For other fishing methods than lure fishing (nets and traps, as well as crayfishing) and for fishing with more than one rod fishers need to pay both the fishing management fee as well as obtain permission by the water owner (a so-called local fishing permit). 
 
Local fishing permits are available for the water areas owned and managed by the cities of Porvoo, Helsinki, and Vantaa. Information about the applicable areas, fishing regulations, and sales locations can be found on the official websites of the cities of Porvoo, Helsinki, and Vantaa.

Spjutsund joint property management association sells fishing permits – apply for a fishing permit for fixed gear (e.g. nets, fish traps, longlines) using the joint unit’s contact form.

Within the fisheries region, on Sipoonlahti, there is a public water area managed by the state. According to Section 8 of the Finnish Fishing Act, recreational fishing is permitted there for all citizens of countries within the European Economic Area, provided they have paid the national fisheries management fee, or if they are under 18 or over 70 years of age.

On the waters managed by UUVI / Helsinki-Uusimaa Outdoors it is permitted to fish for whitefish from the shore using up to three rods without an additional fee, as long as the person is between 18 and 69 years old and has paid the fisheries management fee.
Within the Porvoo–Sipoo fisheries region, one site like this is Högholmsören.

Keep your fishing permits with you! 

Remember to keep your permits with you, as well as your ID, when fishing and show them to the authority or fishing supervisor upon request. 

Fishing supervision 

Fishing is supervised by fishing supervisors and various authorities, including the Police, the Finnish Border Guard, Metsähallitus, the ELY Centre, and Customs.  

The fisheries region also has its own fishing supervisors. You are welcome to contact the coordinators if you have questions regarding fishing rules. You can reach them via e-mail at valvonta.porvoo(at)hotmail.com or by phone:

Thorbjörn Sirénin +358 40 061 4887
Göran Ek  +358 40 774 1012

For minor offenses, the fishing supervisor can issue a warning. In the case of more significant offenses, the matter is referred to the police, who may issue fines or forward the case to the prosecutor. For an unpaid fisheries management fee, the penalty is always a fixed petty fine (100 euros). 

Report your catches! 

As of January 1, 2025, it is mandatory for recreational fishers to report their catch if it is a salmon, lake salmon, trout, eel, char (in Kuolimo, Saimaa, Vuoksen), grayling or pink salmon. The catch must be reported within 14 days, even if the fish has been released back into the water. The report can be submitted via the Omakala app, by e-mail or by phone. More detailed information can be found here.