Public water areas
Public water areas are Finnish territorial sea waters and large lakes. In these water areas, fisheries management fee is often sufficient as a permit. However, if you fish with multiple rods or use traps in the public water areas of inland waters, you may need an additional angling or trap permit in some situations.
Large lakes are eight kilometres in length and width or larger. In addition to the sea, the following lakes are public water areas: Oulujärvi, Lappajärvi, Höytiäinen, Pyhäselkä, Orivesi, Koitere, Puruvesi, Päijänne and Inarijärvi.
Sea fishing in public water areas
Recreational fishing
Persons 18–69 years of age are entitled to fish recreationally in public water areas at sea, provided that they have paid the fisheries management fee. No fishing permit is required. Person under 18 years of age, over 70 years of age or person who have reached the age of 65 or more by 31 December 2023 are entitled to fish recreationally in public water areas at sea without paying the fisheries management fee.
There are no restrictions on the maximum number of rods that may be used when angling. However, recreational trap fishing is subject to the following restrictions specified in section 49 of the Fishing Act (379/2015) and section 5 of the Fishing Decree (1360/2015), including trap size and the maximum number of traps that may be used:
- A fyke net may not be longer than 1.5 metres.
- The maximum number of hooks on hook lines (e.g. long lines and salmon lines) is 100 per fishing party.
- When net fishing, a maximum of 240 metres of net may be used by each fishing or boat party.
Trap tagging requirements also apply to public water areas, even in cases where actual trap tags do not need to be fastened to traps. However, the contact information of the person setting the trap must be clearly visible on all traps.
Commercial fishing
Commercial fishers registered in Finland are entitled to practice commercial fishing in public water areas at sea. Metsähallitus may lease a salmon or trout fishing area to commercial fishers, provided that there is a commercial need to do so.
Commercial fishers are entitled to use larger numbers of traps and traps such as trawls and large fyke nets. Trap tagging requirements also apply to public water areas, even in cases where actual trap tags do not need to be fastened to traps. However, the contact information of the person setting the trap must be clearly visible on all traps.
Lake fishing in public water areas
Angling
Fishing in public water areas in lakes with only one rod and lure requires only payment of the fisheries management fee. However, persons under 18 years of age, over 70 years of age or persons who have reached the age of 65 or more by 31 December 2023 are entitled to fish in public water areas in inland bodies of water without paying the fisheries management fee.
Lure fishing with multiple rods (trolling) requires a local lure fishing joint permit. Lure fishing joint permits are sold by local fishing districts (ahven.net, in Finnish).
Trap fishing
When fishing with nets or other traps in public water areas in lakes, recreational fishers must both pay the fisheries management fee and obtain a trap permit. Different public water areas in lakes have their own trap permit areas. Metsähallitus sells trap permits for public water areas in the following lakes:
Trap fishing permits for public water areas in Lakes Höytiäinen and Koitere are sold as part of the lake-specific joint permit. Permits for Lakes Höytiäinen and Koitere are sold by fishing districts.
Höytiäinen fishing district (in finnish, hoytiainen.fi)
Koitere fishing district (in finnish, koitereenkalatalousalue.fi)
Only local residents may purchase trap permits for public water areas in Lake Inarijärvi.
Commercial fishing
Metsähallitus issues permits for commercial fishing in public water areas in inland bodies of water. In 2019, Metsähallitus opened a call for permit applications for public water areas. The call for permit applications applies to the period 2020–2024.