Coarse fishing close season on English rivers
We want your views on whether to keep, change or remove the current close season.
The current coarse fishing close season on rivers, some canals and some stillwaters starts on 15 March and finishes on 15 June. There’s no close season on most canals and most stillwaters.
Close seasons are for reducing the risk to fish while they’re spawning. Not being able to fish for coarse fish on rivers during the current close season can restrict angler choice. However, changing or removing it may pose a risk to:
- fish stocks and the fisheries they support
- other wildlife
We want to hear from all those interested in coarse fish and fisheries. Your responses will help us decide if we need to keep, change or remove the current close season.
As a result of this consultation, we may make new byelaws. If we do, we must advertise them. This gives people the opportunity to object.