Freshwater & Seawater Fishing on the Costa del Sol

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Freshwater & Seawater Fishing on the Costa del Sol

A regional fishing licence, or rod licence, (permiso/licencia de pesca) is required to fish both inland and sea waters in Spain. 

For those not holding a foreign fishing licence, a Spanish licence can be obtained from the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente. Applicants must pass an exam in Spanish before being granted a licence. After the exam, it takes over a month to receive the results. Once the exam is successfully completed, the applicant is issued an Registry Identification Number (Número de Identificación Registral) and a Fishing Identification Card (Tarjeta de Identificación del Pescador).

• Ministerio de Medio Ambiente - Málaga
  At: C/Mauricio Moro Pareto, Edificio Eurocom, Bloque Sur, Planta 3a y 4a, 29071 Málaga
  Tel: 951 040 058
  Fax: 951 040 108
  Website

Holders of an existing foreign licence will not be required to take an exam in Spanish and may obtain a fishing licence online from Telelicencia. 

• Telelicencia
  At: Corazon de Maria 68 1G, 28002 Madrid
  Tel: 902 300 622 / 914 161 101
  Website
  e-mail

Licences are free in some regions for residents of Spain over the age of 65.

Fishing in rivers, estuaries or lakes also requires an angling licence, which can be obtained from many fishing shops, some Caja Rural and Caja Mar Banks, or from the local office of the Ministry of the Environment (Minsterio de Medio Ambiente). Trout fishing usually requires an additional daily permit (licencia de pesca rio con recargo trucha), which essentially buys temporary membership to a local fishing club. 

Failure to obtain the necessary permits and licences can result in large fines and confiscation of fishing equipment. Some anglers choose to hire professional tour operators to obtain the required permits, licences and insurance. 

Note: Personal liability insurance is required to fish the waters of Andalucia.

Fishing Waters

There are both public and private waters in Spain. An additional permit may be needed to fish in some. There are three types of fishing environment:

• Free (libros): These waters do not need a special permit
• Restricted (cotos): These are waters that do require a permit
• Fisheries (intensivos): Permits for these waters are often available in local shops

The fishing season varies based on the particular species of fish. Most rivers have restrictions on the numbers of licences issued per day and the quantity and size of the fish that may be caught.

Related Information

• For the Andalusian Fishing Organisation (Federación Andaluza de Pesca Deportiv) website: Click here
• The Spanish Association for Fishing and Casting (Federación Española de Pesca y Casting) has information on fishing sites and regulations: Click here (in Spanish)

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