Fishing licences for local and visiting anglers are now available to purchase online, the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry has announced.
This is the second year of the Department’s online licensing scheme, which aims to make fishing more accessible, particularly in respect of weekends and bank holidays and in order for visiting anglers to buy in advance.
Online sales will enable anglers to purchase a licence at any time of day by visiting www.gov.im/onlineservices and following the straightforward procedure.
The reservoir angling season for the Isle of Man opens today (10th March), and the river angling season opens shortly afterwards on 1st April.
Anglers can now also purchase their licence directly from the Department at Rose House, 51 - 59 Circular Road, Douglas, until the 26th March.
From 29th March onwards, the Department will be operating from its new corporate headquarters at Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John’s, where angling licences will be on sale to the public.
Licences will also be available to purchase from local Post offices, the Department of Tourism and Leisure’s Welcome Centre at the Sea Terminal, fishing tackle shops and Onchan Commissioners.
The Department is also pleased to announce that a reservoir concessionary licence scheme will be offered to eligible Senior Citizen and disabled anglers for the 2010 season. Proof of eligibility is required, and concessionary licences will only be available from the Post Office or the Department’s headquarters.
The Departments continues to encourage both reservoir and river fishing amongst the younger generations, with a free of charge child season licence available to all individuals under the age of 14, during the 2010 angling season.
Juan Turner MLC, Member for Fisheries, said, "I am looking forward to the new season and hope that we can encourage more people to take up angling.
"Where else do you have a choice of six regularly stocked reservoirs to fish within a short travelling distance? The quality of our fish stocks are very high and with a daily bag limit of four fish, angling on the Island is probably better value than anywhere else in the British Isles.
"We also look forward to working with our new Fish Hatchery operators to keep our waters regularly stocked.
"The Department is keen to ensure that those anglers who buy licences are not ‘subsidising’ those who choose to break the law and fish without a valid licence.
"With that in mind, I have asked that our fisheries enforcement officers carry out more frequent checks.
"Please assist us by co-operating with members of our team if they approach you on licence checks. Remember, you are paying to fish our waters and paying us to look after them, so why should someone else try and get away without paying!
Anglers are reminded to carry their licence with them at all times when fishing and to be aware of regulations relating to freshwater angling.
Clypse, Kerrowdhoo, Eairy Dam and Cringle reservoirs have all been stocked for the start of the reservoir season. Due to low pH levels and the presence of predatory birds, stocking has been delayed in Sulby, West Baldwin and Ballure reservoirs, however, each of these reservoirs hold excellent stocks of over-wintered trout.
