Apply for permission to stock, remove and supply fish

You will need to apply for consent to:

• remove fish from your fishery other than by rod and line
• introduce fish into your fishery (a site permit)
• supply fish to fisheries, or move fish between sites (a supplier permit)

These permits are free.

Fish stocking and cropping are important tools in managing your fishery. If not done properly they can put your fishery at risk.

Apply for consent to remove fish

To use anything other than a rod or line to catch and remove fish, you need permission from us.

Complete the application to remove fish.

Apply to introduce and keep fish

You must get a site permit before you introduce fish into your fishery or keep certain non-native fish.

Applications normally take up to 10 days. More complex applications for protected sites or non-native fish can take up to 20 days.

To apply for a site permit call 0300 065 3000 or email enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk.

Please provide:

• your fishery’s registration number
• contact details of the responsible person for the fishery (name, telephone, email)
• a list of the fish species you are looking to keep or want to introduce

If you introduce fish without consent you can be prosecuted and fined up to £50,000.

Apply to supply fish

You will need a supplier permit if you supply or move fish between sites. This doesn’t apply to movements between fish farms or garden ponds.

To apply for a supplier permit call 0300 065 3000 or email enquiries@naturalresourceswales.gov.uk.

Notify us of high risk operations to supply fish

Supplier permit holders must tell us about the following at least two days before any higher risk operation:

• Supplier
• Supplier permit number
• Site fish are being moved to
• Site permit number
• Source water name
• Proposed date of movement
• Estimated time of completion of journey
• Species to be moved: number and weight

Complete the live fish movements form.

Fish health checks

You may have to get a fish health check if you want to stock fish in rivers, canals and lakes connected to open waters. You will need to get a fish health check if it's a condition of your site or supplier permit.

The gov.uk site produce guidance on fish health checks.

Before getting a site permit you may need to register your fishery with the Fish Health Inspectorate.