Index to this paper

All guides, by section

Six reference guides on fishing rules, river health and riverside wildlife, each checked against official or specialist sources.

Angling rules

Licences

Do you need a fishing licence? The rules in each UK nation

England and Wales want a rod licence from age 13. Scotland has no licence at all. Northern Ireland asks for a licence and a permit. Everywhere, someone has to give you leave to fish.

Published 18 June 2026

An angler standing knee deep in a wide, shallow river with fields and trees on the far bank — Photo: Rob Burke, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and tinted.

Seasons

When can you fish a river? Close seasons across the UK

In England and Wales, coarse fishing on rivers stops from 15 March to 15 June. Scotland has no coarse close time but bans salmon rods on Sundays. Game seasons change from one river to the next.

Published 11 July 2026

A barbel lying in a landing net at the water's edge, showing its long body and whiskered mouth — Photo: Tlauga, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and tinted.

River health and reporting

Reporting

How to report river pollution: who to call and what to say

In England, Scotland and Northern Ireland the number is 0800 80 70 60. In Wales it is 0300 065 3000. Ring as soon as you can, with a precise location and a time.

Published 2 August 2026

White foam gathering on a tumbling river among rocks and woodland — Photo: Eric Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and tinted.

River health

How is river health measured? Reading the official ratings

Regulators grade waters from high to bad using fish, plants, invertebrates and water chemistry. One failing test pulls down the whole grade, which is why the headline figures look so bleak.

Published 22 August 2026

A clear, slow stretch of chalk stream between banks of tall reeds and overhanging trees — Photo: Andy Morffew, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and tinted.

Wildlife and invasive species

Wildlife

Water vole or rat? How to read the signs on a riverbank

Look at the face and the tail. A water vole has a blunt nose, small ears and a short furry tail. A brown rat has a pointed nose, large ears and a long scaly tail.

Published 5 September 2026

A water vole sitting in shallow water beside a large fallen leaf it is eating, showing a blunt face and small rounded ear — Photo: Sarah, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and tinted.

Invasive species

Check, Clean, Dry: stopping invasive species in UK rivers

Whenever you leave the water, check your kit for mud and plants, clean it with hot water if you can, and dry it for as long as possible. Some of these species survive for over two weeks in damp gear.

Published 10 October 2026

A dense bank of Himalayan balsam plants, with broad toothed leaves, on a riverside — Photo: Dratsie, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and tinted.