Fishing permit areas renewed: learn about the changes

At the turn of the year, five large angling permit areas will be redistributed into 52 new permit areas. In addition, the boundaries of trap fishing permit areas will be revised. All trap fishing permits for 2025 and permits for the large angling areas must be purchased no later than 30 November 2025.

The purpose of the reform is to align Metsähallitus’ large fishing permit areas with the boundaries of the fisheries management areas. Fishing is currently regulated and planned by fisheries management area. For example, decisions by the fisheries authority, such as minimum catch sizes, always apply to a specific fisheries management area. Thanks to the reform, the rules for Metsähallitus’ fishing destinations will remain more consistent in the future. Slightly smaller areas will also allow better monitoring of fish stocks and fishing activities.

How the angling permit areas will change

Five large angling permit areas will be divided into 52 smaller areas, which will in future follow the names and boundaries of the fisheries management areas. The changes will take effect at the turn of the year.

If you wish to purchase a angling permit for the end of 2025 in one of the areas being discontinued, you must do so by 30 November 2025. The areas being discontinued are 2401 Western Lapland, 3410 Eastern Lapland, 5411 Ostrobothnia and Kainuu, 7413 Southern Finland, and 7412 Sea Areas.

Fishing in the newly established areas will begin in 2026, with permit sales starting on 16 December 2025. The new area pages with maps will be available on Eräluvat.fi and maps on Excursionmap.fi by 16 December 2025.

The sales break or changes do not affect all Metsähallitus angling permit areas or joint permit areas. There are 95 other site-specific angling areas. These will remain unchanged, and their permit sales will continue as previously announced. Site-specific areas include smaller fishing destinations such as Langinkoski, Niemisjärvet, Hossa, or Lätäseno.

The areas are designated with the clarification “state waters,” since Metsähallitus permits do not cover waters owned by others within the fisheries management area.

How the trap fishing permit areas will change

At the turn of the year, 45 new trap fishing permit areas will be established on state-owned waters, formed from 36 former permit areas. The new areas will follow the boundaries of the fisheries management areas. They are designated with the clarification “state waters,” since Metsähallitus permits do not cover waters owned by others within the fisheries management area. Previously, these areas often followed municipal boundaries.

Not all trap fishing permit areas will change: 30 areas will remain as they are or undergo minor adjustments, such as updating the four-digit code or revising the boundaries. Sales of all trap fishing permits for 2025 will end on 30 November 2025. This means that if you want a permit for December, you must purchase it during November. The reason is that in December we will begin updating the systems with the new permit areas.

Sales of trap fishing permits for 2026 will begin on 16 December 2025.