Fisherman's Exam Acceptance

The application can also be downloaded here. Applications received after this date can no longer be considered. The examination fee is around EUR 29.00 and must be paid to the Ahrweiler district administration no later than two weeks before the examination date. The costs of the preparation course can be obtained from the respective course instructors.

Angling / fishing is also very popular in the Ahrweiler district on the Rhine and Ahr, in Lake Laach and in numerous streams and specially created fishing ponds. Several thousand hobby anglers pursue their passion in the district. The fish caught here include brown trout, grayling, roach, carp, tench, barbel etc.

To protect fish stocks, fishing is subject to strict legal regulations and is monitored. So not just anyone can buy a fishing rod and go fishing. The following article is primarily intended to provide information about the legal basis and rules of angling.

Legal basis:

Inland fishing (fishing in rivers, lakes and ponds) is subject to state legislation in the Federal Republic of Germany. In Rhineland-Palatinate, the Landesfischereigesetz(LfischG) of 09.12.74 and the Landesfischereiordnung zur Durchführung des LfischG of 14.10.85 were enacted for this purpose. Both legal bases have since been modified several times.

Regulation in Rhineland-Palatinate

There are currently around 90,000 anglers in Rhineland-Palatinate practising recreational fishing on around 27,000 hectares of water. The primary goal of nature-conscious recreational fishing must be the preservation of healthy and species-balanced fish stocks to ensure environmentally friendly and sustainable fishing.

In order to achieve this goal, anglers are required to have extensive knowledge of animal, environmental and water protection, which must be proven in a state fishing examination. Around 2,500 anglers in the Ahrweiler district currently hold a fishing license. There are only professional fishermen on the Rhine. In addition, the Maria Laach monastery runs a fish farm on Lake Laach, particularly for whitefish and pike.

Fishing rights

The fishing license is issued for one calendar year (annual fishing license) or for five consecutive years (five-year fishing license) by the municipal or association administration responsible for the participant's place of residence upon presentation of the examination certificate. The municipal and association municipal administrations are also responsible for renewing the licenses. Every year, around 85 new fishing licenses are issued by the relevant authorities in the district of Ahrweiler after passing the fishing examination.

Young people between the ages of 7 and 16 can obtain a youth fishing license without an examination. However, fishing is then only permitted when accompanied by the holder of a valid fishing license. On reaching the age of 14, young people can obtain their own fishing license, which entitles them to fish independently without being accompanied, provided they have passed the state fishing examination.

Basic rules for fishing

Anyone who observes these basic rules and at the same time protects and keeps the banks of the water clean is behaving in a way that is appropriate for fishing. The Lower Fisheries Authority wishes such a petri-disciple good luck and unadulterated enjoyment when eating his catch. After all, eating the prey is the only sensible reason for catching a fish and killing it in accordance with animal welfare regulations.

• The holder of a fishing license is obliged to observe the legal regulations on fishing, in particular the minimum sizes and closed seasons. The closed seasons and minimum sizes valid in Rhineland-Palatinate are listed on the back of the fishing license.
• Fish that are subject to a fishing ban (e.g. salmon, sea trout, sturgeon) must be returned to the water immediately with the care required to preserve them if they are still alive and not bleeding heavily after being caught.
• Keeping nets (temporary storage of caught live fish) may only be used to keep fish if they are made of textiles. Keeping fish in landing nets is prohibited in waters with shipping traffic.
• The use of live bait fish when fishing is prohibited under animal welfare legislation.
• Fishing with more than two rods is generally not permitted according to the fishing conditions of the fishing leaseholder.
• Fishing with artificial light at night and electric fishing is prohibited.
• Fishing from bridges raises animal welfare concerns with regard to the landing of fish and the release of undersized fish.
• Electric fishing is prohibited
• Fishing competitions are not permitted for animal welfare reasons.

Fishing in fishing ponds

According to the Animal Welfare Act, it is prohibited to release catchable fish taken with landing nets from holding tanks to anglers immediately after they have been put into the fishing pond (so-called fishing circus).

Fishing solely for the pleasure of the fight is neither in accordance with the fishing regulations nor the Animal Protection Act, nor is the use of live bait fish for fishing permitted. Furthermore, the water regulations of the Verband deutscher Sportfischer, Landesverband Rheinland-Pfalz e.V. (VDSF) stipulate that trout ponds into which only fish that are ready to be caught are to be strictly rejected for animal welfare reasons alone, for the sole reason that as many anglers as possible have a fishing experience. It is also stipulated that fish must not be stocked for immediate recapture.

The pond owners known to the Ahrweiler district administration have been made aware of this legal situation, which has been confirmed by the Supreme Court, and have been requested to comply with the animal welfare regulations.

Questions and answers on the subject of fishing licenses

According to the LfischG, anyone wishing to fish in Rhineland-Palatinate must carry a valid fishing license in their name. When a Rhineland-Palatinate fishing license is issued for the first time, proof of having passed a state fishing examination in Rhineland-Palatinate must be presented. For the Ahrweiler district, the Ahrweiler district administration is responsible for taking the fishing examination. Prerequisites for admission to the fishing examination are at least 35 hours of participation in a course to prepare for the fishing examination, completion of the 13th year of age and payment of the examination fee. The implementation of the preparatory courses has been transferred to the fishing associations operating in Rhineland-Palatinate, such as the Rhineland-Rhine-Hesse Fishing Association, the Koblenz District Sport Fishing Association or the Nahe/Mittelrhein District Fishing Association.

The fishing examination is conducted as a theoretical examination by means of a questionnaire in 5 areas of knowledge (general fish knowledge, special fish knowledge, equipment knowledge, water knowledge and legal knowledge with animal and nature conservation).
After passing the examination, participants receive an examination certificate.

Questions and answers

1. Who can take the fishing exam?
   Persons registered in the district of AW with their main residence who are at least 13 years old.
2. When must the application for admission be submitted
   No later than 4 weeks before the examination date to the Ahrweiler district administration.
3. When are the examination dates?
   Examinations take place twice a year on the 1st Friday in June and December.
4. What do minors have to consider?
   The declaration of consent of the legal representative must be enclosed.
5. What are the examination requirements?
   The applicant must provide evidence of at least 35 hours of participation in a course to prepare for the fishing examination.
6. Who runs the courses and where are they held?
   The umbrella associations of the recreational fishing organizations operating in this area are responsible for running the courses.
7. What are the fees?
   The examination fee from the district administration is EUR 29, the preparatory courses at the fishing organizations cost around EUR 150 for adults and around EUR 100 for young people.
8. How does the exam work?
   The exam is only taken in writing. From 5 areas of knowledge (general fish knowledge, special fish knowledge, water knowledge, equipment knowledge, legal knowledge including nature and animal protection), 10 questions must be answered by ticking them. At least 7 questions must be answered correctly. If the candidate has not answered the prescribed 7 questions correctly in only one area of knowledge, they can be retested orally in this subject.
9. Where can you obtain a state fishing license?
   At the relevant municipal/association administration
10. What types of fishing license are there?
    a) Annual fishing license
    b) Five-year fishing license