Sea & Freshwater Fishing in Portugal

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Sea & Freshwater Fishing in Portugal

A wide variety of fish can be found in the rivers and lakes of Portugal as well as in the onshore coastal waters and deep sea, where big-fish angling is possible. There are competitions for men, women, juniors and disabled and several major fishing festivals through the year.

The Portuguese Sport Fishing Federation (Federação Portuguesa de Pesca Desportiva) has information and resources for anglers.

• Federação Portuguesa de Pesca Desportiva
  At: Rua Eça de Queirós Nº3-1º, 1050-095 Lisbon
  Tel: 213 140 177
  Fax: 213 563 147
  Website (in Portuguese)

Fishing Permits

A licence (licença) is needed to fish in Portugal.

A Sports Fishing Licence (Licença de Pesca Desportiva) is needed for sea fishing, and a Licence for Fishing in Internal Waters (Licença de Pesca Desportiva em Águas Interiores) is required for fishing in rivers and lakes. Within that, there are a number of different types of licence:

• National Licence (Licença Nacional): allows the holder to fish all over the country where fishing is not restricted, including the offshore islands
• Regional Licence (Licença Regional): allows the holder to fish either in the north, south or centre of the country
• Local Licence (Licença de Conselho): allows fishing only in the rivers and lakes in a given local authority district
• Special Licence for Restricted Areas (Licença para Zona de Pesca Reservada): is required for fishing in protected or reserved zones at certain times of the year
• Special Licence (Licença Especial): for foreigners without a Portuguese Residency Permit (Cartão de Residencia)

Note: A minor under 14 years of age does not require a licence when accompanied by an adult, as along as the adult has a valid licence.

All permits are issued by the Ministry of Agricultural and Fisheries (Ministério da Agricultura, do Desenvolvimento Rural e das Pescas, MADRP), or through the Regional Association of Sports Fishing (Associação Regional Centro de Pesca Desportiva), or through the local and municipal authorities (Câmaras Municipais) where it is intended to fish.

A passport or identity document is needed for the application

• Portuguese Agricultural and Fisheries Ministry General Directorate of Fishing (Direcção-Geral Pescas)
  At: Avenida Brasília, 1300-598 Lisbon
  Tel: 213 035 700
  Website
• Regional Association of Sports Fishing (Associação Regional Centro de Pesca Desportiva)
  At: Rua Sociedade Farmacêutica Nº 56-2º, 1150-095 Lisbon
  Tel: 213 152 593
  Website

Fishing Tackle

All types of rod, reel, tackle and bite alarms for carp fishing are permitted.

Freshwater Fishing

An angler is allowed a maximum of two rods. Freshwater fishing areas include:

• River Tejo tributaries
• Ocreza River near Pracana
• Ponsul River near Marachal Carmona
• Nisa River near Povoa
• Sor River near Montargil
• Seda River near Maranchão
• River Sado tributaries
• Alcacovas River
• Alqueva Dam, two hours from Lisbon on one of the largest reservoirs in Europe
• Chaparro Lakes, 200 acres of water near Salazar
• Xarrama River, near Trigo de Morais
• Campilhas River, near Campilhas
• River Douro at Bemposta, Picote, Miranda do Douro, and the Douro's tributary river, the River Távora
• Zêzere River, the reservoirs at Castelo do Bode, Bouca, Cabril and Santa Luzia
• River Cavado at Peniche, Canicada, Salamonde, Venda Nova, Parudela and Alto do Rabagão

Freshwater fishing seasons

Generally the freshwater fishing season runs between April and November. Fishing is not allowed between sunset and sunrise.

Note: In places where salmon breed no fishing of any kind is allowed except during the salmon season.

Sea Fishing

Because of Portugal's location on the Continental Shelf – an underwater land platform which extends to between 80 and 160 Km out to the Atlantic Ocean - there is a wide variety of fish. The large predatory fish such as shark and tuna come in to feed on the smaller fish that live in the shallower coastal waters. This means there are hundreds of types of marine fish including sardines, bream, bass, mackerel, blue fish, shark, tuna, sword fish, salmon bass and plaice.

Types of fishing

There are essentially five types of fishing carried out in coastal waters and these are:

• Beach Casting for bass, sea mullet, sole, bream, mackerel, red mullet, conger eel, shad, blue fish, porgie, glaucus, golden bream
  • Areas include: Alentejo coast, Peniche, Povoa de Varzim, Sesimbra, Sagres, Lagos, Faro, Albufeira, Quarteira, Portimão, Vila Real de Santo António
• Role Fishing for whiting, mackerel, squalus, grey mullet, bream, bass 
  • Areas include: Algarve coast, Sagres, Cape St.Vincent, Ericeira
• Deep Sea Fishing for shark, tuna, blue fish, swordfish, conger eel, ray, salmon bass, scabbard, marlin, broadbill
  • Areas include: off Sesimbra, Sines, Peniche and Nazaré
• Inshore Fishing along the entire coast
• Underwater Fishing in the rocks around Berlenga Islands, Algarve, Sesimbra, Praia do Furadouro, Aveiro, Póvoa de Varzim, Vila do Conde, Tavira, Sines and Sagres

Lisbon Angling Clubs

• Clube Desportivo de Amadores de Pesca da Costa (Sea fishing)
  At: Rua das Fontainhas, Lote 8 c/v Esq, 2750 Cascais
  Tel: 214 841 691
• Clube dos Amadores de Pesca de Lisboa (Sea fishing)
  At: Travessa do Adro 12-1º, 1150-001 Lisbon
  Tel: 218 853 385
• Centro Português de Actividades Subaquáticas (organises various underwater fishing trips throughout the year)
  At: Rua Alto do Duque 45, 1400-009 Lisbon
  Tel: 213 016 961
  Website

Useful Vocabulary

Further Information

• Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries portal
• Planet Pesca (fishing enthusiast site)
• Carpas Naciones (carp fishing)
• Portugal Fly Fishing
• O Sítio do Pescador (fishing enthusiast site)
• Angling Holidays in Portugal (practical information on the fish to be found and regulations concerning catches)