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Sea & Freshwater Fishing in the Algarve & Portugal

Information on fishing, angling and the permits required for the fresh water rivers, lakes and dams of Portugal, as well as sea fishing off the Portuguese coast. Information includes contacts for local fishing associations.

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 Municipals) 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 (in Portuguese)
  • Regional Association of Sports Fishing (Associação Regional de Pesca Desportiva do Algarve)
    At: Rua Afonso III n.º 26 - R/C Dt.º, 8125-174 Quarteira
    Tel: 289 316 079
    e-mail
    Website (in Portuguese)

Fishing tackle and terms

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

English Portuguese
Floating tackle  Flutuador (Boía)
Spinning Lançado
Cast fishing  Lançamento
Free fishing Livre
Bait fishing Engodos
Hook fishing Isco
Line and hook fishing Pesqueiro
Rod fishing Pescar à linha/à cana
Deep sea fishing/trawling Ao Fundo

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.

Fish  Season  Best Area
Trout

1 March-31 July

Alge River in the north, sandy streams in the north, Minho and Lima River. Lakes and streams in Serra da Estrella mountains such as Lagoa Comprida
Largemouth Bass

1 July-14 March

Agueda River region, Pateira de Fermentelos, Meranhão Reservoir, Mora e Coruche regions, Bonavente and Salvaterra de Magios, Valle de Gaio Reservoir, River Sado, Elvas region, Beja, Algarve dams
Barbel

1 July-14 March

All rivers and streams
Carp

1 July-14 March

Rivers and streams in the central and south
Shad

1 February-14 July

Rivers in Portugal during the spring. In other seasons only at sea
Salmon

1 March-31 July

In the Lima and Minho rivers
Sturgeon

16 January-14 July

All rivers
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

Algarve Angling Clubs

  • Club Amadoras de Pesca de Faro
    At
    : Rua José de Matos 15-A, 8000 Faro
    Tel: 936 260 231
  • Clube Náutico e de Pesca Desportiva de Quartiera
    At
    : Rua S. Gonçalo de Lagos n° 30, 8125 Quartiera
    Tel: 966 344 626
  • Clube de Pesca e Náutica Desportiva de Albufeira
    At
    : Estrada do Farol 800H Sítio da Orada, 8200-371 Albufeira
    Tel: 916 304 513

Useful Vocabulary

Portuguese  English
Achigã  black bass
Atum  tuna
Barbo barbel
Boga  boce
Carpa  carp
Cavala  mackerel
Caboz  chub
Escalo ciprinidae
Espardarte swordfish
Lúcio pike
Marlonga  whiting
Mugem mullet
Peixe-agulha needle fish
Robalo  rock bass
Salamão  salmon
Sável  shad
Sargo  bream
Solha  sole/plaice
Tainha  grey mullet
Tenca  tench
 Further Information

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