Fisheries Management Licensing and Permits
More information
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has primary responsibility for a number of provincial statutes, including the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (FWCA), which provide for the management and perpetuation of fish and wildlife resources in Ontario.
Licences or permits are required for certain activities related to the management and use of fish resources under the FWCA.
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Note: If you are unable to access these documents, please contact Fisheries Policy Section by e-mail or by phone at (705) 755-1805.
Applications for Licences and Permits Listing
Aquaculture
Stocking
Commercial Bait
Scientific Purposes
Transporting Fish
Aquaculture
Aquaculture Licence - Application – FW1014
The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act prohibits persons from culturing fish except under the authority of a licence. Ontario Regulation 664/98 (Fish Licensing) made under the FWCA establishes aquaculture licences. By controlling the culture of fish, MNR seeks to mitigate potential environmental impacts and provides for the culture and sale of eligible fish species. Under the authority of this licence, fish are cultured and sold for purposes such as human consumption, stocking, use as bait and fee-for-fishing operations.
In addition to MNR requirements, under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and the Public Lands Act, there are other approvals and review processes that regulate both cage aquaculture operations and land based facilities under federal and provincial legislation. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all necessary permits, approvals and authorizations are obtained to proceed with an aquaculture operation.
Download this licence application (PDF, 20 kb)
Licence to Collect Fish for Aquaculture - Application – FW1015
MNR permits the aquaculture industry to collect fish or gametes directly from Ontario waters. The use of wild stock is encouraged as a means of avoiding imports of fish into the province, thereby reducing the risk of genetic contamination and introduction and transfer of infectious fish disease agents. However, MNR has an obligation to protect fish species particularly during vulnerable periods of their life history and to minimize damage to the natural resource through the collection process. The Ontario Fishery Regulation requires a licence to take fish from Ontario waters so a licence to Collect Fish for Aquaculture is issued under the authority of the Fish Licensing Regulation (Section 28), pursuant to the FWCA.
Download this licence application (PDF, 20 kb)
Stocking
Fish Stocking Licence Application
A Licence to Stock Fish issued under the authority of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act is required to stock fish in all waters of Ontario, regardless of the source of the fish, except in those waters which are set out in the Ontario Fishery Regulations of the federal Fisheries Act and defined as artificial waters. A licence to stock fish is issued under Section 25 of the Fish Licensing Regulation, made under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and is required for all public water stocking activities including those carried out by OMNR partners. This is necessary to prevent the introduction of any species or genetic stock to waters where it does not occur or its introduction is deemed undesirable.
Download this licence application (PDF, 20 kb)
Commercial Bait
Application for a Commercial Bait Licence to Deal in Bait (Updated for 2012)
A commercial bait licence issued under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 (FWCA), is required to buy or sell baitfish or leeches for commercial purposes.
Download this licence application (PDF, 32 kb)
Application for a Commercial Bait Licence to Harvest Bait (Updated for 2012)
A commercial bait licence issued under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 (FWCA), is required to harvest, buy or sell baitfish or leeches for commercial purposes.
Download this licence application (PDF, 36 kb)
Designate Acknowledgement for Commercial Bait Harvesting
Designates and the BHAs they are designated for will be identified in Appendix B of the Commercial Bait Licence (to harvest bait). Designates are not named on the licence unless a signed Designate Acknowledgement form has been provided.
A completed Designate Acknowledgement form must be submitted for each designate to be named on the licence. This form, when signed, will reflect that a designate agrees to abide by the terms and conditions of the commercial bait licence under which he/she is named as a designate to harvest bait. Each Designate must submit a completed Designate Acknowledgement form, signed by the designate and all licencees.
Download this form (PDF, 31 kb)
Application for Change of Information Regarding Designates Listed on a Commercial Bait Licence
Designates are persons (16 years or older) granted the authority to harvest bait on behalf of the licence holder (licencee) in the absence of the licence holder. All designates must be named on the licence. The Application for Change of Information Regarding Designates Listed on a Commercial Bait Licence form can be used in-year (i.e. after a licence has already been issued) to record requests to remove designates from a licence, with subsequent action being an amendment to the licence. Signed Designate Acknowledgement forms are required for any new designates proposed. The Designates on the licence cannot commence fishing until the amended licence has been signed by the licence issuer.
Download this application (PDF, 27 kb)
Application for Transfer of a Commercial Bait Licence
The Application for Transfer of a Commercial Bait Licence must be completed to transfer a complete licence and/or to a transfer of one or more BHAs that are part of a licence.
If a licencee is added to the licence or if it is transferred to another licencee, the licence is invalid unless the HACCP plan is updated to reflect these changes and new persons are familiar with the plan.
Download this application (PDF, 27 kb)
Bait Harvest Area Application (Updated for 2012)
Prior to January 15, the District licence issuer and appropriate MNR staff decide which vacant BHAs should be re-allocated.
Applicants interested in competing for available BHAs should contact District licence issuers for information on which BHAs are available and should then fill out a Bait Harvest Area Application for each BHA they want to apply for. One form is required for each BHA. Applicants should score themselves using the scoring system on the application and return it in person, accompanied by supporting documentation to verify their score, to the licence issuing office.
Download this application (PDF, 44 kb)
Scientific Purposes
Licence to Collect Fish for Scientific Purposes - Application – FW1031
A licence to Collect Fish for Scientific Purposes can be issued under the authority of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act to a person wishing to collect fish for scientific or educational purposes.
The requestor must submit to the issuing office:
- A completed and signed Application For a Licence to Collect Fish for Scientific Purposes (Form FW1031)
- An outline of the proposed project/collection including project objectives and rationale.
- A letter from the educational institution supporting the research.
- A copy of the Animal Health Care protocol of their institution.
- A Risk Assessment Questionnaire if collections are associated with the Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia (VHS) or Lake Simcoe Management Zones.
The holder of a licence to collect fish for scientific purposes must report on the fish collection activities to MNR on or before the date specified in the licence. Please contact the MNR office that issued your licence for a copy of the most recent Electronic Mandatory Reporting Tool.
Download this licence application (PDF, 21 kb)
Licence to Collect Fish for Scientific Purposes – Electronic Mandatory Reporting Tool
The holder of a licence to collect fish for scientific purposes must report on the fish collection activities to MNR on or before the date specified in the licence. There are two parts to the mandatory report:
- Part 1 is for administrative information about the licensee and purpose of the survey.
- Part 2 is for information about the collection site location, sampling gear and fish captured during the survey. A Part 2 form is filled out for each collection site.
An electronic version of the reporting form has been developed to capture the data. Please contact the MNR office that issued your licence for a copy of the most recent Electronic Mandatory Reporting Tool.
Transporting Fish
Licence to Transport Live Fish - Application
A licence to Transport Live Fish is issued under authority of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act and is required to transport live fish or live spawn, other than baitfish, that have been taken from Ontario waters. These regulations are in place to prevent the harmful movement of native species, and the introduction of invasive fish species, fish parasites and fish diseases into new waterbodies.
It is a condition of a licence to transport fish that the person in possession of the fish while it is being transported shall have on his or her person a copy of the licence to transport fish and a copy of the licence under which the fish were taken.
An aquaculture licence, licence to collect fish for aquaculture, commercial fishing licence, commercial bait licence, licence to collect fish for scientific purposes or a licence to stock fish are deemed to be a licence to transport live fish if the fish have been cultured, caught, bought or sold under the authority of the licence.
Download this licence application (PDF, 22 kb)
