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Types of Fishing Licence Tags Available to Ontario Residents

 
 

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The types of licence tags available to Ontario residents are:

 

  • three-year Resident Sport Fishing Licence Tag
  • three-year Resident Conservation Fishing Licence Tag
  • one-year Resident Sport Fishing Licence Tag
  • one-year Resident Conservation Fishing Licence Tag

 

(E-licences, with instant fishing privileges, are also available for use with your Outdoors Card).


What is the difference between a Sport Fishing Licence Tag and a Conservation Fishing Licence Tag?


For conservation reasons, fishing laws limit the number of fish an angler may catch or possess. The number depends on the type of licence the angler holds, the fish species, where the fish is caught and, in some cases, the size of the fish. 

The Sport Fishing Licence Tag is for anglers who wish to have full catch and possession fishing privileges.

With a Sport Fishing Licence Tag accompanying the Outdoors Card, the angler follows the catch and possession limits as specified beside the "S" in the Seasons and Limits table for each Zone in the Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary.


If you wish to live release the majority of the fish caught, or, in the case of certain species, all of the fish caught, consider the Conservation Fishing Licence Tag.
 

With a Conservation Fishing Licence Tag accompanying the Outdoors Card, the angler observes a catch and possession limit that is lower (in most cases) than that of a sport fishing licence tag holder.

 

With a Conservation Fishing Licence Tag accompanying the Outdoors Card, the angler must follow the catch and possession limits as specified beside the "C" in the Seasons and Limits table for each Zone in the Ontario Recreational Fishing Regulations Summary. The holder of a Conservation Fishing Licence Tag must quickly and carefully live release all muskellunge, Atlantic salmon and aurora trout. 

 

Note:  The lake sturgeon catch and possession limit is 0 -- catch and release only -- for both Sport and Conservation Fishing Licences.  Anglers must quickly and carefully live release ALL lake sturgeon caught.  Read more

Purchasing a three-year fishing licence tag is the easiest way to maintain your fishing privileges for the term of your Outdoors Card. The three-year fishing licence tag is available:

 

  • when renewing your Outdoors Card using the toll-free renewal line (1-800-288-1155) and a Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit card
  • when renewing your Outdoors Card at the Outdoors Card website with a Visa or MasterCard
  • when renewing your Outdoors Card with the pre-printed renewal application automatically sent to Outdoors Card holders when their card is about to expire
  • when applying for your Outdoors Card with a paper application obtained from the Outdoors Card Centre (1-800-387-7011) or at any ServiceOntario office.

 

NOTE : this three-year licence option does not apply to the Ontario Resident Temporary Sport Fishing Licence and Outdoors Card and Application or the Ontario Resident Conservation Fishing Licence and Outdoors Card and Application, as these are one-year options only.

 

The one-year fishing licence tag is also available to the holder of an Outdoors Card. One-year tags expire on December 31 of the year for which they are valid. To maintain fishing privileges in the following year, the angler must purchase another one-year licence tag from a licence issuer.