France fishing regulations — size, bag limits & license

Ministère de la Transition écologique, de la Biodiversité, de la Forêt, de la Mer et de la Pêche

France

Species	Bag limit	Min size	Open season
European SeabassRegulation (EU) 2019/1241, Annex VI, Part A (Annex VII for Biscay, Annex IX for the Mediterranean)	—	min 42 cm	—
EU minimum conservation reference size for seabass differs by sea basin (Regulation (EU) 2019/1241): 42 cm in North Western Waters — the Channel and Brittany, ICES sub-area 7 — under Annex VI; 36 cm in South Western Waters — the Bay of Biscay, ICES sub-area 8 — under Annex VII; and 25 cm in the Mediterranean under Annex IX. FishRadar shows the strictest of the three. The northern seabass stock also has an annual recreational closed season and a daily bag limit set each year by EU/national measures, plus mandatory RecFishing catch declaration. Verify current limits before fishing.
PollockRegulation (EU) 2019/1241, Annex VI, Part A	—	min 30 cm	—
EU minimum conservation reference size in North Western Waters is 30 cm (Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, Annex VI, Part A). Pollack is also a sensitive species subject to reinforced recreational measures and RecFishing declaration in France.

Licensing:

saltwater-recreational — residents No paid licence for recreational sea fishing. From 2026, anglers aged 16+ must register every 12 months and declare daily catches of sensitive species (e.g. European seabass) via the EU RecFishing app. Minimum sizes, gear and zone/season restrictions apply., non-residents Same RecFishing registration and reporting obligations apply to non-residents fishing recreationally in French waters.
freshwater-recreational — residents Inland/freshwater fishing requires a "carte de pêche" from a local AAPPMA angling association (national network at cartedepeche.fr)., non-residents Non-residents need the same "carte de pêche" (annual, holiday or daily options available).

Some rules may have changed since our last verification — always confirm with the authority before you fish.

FishRadar regulations are summaries for informational purposes only. French recreational fishing rules are set nationally and by EU regulations (including seabass measures and Mediterranean minimum sizes), and vary by area and season. Always verify with the Ministère de la Mer at mer.gouv.fr before fishing.

Fishing spots in France