Information Services

DEFA FAQ's

Agriculture | Agricultural Advisory Section | Animal Health Division | Sea Fisheries | Freshwater Fisheries

Agriculture

Q	Are there E.U. Support Schemes in place in the Isle of Man?
A	No. The IOM is not a member of the EU, and therefore EU Support Schemes are not operative.
Q	What Support Schemes are operative in the Isle of Man?
A	The Agriculture Directorate, DEFA, provides a full range of support schemes which are designed to provide similar levels of support to those available in the EU and UK.
Q	Are there any significant differences in support between the Isle of Man and the UK?
A	IOM Schemes are tailored to suit Manx circumstances. There are no sheep or suckler quotas, no set aside, no Less Favoured Areas.
Q	Are there any producer organisations on the Isle of Man?
A	Yes. Isle of Man Meats and the Isle of Man Creamery are producer co-operatives. All fatstock must be sold to IOM Meats and all milk, except that distributed by producer retailers, to the IOM Creamery
Q	Do many farms change hands in the IOM every year?
A	No. Major farm sales are comparatively rare - 2/3 per year.
Q	What is the pattern of Isle of Man farming?
A	Mostly mixed farming, with few specialists. Out of an available land area of 114,000 acres, 12,500 are arable, 65,000 in grass and 36,500 rough or moorland. There are on average 34,000 cattle in total with 8,000 dairy cows and 7,000 beef cows; 80,000 ewes, and 900 sows. Though over 800 holdings are officially recorded, a maximum of 350 would be considered commercial.
Q	Is it possible to tenant a farm on the Island?
A	Yes. The Agricultural Tenancies Act 2008 allows for flexible tenancies, the terms of which are for negotiation between the parties involved.

Agricultural Advisory Section

Q	Does the Isle of Man provide an Agricultural Advisory Service?
A	Yes. A basic general agricultural advisory service is provided free of charge.
Q	Does the Isle of Man carry out R & D in agriculture
A	Yes. Basic R & D is carried out to evaluate developments in new technology in agronomy and beef and sheep production.
Q	Does the Isle of Man provide Agricultural Training?
A	Yes. In the form of NVQs Level 1 and 2 and short training courses in areas such as pesticide application and sheep dipping,
Q	Does the Isle of Man have Plant Health Controls?
A	Yes. The IOM Government is the responsible authority for Plant Health Legislation and its implementation and control.
Q	Who is responsible for agricultural support on the Isle of Man?
A	The IOM Government solely supports agriculture by various schemes many of which are not the same as the EU however, under the terms of our trading position set out in Protocol 3 of the Treaty of Accession the financial support to agriculture should be such that it does not unfairly favour Manx producers relative to the rest of the EU.

Animal Health Division

Q	Can I bring my dog to the Isle of Man from the UK, Republic of Ireland or Channel Islands?
A	Yes, if it is not currently under any restrictions and is not of the following breed or type Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brazileiro.
Q	Can I bring my cat to the Isle of Man from the UK, Republic of Ireland or Channel Islands?
A	Yes, if it is not currently under any restrictions. There are no movement restrictions.
Q	Can I bring my dog and cat to the Isle of Man direct from other EU countries?
A	No, not directly. From countries other than the UK, Republic of Ireland or Channel Islands, dogs and cats must go through the UK or the Republic of Ireland import protocols which currently include compliance with PETS or 6 months quarantine. When they are free to move in the UK or ROI, they are then eligible to enter the Isle of Man.
Q	Does the United Kingdom Pets Travel Scheme (P.E.T.S.) apply to the Isle of Man?
A	Dogs and cats entering the UK under the terms of the P.E.T.S. are free to travel to the Isle of Man.
Q	Are there controls on the importation of horses, alpacas, llamas, cattle, sheep and pigs?
A	Yes. Horses, alpacas, llamas and farm livestock are subject to import controls (import licences are required and there may be restrictions after importation). Please see the "Animal Health" section for further information or contact Animal Health on 685844 or animal.health@gov.im

Sea Fisheries

Q	1. Do I need a licence to fish in the sea?
A	Leisure/sport fishing If you are fishing off a breakwater or beach or boat with a rod and line for sport you do not need a licence If you are fishing for crabs or lobsters using 5 pots or less then you need a licence - contact the Department. But if you catch a fish that is less than the minimum size you must return it to the water Commercial fishing Registered fishing vessels must have the appropriate UK commercial licence. In addition you will need the relevant Isle of Man licence if you wish to fish within 12 miles of the Isle of Man. Licences depend upon the type of fishery and the size of the boat
Q	2. Are there restrictions on vessel size?
A	Vessels over 15.24 metres / 50 ft are not permitted to fish inside the three mile limit Vessels under 15.24 metres / 50 ft need a permit to fish inside the three mile limit in addition to the appropriate UK commercial licence and appropriate Manx licence
Q	3. What types of fisheries are there round the Isle of Man?
A	The main fishery round the Isle of Man is scallops. The season for scallops runs from 1st November to 31st May Queenies are also caught round the Isle of Man: these can be fished all year, but the main fishery is in the summer when vessels cannot prosecute scallops There is a nephrop ("scampi", or Dublin-bay prawns) fishery off the west coast. In addition there is a herring fishery in the summer The Island has a small inshore fishery for crabs and lobsters In addition there is a small scale mixed white fishery

Freshwater Fisheries

Q	Do I need a licence to fish?
A	All anglers MUST hold a valid angling licence issued by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture and you must purchase a licence before you fish anywhere on the Island. Licences are available for periods of a season, a week or a day. To fish any of the Water Authority reservoirs you must hold a Reservoir licence, and a separate licence is required for fishing any other water. Rod licence checks are routinely carried out by Fisheries Officers to protect the fishery interests.
Q	How much does a licence cost?
A	Licence fees are amended usually on an annual basis and approved by Tynwald. Click here for prices for the 2011 season.
Q	I've bought an other waters licence, can I fish anywhere on the Island?
A	On the Isle of Man, river access is at the courtesy of the landowner whose permission should be obtained. There are a few short stretches of stream that are in private club ownership and therefore not available to the public. Details are attached here. The streams within the seventeen National Glens are open to all. There is also a private commercial fishery which can be fished with either type of licence (Riverside Fishery, Patrick Road, St. Johns, telephone 801715 for details)
Q	What can I fish for?
A	Wild brown trout are abundant in all the streams and rivers on the Island, the takeable size being 18 cms and over. Fishing for migratory fish tends to be most productive during the late summer and autumn, with salmon and sea trout usually captured during or after spate conditions. The Reservoirs are stocked on a weekly basis with rainbow trout reared at the Government's Fish Hatchery throughout the fishing season. Wild brown trout are also occasionally caught in the larger reservoirs.
Q	How many fish can I catch?
A	On reservoirs, there is an overall bag limit of 4 trout per day and anglers must not continue to fish by catch-and-release once the daily bag limit has been reached. Senior citizens (age 65yrs & over) and eligible disabled persons may opt to purchase a reservoir adult season licence at a concessionary price with a reduced bag limit of 2 trout per day (click here for eligibility criteria). For river angling, there is a daily bag limit of 6 fish, of which no more than 2 may be salmon or sea trout.
Q	When are the reservoirs open?
A	During the fishing season, angling on the reservoirs is allowed between the hours of 0600 or sunrise, whichever is the later, and 30 minutes after sunset or 2230, whichever is the earlier.
Q	How often are the reservoirs stocked?
A	Six of the reservoirs are stocked on a regular basis throughout the angling season with rainbow trout reared at the Departments fish hatchery at Cornaa, Maughold. Approximately 25,000 trout are stocked out each season. To allow the fish to acclimatise to their new environment, a section of each reservoir is closed for 24 hours following the introduction of new fish. The closure zones are clearly marked and details are displayed on notice boards at each site.
Q	What methods can I use to fish the reservoirs?
A	Fishing in the Clypse and Kerrowdhoo reservoirs, which adjoin each other in Onchan, is by fly-fishing only. Other methods are permitted on the other reservoirs, with the exception of organic bait which can only be used on Eairy Dam.
Q	Can I fish from a boat on the Reservoirs?
A	For Health and Safety reasons, boat angling is not permitted on any of the reservoirs.
Q	Do children need a licence?
A	Licences are free for children aged under 14yrs on 31st December in the year the licence is issued. However these children must still hold a licence, issued at zero rate of duty, and be accompanied by an adult. Concessionary licences are available at reduced rates for students. Students are persons who have not attained 19 years of age by 31st December in the year the licence is issued.
Q	When does the fishing season commence?
A	The Reservoir season opens on the 10th March and continues until the 31st October. The season on Other Waters commences on the 1st April and continues until the 30th September for trout. You can however fish for salmon and sea trout until the 31st October, with a SEASON licence only.
Q	Are there any licence restrictions for fishing for migratory fish?
A	During the month of October, you can only fish for salmon and sea trout if you hold an Other Waters season licence. Week and Day licences are NOT valid for the month of October for fishing streams.
Q	Do I have to complete a catch return?
A	The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture has recently introduced a catch return initiative for river angling. You will find the form attached to the Other Waters licence. If you have fished the rivers during the season, even if you have not succeeded in catching any fish, you are asked to complete the form and return it to the Fisheries section via the Freepost address printed on the form. One can be downloaded here. Links for summary information from previous catch returns can be found at the bottom of the page.
Q	Where can I buy a licence?
A	Licences are available at the DEFA offices in Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John's; at the Welcome Centre in the Sea Terminal Building and can also be purchased from most Post Offices. Several of the tackle shops on the Island also sell licences. The concessionary reservoir adult season licences, which senior citizens (aged 65yrs & over) and eligible disabled persons may opt to purchase, can only be bought at the DEFA offices in Thie Slieau Whallian, Foxdale Road, St John's or at the Post Offices (click here for eligibility criteria).
Q	Can I buy a licence on-line?
A	From 2009, fishing licences are available to purchase via Online Services on the Isle of Man Government website. You will have to register at Online Services to avail of this service.
Q	Are there any other rules I should be aware of?
A	The Inland Fisheries Act 1976, the Inland Fisheries Regulations 1983 (click here to download a summary), and the Inland Fisheries (Duties) Regulations 2010 (click here to download a copy) provide for general rules for angling in both reservoirs and rivers. If you are still unsure, please contact the Inland Fisheries Section on 812224 or 686044 for clarification.
Q	Can I fish for migratory salmonids from the shore?
A	Under Isle of Man Sea Fisheries legislation, it is an offence to fish for migratory salmonids in the sea, estuary or from any fore-shore.
Q	Is the fish hatchery open to visitors?
A	Yes the Fish Hatchery is open to visitors on a Wednesday during the school Easter and Summer holidays only. Please telephone DEFA on 686044 or the Hatchery on 812224 for further information.
Q	Is coarse fishing available?
A	The Department does not maintain any facilities for coarse fishing, as these fish species are non-indigenous to the Island. There are small pockets of coarse fish in a number of the small dubs and quarries, however these are private fisheries.
Q	Can I sell the fish I catch on rod and line?
A	It is an offence under the Inland Fisheries (Duties) Regulations 2010 to sell, offer or expose for sale any fish to which a licence issued under these regulations applies.
Q	Are there any other web-based sources of advice on freshwater fishing in the Isle of Man?
A	The Isle of Man Fly Fishers website (click here) contains a forum, which you can visit for advice from local anglers.
Q	How can I contact the Fisheries Division with questions, comments and ideas?
A	The various contact details for the Inland Fisheries section are listed below. The Department has recently established a Manx Recreational Anglers Forum which meets twice a year to discuss and take forward initiatives relating to recreational angling. Anglers are welcome to contact Forum members direct or via the Department. Copies of the minutes from Forum meetings are available by following the link below Inland Fisheries contact details Postal address: Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture Inland Fisheries Division Thie Slieau Whallian Foxdale Road St John's IM4 3AS Counter opening times (Thie Slieau Whallian): Mon – Thurs, 9am – 5pm Fri, 9am – 4.30pm Enquiries (Thie Slieau Whallian) Tel: (01624) 685857 Fax: (01624) 685851 Enquiries Email address: fisheries@gov.im Website: http://www.gov.im/daff/fish/inland/