Information · Wild water fishing · Fishing permit

What gets checked at an inspection

Which documents to carry, who can check you and what your rights are.

The documents you carry

  • The ANADSPA (formerly ANPA) recreational fishing permit, as a PDF with a QR code, on your phone or printed -- on all non-contracted public waters, the Danube and the sea.
  • The association's or forestry directorate's permit -- on contracted waters (their name is on the water's page, in the “Permit” row).
  • The ARBDD permit + the access permit -- in the Danube Delta (the ANADSPA one doesn't replace them).
  • Your ID: the permit is personal and is checked together with your ID card.
  • The Border Police's approval -- on border waters (the Prut, the Tisza, the border sections of the Danube).
  • For a boat: the registration certificate / boat papers, life jackets, and in the Delta the boat access permit.

Who has the right to check you

  • ANADSPA inspectors (National Authority for the Administration of State Domains, Fisheries and Aquaculture, formerly ANPA) -- on all waters.
  • The National Environmental Guard and, in the Delta, ARBDD staff (environmental agents).
  • The Police, the Gendarmerie and, on border waters, the Border Police.
  • The wardens (employees) of the association that leases the water -- for the association's permit and its rules; since 2024 they can record offences themselves (Law 176/2024, art. 58).
  • National/nature park rangers -- for the park's rules (fire, tents, access), in addition to the fishing ones.

What's usually checked

  • The permit(s) and your ID; the number of rods and hooks; the baits (only artificial on mountain waters).
  • The catch: species, minimum sizes, the amount kept (5 kg/day or a single fish over 5 kg; in the mountains max. 10 salmonids).
  • The period: general closed season, by species, protection zones (500 m downstream of dams, channel mouths in the Delta).
  • Forbidden gear (nets, fyke nets, monofilament nets, electricity, substances) -- these are criminal offences, not minor ones.

Your rights

  • You can ask the inspector for their ID; refusing the check is itself a serious offence (Law 176/2024, art. 55), so don't refuse, but do ask for ID.
  • The report is drawn up in your presence, describing the offence; you have the right to write objections in it and to challenge it in court within 15 days.
  • The fine can be paid at half the minimum within 15 days of being notified (the general rule for minor offences, GO 2/2001).
  • If you don't have the permit on you (neither on paper nor on your phone), the fine is the same as with no permit: 1,000-1,500 RON (Law 176/2024, art. 51) -- so keep the PDF on your phone.
Law 176/2024, art. 58 (who records offences) ↗