1. Purpose
This policy sets out the controls for Group-owned or Group-controlled UK land containing lakes, ponds, rivers, streams, reservoirs, canals, drainage channels, ornamental waters, cropping waters, aquaponic systems or any other water that may contain fish or be capable of fishing.
The purpose is to protect private property rights, lawful access, visitor safety, fish health, biodiversity, land condition, water quality, neighbouring land, insurance position and regulatory compliance.
This policy is general and not property specific. Property specific policies may be available in the policy section if publicly available or upon request.
2. Scope
This policy applies to Murzo Group Ltd and every subsidiary, controlled entity, property manager, employee, contractor, tenant, agent, guest, invited angler, visitor and third party given access to Group-owned or Group-controlled UK private waters.
It applies to recreational fishing, inspection fishing, fisheries management, fish stocking, fish removal, netting, trapping, sampling, competitions, commercial guiding, filming, charity events, school visits, customer events and any other waterside access involving fishable water.
It does not turn any private water into a public fishery and does not authorise any person to fish without express written permission.
3. Private Waters and No Public Fishing
All covered waters are private unless the relevant property schedule states otherwise. They are not offered for unrestricted public fishing, public recreation, swimming, boating, camping or overnight use.
Fishing, taking fish, entering banks, using paths, crossing land, parking, launching equipment, placing nets, using bait boats, introducing bait, setting keepnets, installing pegs or hosting events is prohibited unless written permission has been issued by an authorised Group representative.
Online references, historic use, informal local practice, previous owner permission, old angling club arrangements, public footpaths, social media posts, maps, signs, event attendance or payment to a third party do not create permission from the Group.
4. Written Permission Only
Permission must be written, personal, temporary, conditional and revocable. It may be refused, limited, suspended or withdrawn at any time where lawful and reasonable to protect safety, property, fish health, water quality, ecology, staff, contractors, residents, neighbours, confidential activity, insurance, investigations or legal compliance.
Permission must identify the person, date, approved water, approved access route, approved times, permitted species or method where relevant, supervision requirement, vehicle access, emergency contact and any stricter site rules.
Permission is not transferable. It may not be sold, shared, assigned, sublet, posted online, used by guests, used for guiding, used for competitions or used for commercial purposes unless formally approved in writing.
5. No Tenancy, Lease, Easement or Continuing Right
Fishing permission does not create a tenancy, lease, licence coupled with an interest, easement, sporting right, profit, continuing right, renewal right, exclusive possession, right of access, right to park, right to remove fish, right to introduce fish or right to use any other part of the property.
Any broader fishing lease, sporting-rights arrangement, club arrangement, concession, competition, filming arrangement, commercial fishery arrangement or paid access arrangement requires formal written approval and legal review before it starts.
6. Rod Licences and Identity Checks
For waters in England and Wales, anglers aged 13 or over generally require the appropriate Environment Agency rod licence when fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel with rod and line. This includes fishing on private land and private fishing lakes.
Murzo Group permission is not a rod licence. Every angler must hold any legally required licence, permit, consent or local authority approval applicable to the water, species, jurisdiction and method.
The Group may require anglers to confirm their licence status, show identification, show licence confirmation, provide a licence number where lawful and proportionate, and allow checks of rods, tackle, bait, lures, hooks, landing nets, keepnets, unhooking mats, weighing equipment and catches.
Children under 13 may not need a rod licence in England and Wales, but they still require permission and suitable supervision. Young people aged 13 to 16 may require a junior licence even where the licence is free.
7. Jurisdiction and Local Byelaws
National and local fishing byelaws apply despite private ownership. Private status does not disapply closed seasons, rod limits, species rules, tackle restrictions, bait restrictions, size limits, catch limits, protected species duties or authority powers.
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have different fisheries, licensing and enforcement arrangements. Each property schedule must identify the jurisdiction, regulator, applicable byelaw area, catchment, protected designations and any special local restrictions before access is granted.
Where Scotland or Northern Ireland applies, the relevant local requirements must be checked before any angling, stocking, removal, event, competition, fish movement, fisheries work or public-facing statement is approved.
8. Site Schedule
The property manager must maintain a short site schedule for each covered property. Where the schedule is not public, it may be held internally or provided on request where appropriate.
| Schedule Field | Required Position | Site Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Property name and manager | Name the UK property and responsible property manager. | To be completed for each property. |
| Jurisdiction and regulator | England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland; identify Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Government, DAERA, Loughs Agency or other relevant body. | To be confirmed before permission is granted. |
| Water type | Lake, pond, reservoir, river, stream, canal, drainage channel, ornamental water, cropping water, aquaponic system or mixed water. | To be mapped and described. |
| Access status | Private water. No unrestricted public fishing. Written permission required. | Default position applies unless formally varied. |
| Approved entrances and times | Access only through approved entrances and during approved times. | To be set locally. |
| Default fishing rule | Catch and release only unless written authority permits a narrower exception. | Applies unless stricter local rule is stated. |
| Safety controls | Identify deep water, unstable banks, weirs, culverts, overhead lines, livestock, machinery, public paths, remote areas and emergency arrangements. | To be reviewed before access. |
9. Access, Times and Conduct
Access is only through authorised entrances, routes, gates, tracks and parking areas, and only at approved times. Anglers must not enter buildings, yards, farms, storage areas, private gardens, residences, staff areas, construction areas, restricted banks or marked exclusion zones.
No swimming, boating, paddleboarding, floating devices, bait boats, fires, BBQs, camping, overnight fishing, alcohol, drugs, firearms, air weapons, traps, fireworks, drones, loud music, generators, littering, tree cutting, bank digging or groundworks are permitted unless separately authorised in writing.
Dogs, vehicles, trailers and third-party equipment may be prohibited or restricted. Gates must be closed, livestock must not be disturbed, biosecurity controls must be followed and all waste must be removed from site unless local arrangements state otherwise.
10. Children and Vulnerable Persons
Children and vulnerable persons require appropriate supervision by a responsible adult or authorised supervisor. The level of supervision must consider age, ability, water depth, bank condition, weather, remoteness, night conditions, medical needs, emergency access and any safeguarding requirements.
The Group may refuse or withdraw access where supervision is inadequate or where the activity is unsuitable for the person, site, water, season, equipment, weather or emergency conditions.
11. Health, Safety and Occupiers' Liability
Invited anglers, employees and contractors are lawful visitors. The Group owes lawful visitors a duty to take reasonable care for their safety under the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957.
A more limited duty can arise toward trespassers under the Occupiers' Liability Act 1984 where the Group knows of a danger, knows or has reasonable grounds to believe that people may encounter it, and the circumstances make it reasonable to offer some protection.
Warning signs do not automatically remove liability where practical safety measures should also have been taken. Site controls should therefore consider inspections, fencing, barriers, locked gates, restricted access, signage, rescue equipment, emergency contacts, bank maintenance, weather closures, contractor controls and prompt action on known hazards.
12. Water-Specific Risk Controls
Private waters can create risks from deep water, cold water shock, steep banks, mud, silt, unstable edges, hidden debris, culverts, weirs, sluices, floodwater, poor visibility, overhead power lines, lightning, machinery, livestock, ticks, blue-green algae, pollution, ice, remote access and poor mobile reception.
Property managers may close waters or restrict access because of weather, flood risk, drought, pollution, fish spawning, fish disease, vegetation, invasive species, works, security alerts, events, inspections, insurer instructions or any other credible risk.
13. Catch, Species, Seasons and Equipment Rules
The Group may impose rules that are stricter than national or local byelaws, including catch-and-release only, barbless hooks, landing-net requirements, unhooking mats, bait bans, lure bans, boilie limits, keepnet bans, lead restrictions, species restrictions, seasonal closures, night-fishing bans, peg limits, no pre-baiting, no live bait and no fishing during spawning or extreme weather.
Fish must be handled humanely and returned quickly unless written authority permits lawful removal. Foul-hooked fish, protected species, fish below size limits, fish caught during closed seasons or any fish that cannot lawfully be kept must be returned alive where required by law.
14. No Removal, Sale or Unauthorised Use of Fish
Fish may not be removed, retained, killed, introduced, transferred, transported, gifted, exchanged, sold, photographed for commercial sale, used as bait or used for research, breeding, product testing or food purposes without written authority and all required legal permissions.
Rod-caught salmon or sea trout must not be sold in England and Wales. Removal of fish from privately owned waters without written permission may be unlawful and may result in withdrawal of permission, reporting to authorities and recovery action.
15. No Informal Stocking, Transfers or Releases
No director, employee, tenant, contractor, guest, angler, supplier or third party may stock water, transfer fish between waters, release ornamental fish, release bait fish, introduce fry or ova, keep non-native species, introduce crayfish, move live fish or alter fish populations without written Group approval and site-specific regulator confirmation.
Before any stocking, removal, transfer, fishery creation, fishery operation, aquaponic system or cropping water activity, the Group should obtain site-specific confirmation from the Environment Agency, Fish Health Inspectorate, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Government, DAERA, Loughs Agency or other competent regulator as applicable.
16. Fish Health, Movement Permits and Biosecurity
Depending on water type, species, jurisdiction and activity, the Group may require Fish Health Inspectorate registration, an Environment Agency site permit, a live-fish supplier permit, a fish health check, authorisation for nets or traps, non-native species licence, import authorisation, conservation consent or other regulator approval.
The current registration system covers fisheries, cropping waters and aquaponic systems in England and Wales. Rivers and canals are treated differently from stillwater fisheries for certain registration and movement requirements.
Biosecurity controls may include clean-dry-disinfect requirements, equipment drying periods, net disinfection, footwear control, bait restrictions, no water transfer between sites, quarantine, supplier approval, disease notification, invasive species reporting and closure after suspected disease or pollution.
17. Bait, Tackle and Equipment Inspection
The Group reserves the right to inspect licences, identification, equipment, bait, lures, hook type, nets, traps, buckets, fish containers, vehicles and catches where lawful and proportionate to protect the site, fish, people, property, biosecurity and legal compliance.
The Group may require the immediate removal from site of illegal, dangerous, contaminated, damaging or unauthorised bait, lures, hooks, nets, traps, rods, containers, fish, tools or other equipment. Where lawful and necessary, the Group may retain, surrender to authorities, destroy or safely dispose of such items, particularly where they present safety, animal welfare, disease, pollution, invasive species or evidence risks.
A rod, net, trap or other item physically present on private property may be removed from the water, isolated, secured or handed to authorities where it is illegal, dangerous, abandoned, damaging, unauthorised or required for an investigation. Personal property must not be interfered with beyond lawful authority and reasonable site protection.
18. Reporting Injuries, Pollution and Environmental Incidents
Anglers, staff, contractors and visitors must immediately report injuries, near misses, pollution, oil, chemicals, sewage, dead fish, fish gasping for air, unusual fish behaviour, invasive species, damaged banks, collapsed banks, damaged fences, broken gates, damaged signage, unauthorised fishing, suspicious activity, livestock concerns and hazards affecting safe access.
Serious injury, immediate danger, fire, violence or threat to life must be escalated through emergency services. Environmental incidents may also need reporting to the Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, DAERA, the local authority, police wildlife crime officer, insurer or other competent authority depending on the location and incident.
19. Commercial Guiding, Competitions and Paid Fishing
Commercial guiding, coaching, paid fishing, fishing matches, charity competitions, promotional events, filming, livestreaming, organised group access, club arrangements, sponsor activity, product demonstrations and use of the water for paid services are prohibited unless formally approved.
Approval must consider property rights, insurance, safeguarding, health and safety, fisheries law, local byelaws, tax, consumer terms, data protection, photography, parking, toilets, waste, neighbour impact, emergency access, ecology, fish welfare and whether the activity could create public fishery obligations.
20. Employees, Contractors, Tenants and Guests
Employees, contractors, tenants and guests must not assume they can fish merely because they work at, visit, occupy or manage a property. The same written permission, licence, access, safety, catch, equipment, byelaw and reporting rules apply.
Tenant, contractor or event agreements involving land with water must make clear whether fishing rights are excluded, retained, restricted or separately licensed.
21. Withdrawal, Refusal and Trespass
The Group may refuse, suspend or withdraw permission where an angler breaches this policy, fails to show licence evidence, uses prohibited equipment, mistreats fish, removes fish without authority, introduces fish or bait without authority, enters restricted areas, creates nuisance, damages property, ignores safety instructions, fails to supervise a child or vulnerable person, causes pollution, threatens staff, misrepresents permission or creates legal, safety, biosecurity or reputational risk.
Persons fishing without permission may be treated as trespassers and may be required to leave. Unauthorised taking of fish, damage, theft, illegal fishing, invasive species offences, pollution, harassment, violence or repeated trespass may be reported to the police, Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales, Scottish Government, DAERA, Loughs Agency, local authority or other competent body.
22. Liability and Angler Responsibility
Angling involves inherent risks. Every person granted access remains responsible for their own conduct, lawful licence status, equipment, clothing, weather assessment, medical suitability, personal property, children under their care, supervised persons, safe fish handling and compliance with site instructions.
Nothing in this policy excludes liability where it cannot lawfully be excluded, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence where such exclusion is prohibited. Permission conditions may allocate responsibility, restrict access and require compliance with reasonable safety measures.
23. Property Manager Duties
The relevant property manager controls the permission process, site schedule, local rules, inspections, authorisations, licence confirmation register, incident escalation, regulator contact, signage, closures, withdrawal of permission and communications with anglers.
The permission register should be proportionate and may include the angler's name, contact details, date, approved water, licence confirmation, approved access times, conditions, supervising adult, vehicle details, incident notes and withdrawal decisions where relevant and lawful.
24. Official Guidance Links
Current official guidance should be checked before any permission, stocking, removal, transfer, event or unusual fisheries activity is approved. Useful references include:
- GOV.UK - Buy a rod fishing licence
- GOV.UK - Freshwater rod fishing rules
- GOV.UK - National rod fishing byelaws for England
- GOV.UK - Register a fishery, cropping water or aquaponic system
- GOV.UK - Apply to move live fish to or from a fishery
- GOV.UK - Introduce or keep non-native fish, lobsters and crayfish
- GOV.UK - Fish health checks before moving fish into inland waters
- GOV.UK - Report an environmental problem
- GOV.UK - Report water pollution in England
- Scottish Government - Recreational fishing
- Scottish Government - Freshwater fisheries licensing
- nidirect - Northern Ireland angling licence and permit regulations
- nidirect - Northern Ireland angling permits explained
- legislation.gov.uk - Occupiers' Liability Act 1957
- legislation.gov.uk - Occupiers' Liability Act 1984
25. Relationship With Other Policies
This policy should be read with the UK Commercial Property Ownership, Landlord and Premises Compliance Policy, Real Estate Acquisition, Leasing and Facilities Management Policy, Land, Soil, Water and Environmental Stewardship Policy, Wildlife and Biodiversity Protection Policy, Biosecurity, Pest and Disease Management Policy, Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy, Lone Working and First Aid Arrangements Policy, RIDDOR, Serious Incident and Regulator Notification Policy, Insurance and Liability Disclosure Statement, CCTV, Surveillance and Body-Worn Camera Policy, Data Protection Policy, Records Retention and Legal Hold Policy, Supplier Approval, Procurement and Due Diligence Policy, Contract Approval, Signing Authority and Delegations Policy, and Public Communications Policy.
