License to fish in Italy
About 10 days ago I was on Lake Bolsena. They were having the Italian bass fishing championship.
What do you need to do in order to fish in Italy? Here is a list of the type of license you might get ( I did not include the professional fisherman license which you need if you fish for a living ).
Fishing License Type B – Recreational
The recreational fishing license of type B, generally valid for one year, allows fishing in inland waters throughout the national territory, upon payment of a fee established by the region of residence of the applicant. In almost all cases, it is sufficient to make the payment using the methods indicated by the selected territories.
The fee for this type of fishing license varies from 20 to 40 Euros it must be paid into a specific bank account provided by the region where the applicant resides, indicating the personal data of the applicant and the reason for payment; it is valid throughout the national territory and must be shown along with an identity document in case of inspection.
Fishing License Type C – Temporary Recreational
It is valid for 15/30 days and allows fishing in inland waters throughout the national territory, upon payment of a fee established by the region of residence of the applicant. As with other types, we recommend checking the regional sections that you can find at the bottom of this article.
However, this fishing license generally has a lower cost than type B; it must be paid into a specific bank account defined by the region where the applicant resides, indicating the personal data of the applicant and the reason for payment; it is valid throughout the national territory for the time indicated by the region of origin and must be shown along with an identity document in case of inspection.
Fishing License Type D
This last type is not available in all regions and has a different function in each of them. In some, such as Tuscany, it is valid for a single day and authorizes sport fishing in the context of competitive events. In other regions, such as Veneto, it authorizes sport fishing for foreign residents abroad, with temporary validity that begins from the payment date.
A big catch!
The fish of Lake Bolsena:
Many people believe that saltwater fish have a more distinct and savory taste compared to freshwater fish. They are mostly right. Sometimes I tased fish from muddy lakes and the fish does actually taste like mud. However, Bolsena Lake is 450 feet deep and has a sandy floor so I did find the “Coregone” taste comparable to saltwater fish and even better than some of them.
The most well-known fish found in Lake Bolsena is the “Coregone”, which is a type of whitefish originally from the northern lakes of Italy. It was introduced into Lake Bolsena at the end of the 19th century, and today, it makes up about half of the lake’s entire catch. This fish is highly prized and sought after due to its delicious taste. Additionally, the Coregone is an important biological indicator of water quality. It can only survive in highly oxygenated water, which means its presence in the lake is incompatible with a polluted environment. The local fishermen at the fish hatchery in Marta also aid in the reproduction of this fish.
Other species introduced to the lake include carp, which has been present for centuries and is often caught using the traditional technique of carp fishing. Royal perch was introduced at the beginning of the 20th century, while crucian carp, trout perch, sun perch, and catfish were introduced between the 1970s and 1980s.
From a gastronomic perspective, the most highly valued species are the eel (anguilla), which was a favorite of Pope Martin IV, Coregone (celebrated in Capodimonte during the renowned Sagra del Coregone festival), royal perch (persico), pike, bleak (lattarini) (celebrated in Marta with the Sagra del Lattarino festival), and tench.
