Fishing rules in Gifu

Legal gear

We have not transcribed Gifu’s gear table yet.

If you are not a Japanese national

Under the Act on the Regulation of Fishing Operations by Foreign Nationals (Act No. 60 of 1967), recreational fishing by foreign nationals in Japanese waters is limited to 'gathering or catching of aquatic animals or plants on a minor scale'. What you may use depends on the size of the boat you are on.

On a vessel of 3 gross tons or more, a foreign national may fish ONLY when the trip is run by a Japanese vessel under the control of a Japanese fisher — that is, a registered charter (yugyosen) or fishing boat. Most serious offshore boats are over 3 GT, so for offshore fishing a licensed Japanese guide is not a convenience. It is the law.

Up to 3 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to ¥30,000,000, or both — for breaching the gear and method rules that apply specifically to foreign nationals.

This is national law and applies in Gifu exactly as everywhere else. It sits on top of the prefecture’s gear list above — you need to clear both.

Size limits and closed seasons

We have not transcribed Gifu’s minimum sizes and closed seasons yet. That is a gap in this page, not an absence of rules — every prefecture sets them, and taking an undersized fish is an offence whether or not we list the figure. Ask the prefecture or the cooperative before you keep anything.

Cooperatives that sell a permit online

12 in Gifu. Buying before you travel matters: on many rivers the price doubles if you buy it on the bank.

Who holds the fishing right

16 cooperatives on record in Gifu, from the fifth-class fishery rights and permit rules the prefecture publishes by law. A right names the waters and the species it covers — outside that list no cooperative permit is required, though national and prefectural rules still are.

• Gujo Fishery Cooperative 郡上漁業協同組合内共第17号Nagara River (Gujo) — one of our listed areas. Nagara, Yoshida and Kibushima Rivers.遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Nagaragawa Chuo Fishery Cooperative 長良川中央漁業協同組合内共第16号・第18号Nagara, Mugi, Itadori and Tsubo Rivers遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Nagaragawa Fishery Cooperative 長良川漁業協同組合内共第13〜15号Lower Nagara, Ijira and Sai Rivers遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Kisogawa Nagaragawa Karyu Fishery Cooperative 木曽川長良川下流漁業協同組合内共第12号Lowest Nagara, shared with Kaizu City co-op遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Itadorigawa Joryu Fishery Cooperative 板取川上流漁業協同組合内共第21号Upper Itadori River遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Tsubogawa Fishery Cooperative 津保川漁業協同組合内共第19号Tsubo River遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Miyama Fishery Cooperative 美山漁業協同組合内共第20号・第22号Mugi and Kakino Rivers遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Maze-gawa Joryu Fishery Cooperative 馬瀬川上流漁業協同組合内共第32号Upper Maze River — a well-known ayu river遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Warakawa Fishery Cooperative 和良川漁業協同組合内共第33号Wara River — its ayu has won the national tasting contest遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Mashitagawa Fishery Cooperative 益田川漁業協同組合内共第28号・第29号Hida, Osaka and Yamanokuchi Rivers遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Hidagawa Fishery Cooperative 飛騨川漁業協同組合内共第27号Hida, Shira and Sami Rivers遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Miyagawa Karyu Fishery Cooperative 宮川下流漁業協同組合内共第37号・第44号・第45号Miya, Odori, Mannami and Onagatani Rivers遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Ena Fishery Cooperative 恵那漁業協同組合内共第26号Kiso, Tsukechi, Nakatsu and Kawakami Rivers遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Kisogawa Churyu Fishery Cooperative 木曽川中流漁業協同組合内共第24号・第25号Middle Kiso River遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Neogawasuji Fishery Cooperative 根尾川筋漁業協同組合内共第8号Neo River遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)
• Ibigawa Joryu Fishery Cooperative 揖斐川上流漁業協同組合内共第11号Upper Ibi and Sakauchi Rivers遊漁規則 PDF and fishing-ground map published by the prefecture (licence 2024-01-01 to 2033-12-31)

Places we list here

• Nagara River (Gujo)Freshwater · Chubu · 1 h from Nagoya

What we do not hold, and who to ask

Being explicit about the gap is the point of this page. What is missing:

• This prefecture’s minimum sizes and closed seasons — not transcribed yet.
• Sea-area and inland committee directives, which close specific waters or periods. We hold these for a few prefectures only.
• Port and municipal rules. Posted on signs at the water, in Japanese, and published nowhere centrally.

Gifu Inland Fisheries Federation 岐阜県漁連
058-272-3931
500-8384 岐阜市藪田南1-11-12 水産会館

National rules apply on top of everything here — see Before you fish. How every figure is graded is set out in Data & sources.