Fishing Spot Japan

Fishing rules in Hokkaido

What Hokkaido adds on top of national law, and what we still do not hold for it. Rules stack downwards: the prefecture may restrict more than the nation, and a cooperative more than the prefecture. None may permit what a layer above forbids.

Legal gear

These are the gear a non-professional may use in Hokkaido’s sea areas. The list is exhaustive: anything not shown here may not be used at all, which catches out visitors who assume a speargun or diving apparatus is merely restricted rather than banned.

Hokkaido

×Trolling×Scoop net×Cast net×Fishing spear (excluding harpoons)×Rake / clam tool○Hand line & rod fishing○Landing net2○Hand gathering
○ Permitted● Permitted, but lights / fish-attracting lamps are prohibited△ Permitted, but not from a vessel※ Permitted, but chumming is prohibited▲ Permitted, but chumming from a vessel is prohibited× Prohibited

Footnotes that apply in Hokkaido

These are the prefecture’s own qualifications on the marks above, quoted from the source table in Japanese.

  1. 2
Source: https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/j/yugyo/y_kisei/kisoku/todo_huken/index.htmlAs of 2026-03-31✓ checked 2026-08-25

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.

Method / gearShore (no vessel)Vessel under 3 GTVessel 3 GT or more
Rod fishing, handlineyesyesguide-only
Landing net, scoop net, fishing spear, clam rake or knifeyesyesguide-only
Cast netyesnono
Trollingn/ayesguide-only

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 Hokkaido 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

Hokkaido VERIFIED

Set by the Hokkaido Fisheries Adjustment Rules and Sea-area Commission directives.

Applies to: Sea and inland. The source regulation covers both sea and inland waters. Cooperatives add further rules on rivers and lakes.

Closed seasons

Salmon and trout in inland watersAll yearTaking salmon and trout in rivers and lakes is prohibited across Hokkaido. River-mouth closures apply at sea too. This is the rule visitors break most often.
Yamabe — Kamikawa, Sorachi, Ishikari, Shiribeshi, Hiyama, Oshima, Iburi1 Apr – 31 MayYamabe is the Hokkaido name for yamame.
Yamabe — Hidaka, Tokachi, Kushiro, Nemuro, Okhotsk, Souya, Rumoi1 May – 30 Jun
Ayu — inland waters1 Apr – 30 Jun and 16 Sep – 31 Oct

May not be taken at or under this size

Salmon and trout at seaunder 20 cm must be released
Barfin flounder — Pacific coast, Kobe-cho in Hakodate to the east end of Erimounder 35 cm total length must be returned to the sea promptly (commission instruction)
Landing netnet entrance must be under 40 cm — anything wider counts as a fishing net, which anglers may not use

Prohibited methods

  • Inland — Taking salmon and trout anywhere except designated areas
  • River mouths — Taking salmon and trout inside the posted closure zones
  • Everywhere — Snagging (hikkake-zuri) — jerking the rod to foul-hook fish. Named as the commonest illegal method in Hokkaido; usually aimed at salmon and pond smelt
  • Harbours, breakwaters, rocky shores — Karame-tori — a pole tipped with shredded vinyl tape, dragged along the wall to snag urchin, crab, whelk or sea cucumber
  • Harbours, rivers, lakes — Zaru-tori and trap baskets — a baited basket or folding trap lowered on a rope for whelk, crab, urchin or greenling
  • Beaches and shallows — Joren-biki — dragging a scoop through the sand to sieve out clams, surf clams or corbicula
  • Harbours and shorelines — Hanger fishing for scallop — a hanger-shaped rig dragged along the bottom
  • Harbours, breakwaters, beaches — Crab netting — a baited net cast in to entangle crab
  • Everywhere — Diving apparatus of any kind, to take abalone, urchin, sea cucumber or whelk
  • Common Fishery Right areas — Taking octopus by rod, or free-diving for abalone and urchin — both are infringement of the fishery right, not merely gear offences

Hokkaido is the most restrictive prefecture on the Fisheries Agency's national gear table: trolling, scoop net, cast net, spear and rake are all marked ×. Only rod and handline, a landing net under 40 cm, and hand gathering are open to anglers. The prefecture publishes an illustrated catalogue of the illegal methods it actually sees — worth reading, because several of them look entirely innocent to a visitor.

Local committee instructions

  • Barfin flounder (matsukawa) under 35 cm must be released promptly on the Pacific coast between Hakodate and Erimo — a recovery programme for a fish that was nearly gone.
  • Pacific bluefin is under the national controls described above; Hokkaido asks anglers to cooperate with the quota.
  • Hokkaido asks anglers to report their catch — a voluntary recreational catch-reporting scheme runs alongside the rules.
  • Moving fish or eggs between waters is prohibited; the prefecture campaigns against releasing non-native fish.

Hokkaido publishes a full booklet, 'Fishing Rule & Manner', distributed free from April through the subprefectural fisheries offices — the most thorough angler guide any prefecture produces.

Source: Hokkaido Fisheries Management Division — 'Fishing Rule & Manner 2026' booklet, pages 6–9. Figures read from the rendered pages; the PDFs carry no text layer. https://www.pref.hokkaido.lg.jp/sr/ggk/ggs/turi-r-m/rule-manner.html✓ checked 2026-08-28

Cooperatives that sell a permit online

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

Shubutogawa Fishery Cooperative

Buy permit →

Shumarinaiko Freshwater Fishery Cooperative

Catch & release
Buy permit →

Who holds the fishing right

41 cooperatives on record in Hokkaido, 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.

  • Ishikari Bay Fishery Cooperative Ishikari and Sapporo — the Ishikari River, Barato River, Makomanai River and the connecting canalRight covers: Pond smelt, Lamprey, Shrimp, Mitten crab（）。
  • Shikotsuko Fishery Cooperative Lake Shikotsu and the Chitose RiverRight covers: Kokanee salmon（）。
  • Yoichi-gun Fishery Cooperative Yoichi River systemRight covers: Sweetfish, Pond smelt, Lamprey（）。
  • Suttsu-cho Fishery Cooperative Shiribetsu River — the Niseko riverRight covers: Lamprey（）。
  • Shubutogawa Fishery Cooperative Shubuto, Kuromatsunai and Nepp RiversRight covers: Sweetfish, Lamprey（）。
  • Setana-gun Inland Fishery Cooperative Baba RiverRight covers: Sweetfish（）。
  • Setana-gun Inland Fishery Cooperative Shiribeshi-Toshibetsu River systemRight covers: Sweetfish, Lamprey（）。
  • Setana-gun Inland Fishery Cooperative Futoro, Futamata and Nigori RiversRight covers: Sweetfish, Lamprey（）。
  • Onuma Fishery Cooperative Lakes Onuma, Konuma and Junsainuma and their riversRight covers: Pond smelt, Shrimp, Common carp, Crucian carp（）。
  • Yakumo-cho Fishery Cooperative Yurappu River systemRight covers: Sweetfish（）。
  • Toyako Fishery Cooperative Lake Toya and every river flowing into itRight covers: Kokanee salmon, Pond smelt, Rainbow trout, Yamabe (young masu salmon), Shrimp（）。
  • Iburi Chuo Fishery Cooperative Lake KuttaraRight covers: Kokanee salmon（）。
  • Iburi Chuo Fishery Cooperative Lake PorotoRight covers: Pond smelt（）。
  • Mukawa Fishery Cooperative Mu RiverRight covers: Shishamo smelt（）。
  • Hidaka Fishery Cooperative Saru and Okotan RiversRight covers: Shishamo smelt（）。
  • Taiki Fishery Cooperative Lake HorokayantoRight covers: Pond smelt（）。
  • Taiki Fishery Cooperative Lake OikamanaiRight covers: Pond smelt（）。
  • Otsu Fishery Cooperative Lake Yudo and the Yudo RiverRight covers: Pond smelt, Shrimp（）。
  • Otsu Fishery Cooperative Tokachi RiverRight covers: Shishamo smelt（）。
  • Shiranuka Fishery Cooperative Charo RiverRight covers: Shishamo smelt（）。
  • Shiranuka Fishery Cooperative Shoro RiverRight covers: Shishamo smelt（）。
  • Shiranuka Fishery Cooperative Onbetsu RiverRight covers: Shishamo smelt（）。
  • Kushiro City Fishery Cooperative Akan RiverRight covers: Shishamo smelt（）。
  • Kushiro City Fishery Cooperative Kushiro River systemRight covers: Shishamo smelt（）。
  • Chirippu Fishery Cooperative Lake MochirippuRight covers: Flatfish, Helmet crab（）。
  • Chirippu Fishery Cooperative Lake HichirippuRight covers: Flatfish, Helmet crab（）。
  • Toro Fishery Cooperative Lake Toro and the Shirarutoro wetland lakesRight covers: Pond smelt, Common carp, Shrimp, Crucian carp, White-spotted char, Crayfish（）。
  • Akanko Fishery Cooperative Lake Akan — one of our listed areas — with Panketo, Penketo, Jiro, Taro and Hyotan, and the Akan River systemRight covers: Pond smelt, Kokanee salmon, Rainbow trout, White-spotted char, Common carp, Crucian carp, Shrimp, Sakhalin taimen, Yamabe (young masu salmon), Crayfish（）。
  • Habomai Fishery Cooperative Lake TosamuporoRight covers: Saffron cod（）。
  • Nemuro Bay Central / Betsukai Fishery Cooperative Bettoga RiverRight covers: Pond smelt（）。
  • Nemuro Bay Central / Betsukai Fishery Cooperative Furen River systemRight covers: Pond smelt（）。
  • Nemuro Bay Central / Betsukai Fishery Cooperative Yaushubetsu RiversRight covers: Pond smelt（）。
  • Nemuro Bay Central / Betsukai Fishery Cooperative Pon-Yaushubetsu RiverRight covers: Pond smelt（）。
  • Abashiri Fishery Cooperative Lake TofutsuRight covers: Pond smelt, Shrimp, Common carp, Herring（）。
  • Abashiri Fishery Cooperative Lake Mokoto and the Mokoto RiverRight covers: Pond smelt, Herring（）。
  • Nishi-Abashiri Fishery Cooperative Lake Abashiri and the Abashiri RiverRight covers: Pond smelt, Icefish, Common carp, Shrimp（）。
  • Yubetsu / Monbetsu Fishery Cooperative Lake ShibunotsunaiRight covers: Pond smelt, Shrimp（）。
  • Monbetsu Fishery Cooperative Lake KomukeRight covers: Pond smelt, Shrimp（）。
  • Tonbetsu Fishery Cooperative Lake Kutcharo and the Tonbetsu River — near the Sarufutsu areaRight covers: Pond smelt, Shrimp（）。
  • Kita-Rumoi Fishery Cooperative Teshio River, Sarobetsu River and Lake Panke — one of our listed areasRight covers: Pond smelt（）。
  • Shumarinai-ko Freshwater Fishery Cooperative Lake Shumarinai — Japan's best-known ito waterRight covers: Pond smelt, Yamabe (young masu salmon), Common carp, Crucian carp, Sakhalin taimen, White-spotted char, Shrimp（）。

Places we list here

What we do not hold, and who to ask

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

  • 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.

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