Navigable waterways and non-navigable watercourses

Fishing Rights

Fishing rights in navigable waterways are held by the Walloon Region. In the 1954 Fishing Act, which has since been repealed, the term used was “floatable waterways” instead of “navigable waterways.”

It is therefore necessary to distinguish between navigable waterways and other watercourses.

Navigable Waterways :

In these waters, fishing rights belong to the Walloon Region. As a result, only the fishing permit issued by the Region is required to fish there.

Along navigable waterways, anglers are allowed to use the bank up to a maximum width of 1.5 meters from the edge reached by the highest regular water level (freeboard), without the water overflowing.

The Walloon Region’s fishing permit is sufficient for fishing in navigable waterways.

This includes :

• All canals: Espierres, Ath-Blaton, Nimy-Blaton, Antoing-Blaton, Charleroi-Brussels, the Centre canal, the Albert canal
• The Dendre River downstream from the confluence of the Western and Eastern Dendre (Ath)
• The canalized Haine
• The Sambre
• The Eau d’Heure Lakes
• The Meuse
• The Meuse diversion canal, from the Meuse in Liège to the Coronmeuse bridge
• The Semois downstream from the Deleau (or Nawés) mill in Herbeumont
• The Ourthe downstream from the Nisramont dam and the Nisramont lake
• The Amblève downstream from the Sougné-Remouchamps bridge
• The Lesse downstream from the first fixed dam
• The Scheldt (Escaut)

For other rivers and streams, anglers must hold both a valid fishing permit and either a membership card from the local fishing association or, in the absence of such an association, permission from the riverside landowner.

Watercourses other than navigable waterways :

In these waters, fishing rights are granted to the riparian landowners, each on their own side and up to the middle of the watercourse. To fish there, in addition to the Walloon regional fishing permit, you must also have the landowner’s permission, rent the fishing rights, or, more commonly, purchase a permit from the local fishing association.    

Last update: September 11, 2025