Can I get a refund for my salmon licence?
IFI has a ‘no refunds’ policy on its website.
This policy reflects the fact that the Fisheries Consolidation Act (1959) prescribes a licence duty (not a fee or a price) and this may be set by Statutory Instrument (SI) as required. The last change (a reduction) to licence duty occurred in 2011 by statutory instrument. Ministers have consented to maintaining that reduction every year since.
Refunds are not contemplated or permitted by the primary legislation and if they were to be considered would require complex legislative changes which would be resource intensive in the current circumstances and subject to a comprehensive legislative process and legal advice
The holder of the licence may fish in the district or anywhere nationally (depending on the licence type) once the holder has the permission of the fishery owner to do so – in many cases a permit is also required.