Portugal - a warning!

globulin, I'm sorry but you have missed my point completely! It is, first and foremost your obligation to familiarise yourself with the present legislation as a visitor to a foreign country. Full stop! If you fail to do that, well, no excuse will be tolerated and this is fair enough for me. If you do not respect the laws and regulations of a host country and naively proceed down the auld 'I didn't know it' routine, then please do not act surprised if this 'cunning plan' doesn't work out and you have to face the bitter consequences.
Here a few links, just to avoid future disappointment and confusion:
http://www.expatforum.com/expats/portug ... rmits.html
http://portugal.angloinfo.com/lifestyle ... e/fishing/
http://www.portugal-info.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4011
http://www.fishing-portugal.com/fishing ... rtugal.htm
http://www.portugal-sport-and-adventure ... tugal.html
http://www.worldseafishing.com/forums/e ... cence.html
Most of this info is available online since 2007, and if you did choose to neglected it or even if you are just ill informed then please do not blame the law enforcers for doing their work. At the end of the day it is always the lawbreaker who pays the bills. As I said before, we could do with much more of these guys taking their jobs with a real passion here too.

So some news...! The Embassy in Portugal contacted me today via e-mail. They said they cant usually help out with these situations but said this looks a bit heavy handed and would contact the GNR on my behalf. I have to get her reference no's etc tomorrow so we will see how it goes.

So some news...! The Embassy in Portugal contacted me today via e-mail. They said they cant usually help out with these situations but said this looks a bit heavy handed and would contact the GNR on my behalf. I have to get her reference no's etc tomorrow so we will see how it goes.

don't hold your breath, looks like a brain damaging virus has infected the entire country of Portugal recently: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23036182

They have completely lost the plot, thats ridiculous...! Wasnt holding my breath anyway but now I know for a fact there is no chance. Whats wrong with them...!!!

So some news...! The Embassy in Portugal contacted me today via e-mail. They said they cant usually help out with these situations but said this looks a bit heavy handed and would contact the GNR on my behalf. I have to get her reference no's etc tomorrow so we will see how it goes.

don't hold your breath, looks like a brain damaging virus has infected the entire country of Portugal recently: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-23036182

Was fist prize Hobnobs or Jaffa?

I think they were copknobs.......

Nothing shocking here, just breaking Portuguese laws and got caught.

Nothing shocking here, just breaking Portuguese laws and got caught.

Thanks for your incredible insight on the matter..! Had you not pointed that out I would have had no idea why they took the equipment off us

They took your gear in the same way as your gear would be taken here if you're caught poaching.
And I'm sorry but bothering embassies with your story when you're in the wrong is simply ridiculous.

The point behind my post was to help out anyone thinking of fishing abroad who hadnt thought to check the laws like ourselves.
It wasnt a fishing holiday, the rods were packed just in case we got the chance. We fully accept we were in the wrong and got a good slap on the wrist for not thinking more carefully and taking time to check for any laws. My point was that the penalty (In my humble opinion) was heavy handed. Then again a country who's police carry around ATM's in their cars so they can fine a tourist €250 for parking in the wrong direction on a street are clearly out to make easy money off an Industry that is clearly one of their main sources of income.

I myself fish for Bass but posess a Sea Trout license as many of the areas I fish can produce both species. I never keep any trout caught so If I really wanted to I could just say I am targeting Bass and couldnt be touched. If I was trying to "Break the Law" or if I was that way inclined I would not possess a sea trout license. When you think about it, I have a license worth €100 that I dont really need. The Portugese license as we found out was €3 euro for the month. I can assure you had I know I would have bought it. Why would I risk it..? Even if it was €50 I would have bought it. Again, my point was I was stupid enough not to check it but it never crossed my mind. I am trying to help out anyone else there who has never considered this for doing the same.

My post wasnt pointless as the MOD's decided to set up a sticky on licenses abroad as clearly these was cause to.

Contacting the embassy wasnt pointless, we recieved letters from the GNR stating if we paid the license fee and covered some admin costs we could have the gear back.

Have a nice day..!

I completely got the point originally of your post which is fair play to you.
But all the crap said around Portuguese police doing their job is just not fair.
You might forgot that a lot of places have mass tourism and that you might have been the 20th tourist they control and the guy got tired of that old excuse "I didn't know, I'm a tourist, I spent money in your country so you should be happy and you go away with a slap on the hand?
Would you be happy if all the tourists that come to Ireland and who fancy some fishing go bass fishing during the ban or go after salmon/seatrout without a license?
Don't think so and the higher the fine is the stronger the message is.
Regarding embassy contact, just think they have more important thing to do than trying to get a rod and a reel back.
And they are not back yet ...
Have a really nice day to

Thats a very valid point. One of my best Friends and my cousin are Garda so I hear a lot of what they have to put up with.
Im sure its no different over there.
3 of the GNR looked like they were on our side but one guy was having none of it.

My point in relation to that is make is easier to obtain a license and maybe more notification that one is required.
Even have a tourist license, like I said €50 a week is not unreasonable and would bring in more revenue if thats what they want.
You have to have a portugese bank account to obtain one from the ATM, otherwise its a long list of forms and stamps and forms again to get a license. Plenty of signs up saying not to fish in the marina - no problem there, so we didnt.
You can argue that in a foreign country its up to you to find out the law, and I dont deny this.

The €500 fine is ridiculous. Most of the time who would have a telescopic rod and reel worth €500.? Had my bro in law left the certate at home and used another reel, the average cost of equipment would be €100 approx. Who is going to pay €500 to get back €100 worth of gear. Had the fine been €100 we would have paid on the spot.

We could go on and on. End of the day lesson learned. But for them too, we wont be going back and our 9k next year will go to the Spanish or some other country. What do they need more, a €3 license or 9k of tourist revenue..?

Enough said on the matter.

this is the good thing that came out of it all viewtopic.php?f=13&t=43357