Forged fishing licenses increase in Baden-Württemberg as exam costs and language hurdles drive fraud
State fishing association reports around 50 detected forgeries per year, but believes the true figure is far higher. A Schwäbisch Hall court recently convicted a man for selling 46 fake licenses.
The forgery problem in Baden-Württemberg
The Baden-Württemberg state fishing association reports a sharp rise in forged fishing licenses. Managing director Reinhart Sosat says the forgeries are taking place "on a large scale". Authorities and police bring about 50 cases each year to the association's attention, but Sosat stresses the dark figure is unknown. "If we catch one every week," he said, "you can assume there are many, many more." The agriculture ministry in Stuttgart adds that the "quality" of the falsified documents is improving noticeably, according to fishery offices and clubs.
I don't want to know how high the dark figure is that slips through.
Why people turn to forgeries
Securing a fishing license in the state is demanding: applicants must attend 32 hours of lessons covering water ecology, animal‑protection angling methods and closed‑season rules, then sit an exam with a failure rate of 5 to 10 percent. The exam is held only in German, and the fee of 250 to 300 euros can double when a sworn interpreter is needed. Sosat points to language barriers and high costs as key drivers of fraud. Moreover, the regional council in Karlsruhe notes that many purchasers are unaware they are buying fakes.
Often the forgers very convincingly suggest that these are legal or official documents.
What gets faked
Typically, it is the exam certificate that is forged; the holder then uses it to obtain an authentic fishing license from municipal authorities. Fake license cards are rarer. Sosat says some homemade certificates even include a signature of a past association president downloaded from the internet.
The Schwäbisch Hall trial
The district court in Schwäbisch Hall recently sentenced a 46‑year‑old man who, with an accomplice, sold forged fishing licenses to at least 46 buyers between 2018 and 2022. The buyers, from Baden‑Württemberg, Rhineland‑Palatinate and Bavaria, paid up to 300 euros per document, generating a profit of 13,800 euros for the ring. Police also discovered a forged exam certificate. The man was convicted of commercial document forgery and usurpation of office, receiving one year and four months on probation. The court ordered the confiscation of his illegal gains and a payment of 1,800 euros to a non‑profit organisation.
Penalties and the purpose of the license
Document forgery can be punished with up to five years' imprisonment under German law. The fishing association underlines that the license is not a formality: it ensures anglers know seasonal restrictions, permissible species and humane handling. Sosat sums it up: "Anyone can throw a hook with a worm into the water, but the fishing license teaches you when and how to catch which species."
