Libya
Africa · Northern Africa
Libya has no spearfishing-specific legislation. Marine fishing is governed by Law No. (14) of 1989 on organising the exploitation of marine resources, which requires a licence only for commercial exploitation (Article 3) and prohibits destructive methods such as explosives, poisons and narcotic substances (Article 15); spearguns/harpoons are not explicitly addressed. No public regulation expressly permits or bans recreational underwater fishing, so the recreational status is genuinely unclear and must be treated with caution. Fishing is barred in ports, berths and their sea lanes (Article 3) and in any area designated as a protected area by the General People's Committee for Marine Resources (now the Ministry / General Authority for Marine Wealth) under Article 4. Several declared marine protected areas (e.g. Ain Al-Ghazala lagoon and Elba Island) restrict fishing. A nationwide seasonal breeding-season ban on the fishing, sale and trade of certain species is enforced, and minimum catch sizes are set under the 1989 law. Given persistent political instability and the absence of a published recreational/sport-fishing framework, would-be spearfishers should obtain authorisation locally before any activity.
آخر تحديث يناير 31, 2026
الإطار الحاكم
- §Law No. (14) of 1989 on organising the exploitation of marine resources (issued 3 June 1989)
- §Resolution No. 71 of 1990 - Implementing Regulation of Law No. 14 of 1989 (referenced in FAOLEX)
- §Resolution No. 80 of 1991 - Technical Guidelines of Law No. 14 of 1989 (referenced in FAOLEX)
- §Regulating Fishing Law No. 8 of 1962 (historic)
- §Resolution No. 159 of 2007 establishing the General Authority for Marine Wealth
القانون، حرفياً
النصوص القانونية
الأحكام القانونية والتنظيمية الدقيقة التي تحكم الصيد بالحربة هنا، مقتبسة كما نُشِرت، مع رابط لكل مصدر رسمي.
Definition of exploitation of marine resources
Law No. (14) of 1989 on organising the exploitation of marine resources
In this Law, the expression 'exploitation of marine resources' shall mean the exploration, use, preservation, and management of organisms, including sedentary organisms, located in the seabed, overlying waters, and subsoil of marine areas subject to the sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction of the Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya.
Licensing requirement and ban on fishing in ports and sea lanes
Law No. (14) of 1989 on organising the exploitation of marine resources
No natural person or legal entity may explore or use marine resources for commercial purposes except after obtaining a licence for such from the bodies set forth in this Law. Foreign vessels and fishing boats may not explore or use marine resources except pursuant to an agreement to which the Great Jamahiriya is a party and after obtaining a license for such from the General People's Committee for Marine Resources. Fishing shall be prohibited in berths, ports, and the sea lanes leading thereto.
Power to create protected areas and seasonal/area closures
Law No. (14) of 1989 on organising the exploitation of marine resources
The General People's Committee for Marine Resources may bar fishing in certain areas by deeming them protected areas, whether for scientific or economic purposes, and it may bar the fishing of certain marine organisms in certain areas and at certain times.
Prohibited fishing methods (explosives, poisons, harmful materials)
Law No. (14) of 1989 on organising the exploitation of marine resources
Fishing through the use of explosives, poisonous or narcotic substances, materials harmful to public health or the growth or reproduction of marine organisms, or in any other manner that is harmful to marine organisms without distinction shall be prohibited in the areas referred to in Article (1) of this Law. Damage to seaweed and marine plants where marine organisms lay their eggs is also prohibited.
متى يمكنك الغوص
المواسم والقيود الزمنية
الفترات المغلقة والمفتوحة والمقيّدة على مدار العام. تأكّد دائماً من الإغلاقات الخاصة بكل نوع محلياً.
- مغلقCertain fish species during breeding seasons (specific species and dates not published in accessible sources)unknown – unknown
The Ministry / General Authority for Marine Wealth enforces a seasonal ban on the fishing, sale and trade of certain fish species to protect stocks during breeding seasons. Exact species and dates are set in ministerial circulars that were not publicly retrievable; the breeding-season closures are issued under the authority of Article (4) of Law No. 14 of 1989.
إذن الصيد
الترخيص
ما تحتاجه للسماح لك في الماء، وتكلفته، وكيفية الحصول عليه.
Licences for commercial exploitation are issued by the bodies set forth in Law No. 14 of 1989 / the Ministry (General Authority) for Marine Wealth. No published procedure exists for recreational spearfishing licensing.
احصل على ترخيصكيفتح البوّابة الرسمية · security-legislation.ly
- النوع
- Commercial fishing licence (no recreational/sport licence framework identified)
- التكلفة
- unknown
- مدّة الصلاحية
- Professional fishing licences are valid for three years and renewable with one month's advance notice (Article 11)
- كيفية الحصول عليه
- Licences for commercial exploitation are issued by the bodies set forth in Law No. 14 of 1989 / the Ministry (General Authority) for Marine Wealth. No published procedure exists for recreational spearfishing licensing.
- السلطة
- Ministry of Marine Wealth / General Authority for Marine Wealth (formerly General People's Committee for Marine Resources)
المعدّات والأسلوب
قواعد المعدّات
ما المعدّات المسموح بها، وكيف يجوز استخدامها، والشروط المرتبطة بها.
القيود
- Explosives, poisonous or narcotic substances, and materials harmful to marine organisms are prohibited as fishing methods (Article 15 of Law No. 14 of 1989).
- No specific provision was found addressing spearguns, harpoons or the use of underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) for fishing.
Libyan law does not explicitly regulate speargun or scuba spearfishing equipment. Article 15 bans only chemically/explosively destructive methods. The absence of explicit rules should not be read as permission; obtain local authorisation.
ما يجوز لك أخذه
حدود الصيد والأنواع المحمية
الحصص اليومية، والأحجام الدنيا، والأنواع التي يجب ألّا تُؤخذ أبداً.
الحدّ اليومي
unknown
Minimum catch sizes ('sizes/volumes allowed to be fished in Libyan waters and their breeding seasons') are set by ministerial circular under Law No. 14 of 1989; the Ministry of Marine Resources reaffirmed these via a January 2025 circular, but the per-species size table was not publicly retrievable. Catching small, underdeveloped fish is stated to be contrary to local law. Source: https://libyaherald.com/2025/01/ministry-of-marine-resources-sets-fish-sizes-permitted-to-be-caught-in-libyan-waters/
من يجوز له الصيد
الزوّار والمقيمون
كيف تختلف القواعد بين الزوّار الأجانب والمقيمين المحليين.
الزوّار الأجانب
ترخيص خاص مطلوب
المتطلبات
- Foreign vessels and fishing boats may explore or use marine resources only pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement and after obtaining a licence from the competent committee (Article 3).
- Article 11 conditions on licensing (e.g. Arab nationality requirement for certain professional licences under Article 7) and the 11 conditions on foreign vessels under Article 13 apply to commercial fishing.
القيود
- Unlicensed foreign fishing is criminalised: 6 months to 2 years imprisonment plus 2,000-5,000 LYD fine and mandatory vessel confiscation (Article 21).
- Libya has had significant security and access restrictions for foreign travellers; tourist/recreational diving and spearfishing infrastructure is minimal.
Provisions target commercial/vessel-based fishing. No recreational spearfishing regime for foreigners was identified. Given the security situation and lack of a sport-fishing framework, foreigners should not assume recreational spearfishing is permitted.
المقيمون
Commercial/professional fishing licence (no recreational category identified)
المتطلبات
- Professional fishing licences require meeting the conditions of the implementing regulation; Article 7 references an Arab nationality requirement for certain licences.
No distinct recreational-resident spearfishing licence framework was found in accessible sources.
أين على الساحل
المناطق المسموح بها والمحظورة
مناطق مسمّاة مفتوحة أو مغلقة للصيد بالحربة. شاهد الصورة الكاملة على الخريطة التفاعلية.
المناطق المحظورة
- Ain Al-Ghazala coastal lagoon and Elba Island Marine Protected Areamarine protected area
Declared a Marine Protected Area by Decision No. 2 of 2011 of the Libyan Ministry of Agriculture, Animal and Marine Wealth on 17 January 2011. A well-preserved Mediterranean lagoon environment with exceptional biological wealth; fishing activities are restricted under MPA status.
- Farwa lagoon and islandcoastal lagoon / proposed marine protected area
The largest lagoon on the Libyan coast (about 32 km2), near the Tunisian border; identified as a priority marine and coastal protected area in Libya's MPA development programme.
- El Kouf National Park (coastal sector)national park
Coastal/marine national park near and west of the city of Bayda, Jabal al Akhdar District, extending from the coast inland; protected area where fishing is regulated.
- Ports, berths and sea lanes leading to themstatutory no-fishing zone
Fishing of any kind is prohibited in berths, ports and the sea lanes leading thereto under Article (3) of Law No. 14 of 1989.
الظروف في الماء
ظروف مباشرة
لقطة بحرية وجوية مباشرة قرب نقطة مرجعية ساحلية في Libya، من Open-Meteo. تتفاوت الظروف على طول الساحل — اعتبرها إرشادية.
ظروف بحرية وجوية مباشرة قرب Ain Al-Ghazala coastal lagoon and Elba Island Marine Protected Area.
من تسأل
السلطات
الجهات الرسمية المسؤولة عن مصايد الأسماك والترخيص.
Ministry of Marine Wealth (Ministry of Marine Resources), Tripoli
fisheries authority / government ministry
libyaobserver.lyunknownGeneral Authority for Marine Wealth (established by Resolution No. 159 of 2007)
fisheries authority
panorama.solutionsunknown
من أين أتى هذا
المصادر
كل ادّعاء في هذه الصفحة يعود إلى أحد هذه المراجع.
- [01]
Law No. (14) of 1989 on organising the exploitation of marine resources - DCAF Libyan Security Legislation database (English translation)
رسميsecurity-legislation.lyتم الاطّلاع يناير 31 - [02]
FAOLEX Database - Libya (LBY) Fisheries legislation country profile
رسميfao.orgتم الاطّلاع يناير 31 - [03]
Ministry of Marine Resources sets fish sizes permitted to be caught in Libyan waters - Libya Herald (Jan 2025)
ثانويlibyaherald.comتم الاطّلاع يناير 31 - [04]
Ministry of Marine Wealth calls for strict compliance with seasonal fishing ban - The Libya Observer
ثانويlibyaobserver.lyتم الاطّلاع يناير 31 - [05]
The Ain Al-Ghazala coastal lagoon and Elba Island proclaimed as Marine Protected Areas - MedPartnership / IW:LEARN
رسميarchive.iwlearn.netتم الاطّلاع يناير 31 - [06]
Scientific field survey report for the development of Marine Protected Areas in Libya - WWF / RAC-SPA
ثانويawsassets.panda.orgتم الاطّلاع يناير 31 - [07]
Protected areas of Libya - Wikipedia
ثانويen.wikipedia.orgتم الاطّلاع يناير 31 - [08]
General Authority for Marine Wealth in the State of Libya - PANORAMA
ثانويpanorama.solutionsتم الاطّلاع يناير 31
ملاحظات الباحث
No spearfishing-specific or recreational-fishing-specific legislation was located for Libya. The governing instrument is Law No. (14) of 1989 (verbatim English articles 1, 3, 4 and 15 captured above from the DCAF Libyan security-legislation database, an official translation). That law regulates commercial exploitation and licensing and bans destructive methods (explosives/poisons) but does not mention spearguns, harpoons or recreational underwater hunting. Because no provision expressly permits or prohibits recreational spearfishing, the top-level status is set to 'unknown' rather than guessed. Confidence is LOW: the core law text is reliably sourced, but (a) the per-species minimum sizes and exact seasonal-ban dates were not publicly retrievable, (b) implementing Resolutions No. 71/1990 and No. 80/1991 were referenced in FAOLEX but their full texts were not fetched, and (c) on-the-ground practice is affected by Libya's political instability and minimal sport-diving infrastructure. Coordinates for Ain Al-Ghazala are approximate (derived from the well-known lagoon location near Tobruk/Jabal al Akhdar) and should be verified before operational use. Anyone considering spearfishing in Libya should seek authorisation directly from the Ministry/General Authority for Marine Wealth and avoid all declared marine protected areas, ports and sea lanes.
نبّهني عند تغيّر قواعد Libya
سنرسل لك بريداً إلكترونياً عند تحديث مواسم أو لوائح Libya في بياناتنا.