Trinidad and Tobago
Americas · Caribbean
Recreational spearfishing is legal in Trinidad and Tobago and is widely practised, especially in Tobago where parrotfish, rockfish and other reef species are taken by free divers and scuba divers. The official Institute of Marine Affairs states plainly that spearfishing in Tobago is unregulated: there is no permitting system, no gear restrictions, no size or catch limits and no open or closed seasons for the activity itself. The key legal constraint is geographic: fishing of any kind (including spearfishing) is strictly prohibited inside declared marine protected/restricted areas, most notably the Buccoo Reef Marine Park / Bon Accord Lagoon complex in Tobago, designated under the Marine Areas (Preservation and Enhancement) Act (Ch. 37:02). The general Fisheries Act (Ch. 67:51) bans poison and explosives, empowers the Minister to declare prohibited areas and to restrict harpooning/taking of fish, and absolutely prohibits taking, killing or harpooning any marine turtle. Visitors generally need a fishing permit from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, though enforcement of permits for shore/free-dive spearfishing is light and reporting is inconsistent.
Апошняе абнаўленне Чэрвень 15, 2026
Кіравальная база
- §Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51 (Act 39 of 1916, as amended)
- §Marine Areas (Preservation and Enhancement) Act, Chapter 37:02 (Act 1 of 1970, as amended)
- §Protection of Turtle and Turtle Eggs Regulations (GN 119/1975, as amended by 201/2011)
- §Fisheries (Conservation of Marine Turtles) Regulations (LN 65/1994, as amended)
- Патрабуецца ліцэнзія
- Патрабуецца
- Ружо
- Дазволена
- Аквалангінг
- Дазволена
- Замежнікі
- Запрашаем
Закон, дакладна
Прававыя тэксты
Дакладныя заканадаўчыя і нарматыўныя палажэнні, якія рэгулююць падводную паляванне тут, працытаваныя ў апублікаваным выглядзе, са спасылкай на кожную афіцыйную крыніцу.
Power to declare prohibited areas and to prohibit harpooning/taking of fish
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51
4. The Minister may make Regulations— ... (c) declaring any area to be a prohibited area; (d) prohibiting the killing, harpooning, taking, removing, catching or any other means of taking possession of fish or any variety thereof either absolutely or at such times and within such areas as may be prescribed;
Prohibition on use of poison or explosives to take fish
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51
7. Any person who uses poison of any description or any explosive with intent to stupefy, poison, take or kill fish is liable on summary conviction to a fine of one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for three months.
Prohibition on taking fish in a prohibited area
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51
8. (1) Except with the written permission of the Minister, no person shall take any fish in a prohibited area. (2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine of two thousand dollars and to imprisonment for six months.
Definition of fish (includes turtle, corals and other marine fauna)
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51
“fish” includes oysters, crabs, shrimps, turtle, turtle eggs, corals and any species of other marine fauna;
Absolute prohibition on killing, harpooning or taking any marine turtle
Protection of Turtle and Turtle Eggs Regulations (made under section 4 of the Fisheries Act, Ch. 67:51)
3. No person shall, at any time, kill, harpoon, catch or otherwise take possession of any turtle, or purchase, sell, offer or expose for sale or cause to be sold or offered or exposed for sale any turtle, turtle meat or any other part of the turtle.
Recreational vessel operation permitted within two nautical miles of the coast
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51 (subsidiary regulations, 121/1998)
8. ... (2) A person operating an artisanal vessel or a vessel for recreational purposes shall be permitted to do so within a distance of two nautical miles from the coast line.
Prohibited activities within a restricted marine area (Buccoo Reef Marine Park)
Marine Areas (Preservation and Enhancement) Act, Chapter 37:02 (Act 1 of 1970), restricted-area regulations
No person may, without written ministerial permission: go in or alight upon a restricted area; operate a boat or other vessel within a restricted area or cause or allow a boat or other vessel to enter such an area; take or remove any fish or bird from a restricted area; take or remove any mangrove from a restricted area; dig, dredge, or otherwise interfere with the seabed of a restricted area. Fishing, of any kind, is strictly prohibited within the Marine Park.
Калі можна нырнуць
Сезоны і часовыя абмежаванні
Закрытыя, адкрытыя і абмежаваныя перыяды на працягу года. Заўсёды пацвярджайце закрыццё відаў мясцова.
Сезонных закрыццяў не зафіксавана — праверце мясцова перад занураннем.
Дазвол на рыбалку
Ліцэнзія
Што трэба для дапуску ў ваду, колькі гэта каштуе і як яго атрымаць.
Apply to / contact the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. In practice, no permitting system specifically governs shore-based/free-dive spearfishing in Tobago, and reports of permit requirements for visitors are inconsistent.
Атрымаць ліцэнзіюАдчыняе афіцыйны партал · agriculture.gov.tt
- Тып
- Fishing permit from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (for visitors who wish to fish); recreational use is broadly permitted within 2 nautical miles of the coast.
- Кошт
- unknown
- Тэрмін дзеяння
- unknown
- Як атрымаць
- Apply to / contact the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. In practice, no permitting system specifically governs shore-based/free-dive spearfishing in Tobago, and reports of permit requirements for visitors are inconsistent.
- Орган улады
- Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (Fisheries Division)
Амуніцыя і тэхніка
Правілы абсталявання
Якая амуніцыя дазволена, як яна можа выкарыстоўвацца і якія ўмовы прыкладаюцца.
Абмежаванні
- Use of poison or explosives to take, stupefy or kill fish is prohibited (Fisheries Act s.7).
- No gear restrictions specific to spearfishing exist in law (per Institute of Marine Affairs).
Parrotfish in Tobago are harvested mainly by spear-fishers using either SCUBA diving or free diving; the Institute of Marine Affairs confirms spearfishing is unregulated outside protected areas, with no gear restrictions. Spearguns are commonly used and provided on local spearfishing tours.
Што дазволена браць
Ліміты ўлову і ахоўныя віды
Дзённыя квоты, мінімальныя памеры і віды, якіх нельга браць ніколі.
Дзённы ліміт
None established for recreational spearfishing (no catch limits per Institute of Marine Affairs).
Мінімальныя памеры
- Lobster (carapace length)мін. 8.9 см
Ахоўныя віды — не браць
- АхоўныAll marine turtles (absolute prohibition on killing, harpooning, catching, possessing or selling under the Protection of Turtle and Turtle Eggs Regulations)
- АхоўныCorals (included in statutory definition of 'fish'; taking restricted, especially within protected areas)
Lobster minimum legal size is reported as a carapace length of 3.5 inches (≈8.9 cm) and a minimum tail weight of 7 ounces. No spearfishing-specific size or catch limits exist (per Institute of Marine Affairs). Conservation concern exists over declining parrotfish abundance and size, but no statutory parrotfish limit has been confirmed. Size-limit figure for lobster is from a secondary aggregator source and should be verified against the official regulation before relying on it.
Хто можа рыбачыць
Наведвальнікі і жыхары
Як правілы адрозніваюцца для замежных наведвальнікаў і мясцовых жыхароў.
Замежныя наведвальнікі
ДазволенаПатрабуецца спецыяльная ліцэнзія
Патрабаванні
- Obtain a fishing permit from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries before fishing (per secondary travel sources).
Абмежаванні
- Same geographic and conservation restrictions as residents: no fishing inside the Buccoo Reef Marine Park or other restricted areas; turtles fully protected; no poison/explosives.
Visitors who wish to fish are generally advised to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, though some sources state no rod licence/permit is required for casual fishing around Tobago. Requirements are inconsistently reported; confirm with the Fisheries Division before travelling.
Жыхары
No spearfishing-specific licence; general Fisheries Act framework applies. Artisanal/recreational vessels may operate within 2 nautical miles of the coast.
Local skin/free divers traditionally and legally spear reef fish (e.g. parrotfish, rockfish) outside protected areas; the activity is unregulated in Tobago per the Institute of Marine Affairs.
Дзе на ўзбярэжжы
Дазволеныя і забароненыя зоны
Назваія раёны, адкрытыя або закрытыя для падводнай паляванні. Паглядзіце поўную карціну на інтэрактыўнай карце.
Дазволеныя раёны
Spearfishing is widely and legally practised along most of Tobago's coast by free divers and scuba divers, targeting parrotfish, rockfish and other reef species. The Institute of Marine Affairs states the activity is unregulated outside protected areas (no permits, gear, size, catch limits or seasons).
Must not enter the Buccoo Reef Marine Park or any other declared restricted/prohibited area; turtles are fully protected nationwide; poison and explosives prohibited.
Spearfishing is generally permitted in Trinidad's coastal waters outside any declared prohibited area, subject to the general Fisheries Act prohibitions.
No taking of fish in declared prohibited areas without written ministerial permission; turtles fully protected; no poison/explosives.
Забароненыя раёны
- Buccoo Reef Marine Park / Bon Accord Lagoon Complexmarine park / no-take marine protected area
Tobago's principal and oldest marine protected area, designated a no-take marine park in 1973 under the Marine Areas (Preservation and Enhancement) Act (Ch. 37:02). Fishing of any kind, including spearfishing, is strictly prohibited; access requires a valid Access/Transit Permit from the Division.
Умовы на вадзе
Жывыя ўмовы
Жывая марская і метэаралагічная здымка каля прыбярэжнага кантрольнага пункта ў Trinidad and Tobago, ад Open-Meteo. Умовы вар'іруюцца ўздоўж узбярэжжа — лічыце паказальнікамі.
Жывыя марскія ўмовы і надвор'е каля Buccoo Reef Marine Park / Bon Accord Lagoon Complex.
Да каго звярнуцца
Органы ўлады
Афіцыйныя органы, адказныя за рыбалоўства і ліцэнзіраванне.
Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries – Fisheries Division
fisheries authority
agriculture.gov.ttunknownTobago House of Assembly – Division of Food Security, Natural Resources, the Environment and Sustainable Development
regional environment/fisheries authority (Tobago)
tha.gov.ttunknownInstitute of Marine Affairs (IMA)
marine research institute
ima.gov.ttunknown
Адкуль гэта
Крыніцы
Кожная заява на гэтай старонцы адсочваецца да адной з гэтых крыніц.
- [01]
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51 (unofficial consolidated version updated to 31 Dec 2015) – Ministry of Agriculture
Афіцыйнаяagriculture.gov.ttДоступ атрыманы Чэр 15 - [02]
Prohibited Use of the Buccoo Reef Marine Protected Area – Tobago House of Assembly
Афіцыйнаяtha.gov.ttДоступ атрыманы Чэр 15 - [03]
Parrotfish – Eating and 'pooping' their way to healthy reefs! – Institute of Marine Affairs
Афіцыйнаяima.gov.ttДоступ атрыманы Чэр 15 - [04]
Snorkel, Freedive or Spearfish in Trinidad and Tobago – Veronika's Adventure
Другаснаяveronikasadventure.comДоступ атрыманы Чэр 15 - [05]
Caribbean Fishing – Laws and Regulations – Yacht Cruising Lifestyle
Другаснаяhashtagboatlife.comДоступ атрыманы Чэр 15 - [06]
Fishing Conservation – Trinidad and Tobago (Buccoo Reef Marine Park 1973; bottom trawling ban 2013)
Другаснаяfishingtnt.comДоступ атрыманы Чэр 15
Заўвагі даследчыка
Spearfishing is legal and commonly practised in Trinidad and Tobago, particularly in Tobago, and is explicitly described as unregulated outside protected areas by the Institute of Marine Affairs (no permits, gear, size/catch limits or seasons specific to the activity). The binding legal constraints are: (1) a strict no-fishing rule inside declared marine protected/restricted areas, above all the Buccoo Reef Marine Park / Bon Accord Lagoon complex (Marine Areas (Preservation and Enhancement) Act, Ch. 37:02); (2) a nationwide absolute prohibition on taking, killing or harpooning marine turtles; and (3) the Fisheries Act ban on poison and explosives. The Fisheries Act (Ch. 67:51) verbatim text was retrieved from the official Ministry of Agriculture PDF and extracted with pdftotext. The Marine Areas Act restricted-area prohibitions were taken from the official Tobago House of Assembly page (which paraphrases Regulation 3); the verbatim wording of the underlying statutory instrument was not independently retrieved, so that entry is a faithful close paraphrase from an official source rather than a guaranteed exact transcription. Lobster size/tail-weight figures and the visitor-permit requirement come from secondary travel/aggregator sources and should be verified against official regulations. A modernising Fisheries Management Bill (2020) was before Parliament but is not confirmed as enacted; the 1916 Fisheries Act remains the governing statute. Coordinates for Buccoo Reef are approximate centroid values. No closed seasons relevant to spearfishing were found. Confidence: medium – strong official primary sourcing for the Fisheries Act, turtle protection and Buccoo Reef prohibition; weaker (secondary) sourcing for licensing details and lobster size limits.
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