SpearfishingMap

Mauritania

Africa · Western Africa

Mauritania's Maritime Fisheries Code (Loi n° 2015-017 of 29 July 2015) does not name spearfishing / underwater fishing (pêche sous-marine, chasse au harpon) as a distinct, regulated activity. The closest category is 'pêche sportive' (sport fishing), which Article 6 allows only for non-commercial recreational purposes, using gear whose composition and conditions of use are defined by an order (arrêté) of the Minister in charge of fisheries, and only in zones the Minister has designated. No publicly retrievable ministerial order specifically authorising or framing recreational spearfishing was found, so the practical legality is treated as restricted/unclear. General prohibitions apply: use of explosives or toxic substances is banned (Art. 38), and the capture/retention of all marine mammals, marine turtles and all seabird species is prohibited everywhere (Art. 39). The most important coastal areas — the Banc d'Arguin National Park (UNESCO World Heritage, est. 1976) and the Diawling National Park — bar modern/recreational fishing and motorboats; in the Banc d'Arguin only the indigenous Imraguen community may fish, using sail boats and traditional gear. Recreational spearfishing by tourists/foreigners is not documented as a permitted, licensed activity, and the marine national parks effectively prohibit it within their boundaries.

Restricted
Confiança en les dadesBaixa confiança

Última actualització Juny 14, 2026

Marc normatiu aplicable

  • §Loi n° 2015-017 du 29 juillet 2015 portant Code des Pêches Maritimes (Maritime Fisheries Code)
  • §Banc d'Arguin National Park regime (national park established 1976; UNESCO World Heritage 1989; Ramsar 1982)
  • §Diawling National Park regime (national park established 1991; Ramsar 1994)
Llicència obligatòria
Obligatori

La llei, literalment

Textos legals

Les disposicions legals i reglamentàries exactes que regulen la pesca submarina aquí, citades tal com es publiquen, amb un enllaç a cada font oficial.

01Article 6Mauritania · national

Types of fishing — sport (recreational) fishing definition and conditions

Loi n° 2015-017 du 29 juillet 2015 portant Code des Pêches Maritimes

FROriginal

Article 6 : La pêche peut avoir pour finalité a) la subsistance ; b) le commerce ; c) l'exploration; d) la recherche scientifique ou technique; e) le sport. [...] La pêche sportive est pratiquée sans but lucratif à des fins récréatives avec un matériel dont la composition et les modalités d'utilisation sont définies par arrêté du ministre chargé des pêches, dans les zones qu'il aura fixées. Les types de pêche peuvent être distingués en fonction des techniques utilisées, des espèces ciblées ou des zones où la pêche est pratiquée. Les types de pêche sont définis par décret pris en Conseil des Ministres sur rapport du Ministre chargé des pêches.

02Article 38Mauritania · national

Prohibition of explosives and toxic substances in fishing

Loi n° 2015-017 du 29 juillet 2015 portant Code des Pêches Maritimes

FROriginal

Article 38 : Il est expressément interdit, sauf autorisation spéciale du ministre chargé des pêches, de a) faire usage, dans l'exercice de la pêche, de matières explosives ou de substances toxiques susceptibles d'affaiblir, étourdir, exciter ou tuer des poissons ou de polluer le milieu marin ; b) détenir à bord des navires de pêche des matières et substances mentionnées à l'alinéa précédent.

03Article 39Mauritania · national

Protection of certain species (marine mammals, turtles, seabirds)

Loi n° 2015-017 du 29 juillet 2015 portant Code des Pêches Maritimes

FROriginal

Article 39 : Sont interdits en tout temps et en tout lieu, sauf autorisation spéciale du ministre chargé des pêches et à des fins de recherche scientifique ou technique a) la pêche, la capture et la détention de toutes espèces de mammifères marins ; b) la pêche, la capture et la détention des tortues marines ; c) la chasse, la capture, la détention de toutes espèces d'oiseaux marins; d) la pêche, la capture ou la rétention des animaux aquatiques faisant l'objet d'une restriction particulière prévue par les textes en vigueur. La commercialisation des espèces visées aux alinéas ci-dessus est interdite.

04Article (serious infractions list), point c)Mauritania · national

Serious offences — fishing in prohibited zones or with prohibited gear/technique

Loi n° 2015-017 du 29 juillet 2015 portant Code des Pêches Maritimes

FROriginal

c) la pêche dans les zones interdites ou avec des engins de pêche ou technique prohibée ; d) la détention à bord le transport ou l'emploi d'explosifs ou autres substances toxiques ou non autorisées, ou de tous moyens ou dispositifs ayant pour effet de réduire l'action sélective des engins de pêche ;

Quan podeu bussejar

Temporades i restriccions horàries

Períodes tancats, oberts i restringits al llarg de l'any. Confirmeu sempre localment els tancaments per espècie.

No s'han registrat tancaments estacionals — verifiqueu localment abans de bussejar.

Permís per pescar

Llicència

Què necessiteu per poder estar a l'aigua, quant costa i com obtenir-ho.

Llicència obligatòriaa través de Ministère des Pêches et de l'Économie Maritime (Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy)

Via the Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy (Ministère des Pêches et de l'Économie Maritime); in practice tourist fishing is arranged through licensed charter operators.

Obteniu la vostra llicència

Obre el portal oficial · peches.gov.mr

Llicència obligatòria
Tipus
Sport fishing ('pêche sportive') is permitted under the Maritime Fisheries Code only with gear and in zones set by ministerial order; no specific recreational spearfishing licence framework was located. General authorisation/concession requirements apply to fishing activity.
Cost
unknown
Validesa
unknown
Com obtenir-la
Via the Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy (Ministère des Pêches et de l'Économie Maritime); in practice tourist fishing is arranged through licensed charter operators.
Autoritat
Ministère des Pêches et de l'Économie Maritime (Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy)

Equip i tècnica

Normes d'equipament

Quin equip és permès, com s'ha d'utilitzar i les condicions aplicables.

Restriccions

  • Explosives and toxic substances are prohibited in fishing (Art. 38).
  • Sport-fishing gear ('matériel') composition and conditions of use must be defined by ministerial order (arrêté) (Art. 6); no such order specific to spearfishing was located.

The Maritime Fisheries Code (Loi 2015-017) does not explicitly mention spearguns (fusil sous-marin), harpoons (harpon) or scuba; their permissibility for recreational spearfishing is therefore unknown and subject to ministerial regulation and protected-area bans.

Què podeu capturar

Límits de captures i espècies protegides

Quotes diàries, mides mínimes i espècies que mai no es poden capturar.

Límit diari

unknown

Espècies protegides — no capturar

  • ProtegitAll marine mammals (toutes espèces de mammifères marins) — Art. 39
  • ProtegitMarine turtles (tortues marines) — Art. 39
  • ProtegitAll seabird species (toutes espèces d'oiseaux marins) — Art. 39
  • ProtegitAquatic animals subject to specific conservation restrictions under regulations in force — Art. 39

Capture, retention and commercialisation of the species listed in Article 39 are prohibited at all times and in all places, except by special ministerial authorisation for scientific/technical research. Sharks and rays are not officially targetable within the Banc d'Arguin National Park.

Qui pot pescar

Visitants i residents

Com difereixen les normes per als visitants estrangers i els residents locals.

Visitants estrangers

Restriccions

  • Marine national parks (Banc d'Arguin, Diawling) effectively exclude recreational/foreign spearfishing.
  • Foreign fishing vessels operate under a separate authorisation regime under the Fisheries Code.

No specific, documented framework permitting recreational spearfishing by foreigners/tourists was found. Tourist sea fishing in Mauritania is typically arranged via charter operators (rod-and-line); spearfishing by tourists is undocumented and likely impractical/restricted in the main protected coastal areas.

Residents

unknown

Avantatges

  • Within the Banc d'Arguin National Park, only the indigenous Imraguen community is authorised to fish, using traditional sail boats and primitive gear (no motorboats).

Subsistence and traditional fishing ('pêche de subsistance') are recognised by Article 6 of the Fisheries Code; this is distinct from recreational spearfishing.

On a la costa

Zones permeses i prohibides

Àrees nominades obertes o tancades per a la pesca submarina. Veieu el panorama complet al mapa interactiu.

Àrees prohibides

  • Banc d'Arguin National Park (Parc National du Banc d'Arguin)national park / UNESCO World Heritage marine protected area

    West Africa's largest marine protected area (~12,000 km2), established 1976, UNESCO World Heritage Site (1989) and Ramsar wetland (1982). Only the indigenous Imraguen community may fish within park boundaries, using relatively primitive techniques and tools; no motorboats are permitted and modern fishing gear is banned. Recreational/sport spearfishing is not permitted.

  • National park established 1991 in the Senegal River delta of south-west Mauritania (~16,000 ha), Ramsar wetland (1994), part of a trans-border biosphere reserve. Fishing is regulated and limited to managed sustainable use by local communities; recreational spearfishing is not documented as permitted.

  • Marine and coastal reserve at the southern tip of the Cap Blanc peninsula near Nouadhibou, protecting the world's largest surviving colony of Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus) and their breeding caves. Known as 'Costa de las Focas' / 'Côte des Phoques'. A sanctuary protecting the breeding caves and surrounding land and sea was created to prohibit fishing nets and prevent disturbance to the seals; recreational spearfishing is not permitted. The seal caves lie on the Mauritanian side of the Cap Blanc peninsula tip.

  • Coastal/marine nature reserve covering ~12 km2 in the Baie du Lévrier, about 14 km north of Nouadhibou. Officially designated a Nature Reserve by the Mauritanian state in July 2024. It shelters seagrass meadows, maerl beds, sandbanks, rocky islets and over 470 marine and bird species. Unregulated fishing ('pêche non encadrée') is identified as a threat the reserve aims to control; recreational spearfishing is not documented as permitted within the reserve.

Condicions a l'aigua

Condicions en directe

Instantània marina i meteorològica en directe prop d'un punt de referència costaner de Mauritania, de Open-Meteo. Les condicions varien al llarg de la costa — tracteu-ho com a indicatiu.

Marina i meteorologia en directe prop de Banc d'Arguin National Park (Parc National du Banc d'Arguin).

Condicions

A qui preguntar

Autoritats

Els organismes oficials responsables de la pesca i les llicències.

  • Ministère des Pêches et de l'Économie Maritime (Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy)

    fisheries authority

    peches.gov.mrNouakchott, Mauritania
  • Parc National du Banc d'Arguin (PNBA)

    marine protected area authority

    pnba.mrNouadhibou / Nouakchott, Mauritania

D'on prové aquesta informació

Fonts

Cada afirmació d'aquesta pàgina es remunta a una d'aquestes referències.

  1. [01]

    Loi n° 2015-017 du 29 juillet 2015 portant Code des Pêches Maritimes (full text PDF, FAOLEX)

    Oficial
    faolex.fao.orgConsultat el Jun 14
  2. [02]

    ECOLEX record — Loi n° 2015-017 portant code des pêches maritimes

    Oficial
    ecolex.orgConsultat el Jun 14
  3. [03]

    Ministère des Pêches et de l'Économie Maritime de Mauritanie (official site)

    Oficial
    peches.gov.mrConsultat el Jun 14
  4. [04]

    Banc d'Arguin National Park — Wikipedia (coordinates, area, fishing restrictions, UNESCO/Ramsar status)

    Secundari
    en.wikipedia.orgConsultat el Jun 14
  5. [05]

    Diawling National Park — Wikipedia (coordinates, area, Ramsar status)

    Secundari
    en.wikipedia.orgConsultat el Jun 14
  6. [06]

    Mauritania's fishmeal fever ends as government tightens regulation — Mongabay (coastal access/depth restrictions, prohibited methods context)

    Secundari
    news.mongabay.comConsultat el Jun 14
  7. [07]

    Fishing in Mauritania 2026: Permits, Best Spots, Charters & Costs — fishingworldguide.com (tourism guide; permits via charter/authority)

    community
    fishingworldguide.comConsultat el Jun 14

Notes de l'investigador

Spearfishing is not addressed as a named activity in Mauritanian law. The Maritime Fisheries Code (Loi 2015-017, Art. 6) only provides a generic 'pêche sportive' (sport fishing) category whose gear and authorised zones must be set by a ministerial order (arrêté) that was not retrievable online; therefore the concrete legality of recreational spearfishing (speargun/harpoon, with or without scuba) is genuinely unclear and is recorded as 'restricted'. Verbatim French text of Articles 6, 38 and 39 and the offences list was extracted directly from the official FAOLEX PDF of the law (pdftotext); a few OCR artifacts in the source PDF were corrected to the obvious standard legal French (e.g. 'à des fins récréatives'). The most relevant coastal areas (Banc d'Arguin and Diawling national parks) bar modern/recreational and motorised fishing, so practical recreational spearfishing access along the prime Mauritanian coast is heavily constrained. data_confidence is 'low' because no spearfishing-specific instrument, no recreational licence schedule, and no closed-season schedule for recreational fishing could be located; only the general framework law and protected-area rules are confirmed. Coordinates for the two national parks come from a secondary source (Wikipedia) and are approximate centroids.

Estigueu al diaAccés anticipat

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