Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba
Americas · Caribbean
The Caribbean Netherlands consists of three special municipalities, each with its own marine-environment island ordinance, so the rules differ sharply by island. BONAIRE: spearfishing (including hand spearing) is totally prohibited in the Bonaire National Marine Park, which covers all waters around the island from the high-water line to 60 m depth; the ban has existed since 1971 and is codified in Article 10 of the Marine Environment Ordinance (A.B. 1984/1991). The only exception is hunting the invasive lionfish, allowed for permitted users with a STINAPA-issued ELF tool. SABA: spearfishing with SCUBA or Hookah equipment is prohibited, and spearfishing is reserved for residents of Saba (non-residents/non-Sabaans are prohibited), under the Saba Marine Environment Ordinance (A.B. 1987, no. 10). SINT EUSTATIUS (Statia): spearfishing is permitted in the marine park ONLY when free-diving (no SCUBA or Hookah) and never with poison, chemicals or explosives; all fishing is banned in the two designated marine reserves (north and south), under the Marine Environment Ordinance of St. Eustatius (A.B. 1996, no. 3). Each ordinance is an Eilandsverordening (island ordinance) enforced by the respective park-management foundation (STINAPA Bonaire, Saba Conservation Foundation, STENAPA on Statia).
Zuletzt aktualisiert Juni 15, 2026
Rechtsrahmen
- §Eilandsverordening tot beheer van het mariën milieu van het eilandgebied Bonaire (Marine Environment Ordinance Bonaire), 29 November 1984, no. 2 (A.B. 1984, no. 21; consolidated A.B. 1991, no. 8 / A.B. 2001, no. 13)
- §Eilandsverordening instelling onderwaterpark Bonaire (Bonaire Underwater Park Ordinance)
- §Eilandsverordening Marien Milieu Saba (Saba Marine Environment Ordinance), 25 June 1987, A.B. 1987, no. 10
- §Marien Milieu verordening Sint Eustatius (Marine Environment Ordinance St. Eustatius), A.B. 1996, no. 3
- Lizenz erforderlich
- Erforderlich
- Harpune
- Verboten
- Tauchgerät
- Verboten
- Ausländer
- Nicht erlaubt
Das Gesetz, wortgetreu
Gesetzestexte
Die genauen gesetzlichen und behördlichen Bestimmungen, die das Speerfischen hier regeln, wie veröffentlicht zitiert, mit einem Link zu jeder offiziellen Quelle.
Bonaire - Prohibition of mechanical underwater hunting gear and hand spears (spearfishing ban)
Eilandsverordening tot beheer van het mariën milieu van het eilandgebied Bonaire (Marine Environment Ordinance Bonaire), 29 November 1984, no. 2
Het is verboden in het onderwaterpark een of meer mechanische onderwaterjachtmiddelen bij zich te hebben of met handsperen te jagen op zeedieren of deze daarmee te vangen. Het is verboden om zeedieren die met mechanische onderwaterjachtmiddelen en met handsperen zijn gevangen in het bezit te hebben, onder zich te hebben, te koop aan te bieden, te vervreemden, af te leveren of te vervoeren. Het is verboden mechanische onderwaterjachtmiddelen te vervoeren over openbare grond of openbaar water. Het is verboden mechanische onderwaterjachtmiddelen in het geheel of onderdelen daarvan te verkopen, ter verkoop aanwezig te hebben of in een winkel of bijbehorende ruimte aanwezig te hebben.
Bonaire - Penalty for breaching the Marine Environment Ordinance
Eilandsverordening tot beheer van het mariën milieu van het eilandgebied Bonaire (Marine Environment Ordinance Bonaire), 29 November 1984, no. 2
Overtreding van de bij of krachtens deze verordening gestelde voorschriften wordt gestraft met hechtenis van ten hoogste een maand of een geldboete van ten hoogste vijfduizend gulden.
Saba - Definition of spearfishing (speervissen)
Eilandsverordening Marien Milieu Saba (Saba Marine Environment Ordinance), 25 June 1987, A.B. 1987, no. 10
e. Speervissen: het jagen op en doden van in zee levende dieren met behulp van speren, harpoenen en visgeweren, hetzij mechanisch, hetzij pneumatisch voortbewogen, alsmede van onderwater geweren welke gerekend dienen te worden onder de vuurwapenwet;
Saba - Definition / boundaries of the Saba Marine Park
Eilandsverordening Marien Milieu Saba (Saba Marine Environment Ordinance), 25 June 1987, A.B. 1987, no. 10
a. "Saba Marine Park": de zeebodem en de daarboven gelegen wateren rondom en aansluitend aan het eiland Saba; begrensd door de hoogwaterlijn aan de bovenzijde en door de zestig meter dieptelijn aan de onderzijde, alsmede de zeebodem gevormd door twee onderzeese bergen gelegen op resp. 17° 37° , 94 N, 63° 16.43 W en 17° 38.70 N, 63° 15.91 en de daarboven gelegen wateren, begrensd aan de bovenzijde door het wateroppervlak en aan de onderzijde door de zestig meter dieptelijn;
Saba - Restrictions on spearfishing (SCUBA/Hookah ban; reserved for Sabaans/residents)
Eilandsverordening Marien Milieu Saba (Saba Marine Environment Ordinance), 25 June 1987, A.B. 1987, no. 10
1. Het is verboden in het Saba Marine Park te speervissen met gebruik van SCUBA of Hookah apparatuur. 2. Het is niet-ingezetenen van het eilandgebied Saba die geen Sabaan zijn, verboden te speervissen in het Saba Marine Park.
Saba - Prohibition of fishing with poison, chemicals or explosives
Eilandsverordening Marien Milieu Saba (Saba Marine Environment Ordinance), 25 June 1987, A.B. 1987, no. 10
Het is verboden te vissen in het Saba Marine Park met gebruikmaking van gifstoffen of andere chemische middelen, dan wel explosieven.
Saba - Penalty provision
Eilandsverordening Marien Milieu Saba (Saba Marine Environment Ordinance), 25 June 1987, A.B. 1987, no. 10
Overtreding van de in deze verordening genoemde verboden wordt gestraft met hechtenis van ten hoogste een maand.
Sint Eustatius - Definition of spearfishing (speervissen)
Marien Milieu verordening Sint Eustatius (Marine Environment Ordinance St. Eustatius), A.B. 1996, no. 3
speervissen: het jagen en doden van zeedieren in de zee gebruikmakende van hand-speren, harpoenen en/of vispistolen.
Sint Eustatius - Marine park boundary (high-water line to 30 m depth line)
Marien Milieu verordening Sint Eustatius (Marine Environment Ordinance St. Eustatius), A.B. 1996, no. 3
a. onderwaterpark: ook wel genoemd marien park de zeebodem en de wateren rondom het eilandgebied Sint Eustatius vanaf de hoogwaterlijn tot aan de dertig meter dieptelijn;
Sint Eustatius - Marine park reserves: boundaries of the southern and northern reserves
Marien Milieu verordening Sint Eustatius (Marine Environment Ordinance St. Eustatius), A.B. 1996, no. 3
1. Er is een onderwaterpark St. Eustatius welke in brede zin wordt aangeduid als Statia Marine Park. 2. Binnen het onderwaterpark zijn twee reservaten en een havengebied, deze omvatten: a. Zuidelijke reservaat: van Gallows Bay, 17 28'.5 co-ordinaat langs de hoogwaterlijn naar het punt White Wall, ten Zuiden zeeinwaarts voor 1/2 zeemijl, naar het Westen volgende de 30 meter dieptegrens of 1/2 zeemijl zeeinwaarts gemeten vanaf de hoogwaterlijn tot de kruising met de 17 27'.7 co-ordinaat, naar het Noorden tot de 17 28'.5 co-ordinaat en terug naar Gallows Bay; b. Noordelijke reservaat: van Jenkins Bay, 17 30'. 5 co-ordinaat langs de hoogwaterlijn naar de noordelijkste punt van het eiland, naar het Noorden tot de 30 meter dieptegrens, naar het Westen en het Zuiden langs de 30 meter dieptegrens totdat deze lijnen het co-ordinaat 17 30'. 5' passeren en terug naar Jenkins Bay;
Sint Eustatius - Spearfishing not allowed with SCUBA or Hookah equipment
Marien Milieu verordening Sint Eustatius (Marine Environment Ordinance St. Eustatius), A.B. 1996, no. 3
Speervissen is niet toegestaan indien gebruik wordt gemaakt van een scuba of Hookah uitrusting.
Sint Eustatius - Spearfishing prohibited with poison, chemicals or explosives
Marien Milieu verordening Sint Eustatius (Marine Environment Ordinance St. Eustatius), A.B. 1996, no. 3
Het is verboden te speervissen in het marien park met gebruikmaking van vergif, vergiftigd aas en/of andere materialen als ook met chemicaliën of explosieven.
Sint Eustatius - Penalty provision
Marien Milieu verordening Sint Eustatius (Marine Environment Ordinance St. Eustatius), A.B. 1996, no. 3
Overtreding van de bij of krachtens deze verordening gestelde voorschriften wordt gestraft met een hechtenis van ten hoogste een maand of een geldboete van de tweede categorie.
Wann du tauchen darfst
Saisonzeiten & zeitliche Einschränkungen
Schon-, Fang- und eingeschränkte Zeiten über das Jahr. Bestätige artspezifische Schonzeiten stets vor Ort.
- OffenCaribbean spiny lobster (Bonaire) - hook-and-line/traditional take only, not by diving and not by spearfishingNov 1 – Apr 30
On Bonaire lobster may only be taken from the east coast, from land, and not while diving, during the open season 1 November to 30 April. Spearfishing remains prohibited regardless of season.
Erlaubnis zum Fischen
Lizenz
Was du brauchst, um ins Wasser zu dürfen, was es kostet und wie du es bekommst.
Bonaire: pay the nature fee online via STINAPA (QR-code receipt); lionfish ELF tools and permission are obtained from STINAPA, in practice through authorized dive operators. St. Eustatius: pay the nature fee via STENAPA. Saba: via the Saba Conservation Foundation.
Hol dir deine LizenzÖffnet das offizielle Portal · stinapabonaire.org
- Typ
- Island-specific. Bonaire: spearfishing fully banned; lionfish hunting requires a STINAPA-issued ELF (Eradicate/Eliminate Lionfish) tool and permission. All marine-park users must pay the annual STINAPA nature fee. Saba: spearfishing reserved for residents (Sabaans). Sint Eustatius: free-diving spearfishing permitted in general-use park areas; all users pay the STENAPA nature fee.
- Kosten
- Bonaire STINAPA nature fee: USD 40 per person per calendar year (uniform rate since 2023; children under 12 exempt). St. Eustatius and Saba charge separate nature/marine-park fees set by STENAPA and the Saba Conservation Foundation.
- Gültigkeit
- Nature fee valid for the calendar year (1 January - 31 December).
- Wie zu erhalten
- Bonaire: pay the nature fee online via STINAPA (QR-code receipt); lionfish ELF tools and permission are obtained from STINAPA, in practice through authorized dive operators. St. Eustatius: pay the nature fee via STENAPA. Saba: via the Saba Conservation Foundation.
- Behörde
- STINAPA Bonaire / STENAPA (St. Eustatius) / Saba Conservation Foundation
Ausrüstung & Technik
Ausrüstungsregeln
Welche Ausrüstung erlaubt ist, wie sie verwendet werden darf und welche Auflagen gelten.
Einschränkungen
- Bonaire: all mechanical underwater hunting gear (spearguns, underwater pistols, pneumatic/compressed-gas projectile weapons) and hand spears are prohibited to possess, carry, transport or sell within and around the marine park (Art. 10). Only the STINAPA-issued ELF tool may be used, and only for lionfish.
- Saba: spearfishing with SCUBA or Hookah equipment is prohibited; spearfishing reserved for residents (Art. 3).
- Sint Eustatius: spearfishing is allowed only by free-diving; SCUBA and Hookah equipment may not be used for spearfishing (Art. 4).
- All three islands: fishing/spearfishing with poison, poisoned bait, chemicals or explosives is prohibited.
speargun_allowed=false and scuba_allowed=false reflect the strictest and most representative position across the territory: spearguns are wholly banned on Bonaire, and SCUBA-assisted spearfishing is banned on all three islands. On Sint Eustatius free-diving spearfishing with hand spears/harpoons/spear pistols is lawful outside the reserves; on Saba it is lawful only for residents and only without SCUBA/Hookah.
Was du entnehmen darfst
Fangbeschränkungen & geschützte Arten
Tagesquoten, Mindestmaße und Arten, die niemals entnommen werden dürfen.
Tageslimit
unknown
Mindestmaße
- Caribbean spiny lobster (Bonaire) - no take below this carapace/total length and no egg-bearing femalesmin 25 cm
Geschützte Arten — nicht entnehmen
- GeschütztAll sea turtles (eggs, nests and live turtles protected - Bonaire Art. 14)
- GeschütztStony corals
- GeschütztQueen conch (karko) - taking prohibited within the Bonaire Marine Park
- GeschütztParrotfish (Bonaire marine-park protection)
- GeschütztSharks and rays (Bonaire marine-park protection; Yarari Sanctuary shark/marine-mammal protection across BES waters)
Lobster (Bonaire): minimum 25 cm and no egg-bearing females (Art. 15); open season 1 Nov-30 Apr, east coast only, from land, not while diving. Queen conch take is prohibited inside the Bonaire Marine Park. Because spearfishing itself is banned on Bonaire and SCUBA-spearfishing is banned territory-wide, species size limits are largely moot for spearos; they apply to permitted traditional fishing.
Wer fischen darf
Besucher & Einheimische
Wie sich die Regeln für ausländische Besucher und einheimische Bewohner unterscheiden.
Ausländische Besucher
Nicht erlaubtSonderlizenz erforderlich
Anforderungen
- Pay the applicable island nature fee (Bonaire USD 40/year).
- Bonaire: foreigners may not spearfish at all (total ban); lionfish hunting is generally limited and in practice arranged through authorized dive operators.
- Sint Eustatius: foreigners may free-dive spearfish in general-use park areas (no SCUBA/Hookah, not in reserves) - subject to the same ordinance restrictions as residents.
Einschränkungen
- Bonaire: spearfishing wholly prohibited for everyone, residents and visitors alike (since 1971).
- Saba: spearfishing is reserved for residents of Saba; non-residents / non-Sabaans are prohibited from spearfishing (Art. 3(2)).
- All islands: no SCUBA-assisted spearfishing; no fishing inside designated reserves.
allowed=false because the most permissive island (St. Eustatius) only allows visitors to free-dive spearfish outside reserves, while Bonaire bans it outright and Saba reserves it for residents. A foreign spearo cannot lawfully spearfish on Bonaire or Saba at all.
Einheimische
Island nature fee plus, on Bonaire, a STINAPA ELF tool/permission for lionfish only. On Saba, residency itself is the qualifier for the resident-only spearfishing allowance.
Anforderungen
- Bonaire residents: spearfishing still banned; only lionfish hunting with the STINAPA ELF tool and permission is allowed.
- Saba residents (Sabaans): may spearfish, but not with SCUBA/Hookah and not with poison/chemicals/explosives.
- Sint Eustatius residents: may free-dive spearfish in general-use park areas (no SCUBA/Hookah, not in reserves).
Vergünstigungen
- Bonaire: residents of the ABC islands and other Caribbean territories are exempt from the nature fee unless scuba diving.
- Saba: only residents are permitted to spearfish at all.
Residency confers a meaningful advantage only on Saba (resident-only spearfishing) and on Bonaire for the lionfish exception. On Bonaire general spearfishing is banned regardless of residency.
Wo an der Küste
Erlaubte & verbotene Zonen
Benannte Gebiete, die für das Speerfischen offen oder gesperrt sind. Das Gesamtbild siehst du auf der interaktiven Karte.
Erlaubte Gebiete
Within the St. Eustatius marine park, spearfishing is permitted ONLY by free-diving (no SCUBA or Hookah) and never with poison/chemicals/explosives. The park surrounds the entire island from the high-water line to the 30 m depth line ('dertig meter dieptelijn', Art. 1 sub a of the ordinance). STENAPA states the actively managed area totals about 27.3 km2. The two managed reserves (north and south), defined in Art. 2 by named landmarks (Gallows Bay, White Wall, Jenkins Bay) and the 30 m depth line, are excluded - no fishing there.
No SCUBA/Hookah for spearfishing (Art. 4); no poison/chemicals/explosives (Art. 5); no fishing at all inside the two reserves; managed by STENAPA.
Verbotene Gebiete
- Bonaire National Marine Parknational marine park
Entire waters around Bonaire and Klein Bonaire from the high-water line to 60 m depth. Spearfishing and possession of mechanical underwater hunting gear / hand spears are totally prohibited (Art. 10). Only lionfish hunting with a STINAPA ELF tool/permit is exempt.
- Queen Maxima Marine Reserve (Bonaire)marine reserve
No-take / no-dive reserve within the Bonaire National Marine Park (Klein Bonaire area). Fishing and diving restricted.
- King Willem-Alexander Marine Reserve (Bonaire)marine reserve
No-take / no-dive reserve within the Bonaire National Marine Park. Fishing and diving restricted.
- Saba National Marine Parknational marine park
Seabed and overlying waters around Saba from the high-water line to the 60 m depth contour. Spearfishing with SCUBA/Hookah is prohibited and spearfishing is reserved for Saba residents (non-Sabaans prohibited). Fishing with poison/chemicals/explosives banned.
- Sint Eustatius Northern Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-fishing, no-anchoring reserve within the St. Eustatius National Marine Park, bounded by Jenkins Bay, the island's northern point and the 30 m depth line. All fishing including spearfishing prohibited.
- Sint Eustatius Southern Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-fishing, no-anchoring reserve within the St. Eustatius National Marine Park, bounded by Gallows Bay, the White Wall and the 30 m depth line. All fishing including spearfishing prohibited.
Bedingungen auf dem Wasser
Live-Bedingungen
Live-Momentaufnahme von Meer und Wetter nahe einem Küstenreferenzpunkt in Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, von Open-Meteo. Die Bedingungen variieren entlang der Küste — als Richtwert betrachten.
Live-Meer & -Wetter nahe Sint Eustatius National Marine Park (general-use areas, free-diving spearfishing only).
Wen man fragt
Behörden
Die offiziellen Stellen, die für Fischerei und Lizenzierung zuständig sind.
STINAPA Bonaire (Stichting Nationale Parken Bonaire)
marine park management foundation
stinapabonaire.orgBonaire National Marine Park, Kralendijk, BonaireSt. Eustatius National Parks Foundation (STENAPA)
marine park management foundation
statiapark.org+599-318-2884; outreach@statiapark.orgSaba Conservation Foundation (Saba National Marine Park)
marine park management foundation
sabapark.orgSaba National Marine Park, The Bottom, SabaMinisterie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit (LNV) - Caribisch Nederland
fisheries / nature ministry (national, Netherlands)
lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nlRijksdienst Caribisch Nederland
Woher das stammt
Quellen
Jede Aussage auf dieser Seite lässt sich auf eine dieser Referenzen zurückführen.
- [01]
Eilandsverordening tot beheer van het mariën milieu van het eilandgebied Bonaire (29 nov 1984, no. 2) - official text
Offizielllokaleregelgeving.overheid.nlAbgerufen Jun 15 - [02]
Eilandsverordening instelling onderwaterpark Bonaire - official text
Offiziellrepository.officiele-overheidspublicaties.nlAbgerufen Jun 15 - [03]
Eilandsverordening Marien Milieu Saba (25 juni 1987, A.B. 1987 no. 10) - official text
Offizielllokaleregelgeving.overheid.nlAbgerufen Jun 15 - [04]
Marien Milieu verordening Sint Eustatius (A.B. 1996 no. 3) - official text
Offizielllokaleregelgeving.overheid.nlAbgerufen Jun 15 - [05]
STINAPA Bonaire - Fishing rules and regulations
Offiziellstinapabonaire.orgAbgerufen Jun 15 - [06]
St. Eustatius National Parks (STENAPA) - Our Park
Offiziellstatiapark.orgAbgerufen Jun 15 - [07]
Saba Conservation Foundation - Saba Marine Park nature & management
Offiziellsabapark.orgAbgerufen Jun 15 - [08]
Bonaire.com - Nature Fee Bonaire 2026: USD 40 STINAPA tag explained
Sekundärbonaire.comAbgerufen Jun 15 - [09]
Beyond the Corals - STINAPA Marine Park Rules (spearfishing ban, reserves, nature fee)
Sekundärbeyondthecorals.comAbgerufen Jun 15 - [10]
Lionfish Divers - Lionfish hunting in Bonaire under strict rules (ELF tool, permit)
communitylionfishdivers.comAbgerufen Jun 15
Anmerkungen des Rechercheurs
BES (Caribbean Netherlands) is NOT a single jurisdiction for spearfishing: each of the three islands has its own island ordinance (Eilandsverordening) and its own park-management foundation, so the rules diverge. Key takeaways: (1) BONAIRE - total spearfishing ban since 1971, codified in Art. 10 of the Marine Environment Ordinance; only lionfish may be taken, with a STINAPA ELF tool. (2) SABA - spearfishing allowed only for residents (Sabaans) and only without SCUBA/Hookah. (3) SINT EUSTATIUS - free-diving spearfishing allowed in general-use marine-park areas (no SCUBA/Hookah, no poison/explosives, not in the two reserves). All verbatim law texts were retrieved from the official Dutch local-regulation portal lokaleregelgeving.overheid.nl (and the consolidated overheidspublicaties repository). All Dutch-language articles, including the Saba Art. 1, Art. 3, Art. 4 and Art. 17 provisions and the St. Eustatius park-boundary (Art. 1 sub a) and reserve-boundary (Art. 2) provisions, are now quoted verbatim from the official source CVDR25486 / 44403.html and are untranslated (the earlier English-summary versions of Saba Art. 3 and Art. 4 were replaced with the exact Dutch wording). The St. Eustatius 30 m depth boundary is taken verbatim from Art. 1 sub a ('dertig meter dieptelijn') and the reserve boundaries from Art. 2; the park area figure (about 27.3 km2) is STENAPA's own published figure, not a statutory number. Coordinates for individual reserves are approximate island/bay centroids (descriptive), not surveyed boundary points; ordinance reserve boundaries are defined by named landmarks (Gallows Bay, White Wall, Jenkins Bay) and the 30 m depth line rather than published lat/lng. Overall data_confidence=high: the legal status of each island is well documented from primary official sources, and the previously summarized Saba provisions have been verified verbatim against the official text.
Benachrichtige mich, wenn sich die Regeln von Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba ändern
Wir mailen dir, wenn die Saisonzeiten oder Vorschriften von Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba in unserem Datensatz aktualisiert werden.