Cook Islands · Spearfishing zone
Marae Moana 50-nautical-mile marine protected area (around all islands)
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Marae Moana 50-nautical-mile marine protected area (around all islands).
Section 24 of the Marae Moana Act 2017 establishes a marine protected area of 50 nautical miles, measured from each coastline, around all islands of the Cook Islands. Within it all seabed minerals activities and large-scale commercial fishing are prohibited, but other ecologically sustainable uses (including artisanal, subsistence and recreational take outside ra'ui) are permitted. This is a large-scale-commercial restriction, not a ban on recreational spearfishing.
Source
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Cook Islands
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
Aitutaki: from the Cook Islands Tourism Office in Arutanga and the Araura Marine Research Centre near the airport. Rarotonga: no licence required for general fishing.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · cookislandspocketguide.com