Dominican Republic · Spearfishing zone
Santuario Marino Arrecifes del Suroeste
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Santuario Marino Arrecifes del Suroeste.
Marine sanctuary created by Art. 28 of Decreto 571-09 (2009) on the southwest continental shelf, from the wetlands at the mouth of the Rio Yaque del Sur (Laguna La Sierra, Bahia de Neiba) wrapping around the seaward boundary of Parque Nacional Jaragua to the -2000 m isobath (~2,710 km2 per the decree as printed; WDPA polygon 2,688 km2) — habitat of manatees, dolphins and reef species. Counterpart of the Arrecifes del Sureste sanctuary (SAMAR) already in this record. As a protected marine area, any fishing inside requires a Ministry of Environment permit (Art. 43, Law 307-04); spearfishing restricted/prohibited. Like SAMAR it is a managed sanctuary with zoning, not a statutory blanket no-take.
On the coast
Location
Approximate reference point for this zone. See the full picture on the interactive map.
17.5548°N, 71.3872°W
View on the mapSource
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Dominican Republic
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
Apply to CODOPESCA (Consejo Dominicano de Pesca y Acuicultura). Each licence states the fishing activity, permitted gear types and area of operation. Licences are non-transferable. In practice, charter/dive operators can arrange a recreational licence on a visitor's behalf.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · codopesca.gob.do
