Ecuador · Spearfishing zone
Ecuadorian jurisdictional waters (mainland coast)
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Ecuadorian jurisdictional waters (mainland coast).
Sport/recreational spearfishing with a harpoon is permitted in Ecuadorian jurisdictional waters (aguas jurisdiccionales ecuatorianas) subject to prior authorization and registration with the governing authority, and to gear/species/size/area/season/catch limits set under Art. 124. Activity inside the species-reproduction reserve zone (1 nautical mile from the low-water line along the continental coast, Art. 102) and the artisanal fishing zone (8 nautical miles, Art. 104) is subject to additional restrictions and bans on industrial and mass-capture gear (Art. 103).
What applies here
Restrictions
Specific rules and limits that apply within this area.
Prior authorization and registration required; comply with authorized gear, permitted species, minimum sizes, designated areas, open seasons and catch limits; respect protected-species bans (sharks/rays/elasmobranchs).
When it applies
Seasons
Time-of-year periods that affect spearfishing in this zone.
Subject to species-specific closed seasons (vedas) set by Ministerial Agreement.
Source
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Ecuador
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
Apply to the Viceministerio de Acuacultura y Pesca / Ministerio de Agricultura, Ganaderia y Pesca (MAGP) for authorization and registration to practice extractive sport fishing with a harpoon (Art. 124). Sport-fishing vessel permits are requested online via the SIAP system (https://siap.aciis.services/acrm/) with cedula/RUC, naval registration, tonnage certificate, safety inspection and proof of payment. In Galapagos, only registered resident artisanal fishers may obtain a PARMA licence from the DPNG plus a DIGMER diving matricula for underwater fishing.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · gob.ec