Spain · Spearfishing zone
Biotopo Protegido del area de Gaztelugatxe (Bermeo-Bakio, Pais Vasco)
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Biotopo Protegido del area de Gaztelugatxe (Bermeo-Bakio, Pais Vasco).
Protected biotope covering the rocks, islands, the Aketxe islet, the Gaztelugatxe tombolo, the coastal cliffs, beaches and the Centella channel plus the marine and submarine area inside the cartographic delimitation of Decreto 229/1998 art. 2.1, whose seaward limit is the 7.3 m (four fathom) bathymetric line as fixed by the correccion de errores in BOPV 134 of 15 July 2009. The decree publishes no area figure of its own; the Basque Government's 2023 biotope-adaptation document puts the site at 157.8 ha, 130.9 ha of it marine. Article 5.1 permits only rod fishing from land, prohibits the extraction of any other marine resource and - decisively for spearfishing - prohibits breath-hold and scuba diving outright, the managing body being able to authorise diving only for observation and underwater photography. Spearfishing is therefore prohibited throughout the biotope. The site was re-typed as a Monumento Natural by the Orden de 20 de marzo de 2023 without modifying the declaring decree, which remains in force.
On the coast
Location
Approximate reference point for this zone. See the full picture on the interactive map.
43.4480°N, 2.7780°W
View on the mapSource
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Spain
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
Apply through the fisheries authority of the relevant coastal Autonomous Community (online or in person). A medical certificate of fitness for underwater/free-diving (issued by a doctor qualified in hyperbaric/underwater medicine), or a valid federation licence covering the medical, plus suitable accident insurance, is generally required. ID (DNI for citizens; NIE/passport for foreigners) and payment of the regional fee are needed.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · mapa.gob.es



