Honduras · Spearfishing zone
Cayos Cochinos Marine Natural Monument (Monumento Natural Marino Archipielago Cayos Cochinos)
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Cayos Cochinos Marine Natural Monument (Monumento Natural Marino Archipielago Cayos Cochinos).
Marine protected area on the Caribbean coast of Honduras (two main islands plus 13 cays), declared a marine reserve in 1994, managed by the Honduras Coral Reef Fund (HCRF). All commercial fishing, netting and trapping is prohibited inside the marine park; even local Garifuna residents may fish only with hand lines and are explicitly prohibited from netting and spearfishing. Spearfishing is therefore banned for all parties throughout the protected area. The 2009 expansion increased the protected area (buffer zone) to ~1,220 km2.
On the coast
Location
Approximate reference point for this zone. See the full picture on the interactive map.
15.9719°N, 86.4754°W
View on the mapSource
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Honduras
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
Sport/tourist fishing: licence/permit from DIGEPESCA (and Marina Mercante inspection for foreign vessels). Lionfish license: attend a workshop at the Roatan Marine Park Eco Store (West End) covering spear usage, hunting regulations and an in-water skills assessment.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · roatandivers.com