Indonesia
Asia · South-Eastern Asia
Recreational spearfishing is legal in Indonesia and broadly practised at popular destinations such as Bali, Lombok and Java. No national recreational spearfishing licence exists for locals or tourists. Two hard national constraints apply: (1) spearfishing must be done on a single breath (freediving) - using SCUBA or a surface-supplied compressor to fish is prohibited (Law No. 31/2004 as amended by Law No. 45/2009, Art. 9, bans possession/use on a fishing vessel of catching gear/aids that disturb and damage fish-resource sustainability, with the elucidation expressly naming the compressor; penalty under Art. 85); and (2) spearfishing of nationally protected species (manta rays, all sharks in many regions, whale shark, Napoleon/humphead wrasse, sea turtles, dugong, sawfish) is forbidden anywhere. In addition, spearfishing is entirely prohibited for tourists/visitors inside Marine Protected Areas and marine national parks (e.g. Raja Ampat MPAs, Bunaken, Komodo, Nusa Penida, Wakatobi); only local communities may use traditional methods (jubi, senapan molo) in designated Sustainable Fisheries / Aquaculture zones. Rules vary by province and regency, so local zoning must always be checked.
Last updated June 14, 2026
Governing framework
- §Law No. 31 of 2004 on Fisheries (Undang-Undang No. 31 Tahun 2004 tentang Perikanan)
- §Law No. 45 of 2009 amending Law No. 31 of 2004 on Fisheries (Undang-Undang No. 45 Tahun 2009)
- §Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Regulation No. 31/PERMEN-KP/2020 on Management of Conservation Areas (Pengelolaan Kawasan Konservasi)
- §Raja Ampat Regency Regulation (Perda) No. 9 of 2012 on the Prohibition of Catching Sharks, Manta Rays and Certain Fish Species in the Waters of Raja Ampat
- §Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Decree No. 4/KEPMEN-KP/2014 (full protection of manta rays)
- §Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Decree No. 37/KEPMEN-KP/2013 (protection of Napoleon/humphead wrasse)
- §Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Decree No. 63/KEPMEN-KP/2014 (Raja Ampat MPA management & zoning plan)
- §Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Decree No. 36/KEPMEN-KP/2014 (Raja Ampat Islands Marine Protected Area)
- License required
- Not required
- Speargun
- Allowed
- Scuba
- Prohibited
- Foreigners
- Welcome
The law, verbatim
Legal texts
The exact statutory and regulatory provisions that govern spearfishing here, quoted as published, with a link to each official source.
Prohibition on possessing/using catching gear or aids that damage fish-resource sustainability (covers compressors used to fish)
Law No. 45 of 2009 amending Law No. 31 of 2004 on Fisheries
Pasal 9 (1) Setiap orang dilarang memiliki, menguasai, membawa, dan/atau menggunakan alat penangkapan dan/atau alat bantu penangkapan ikan yang mengganggu dan merusak keberlanjutan sumber daya ikan di kapal penangkap ikan di wilayah pengelolaan perikanan Negara Republik Indonesia. (2) Ketentuan mengenai alat penangkapan dan/atau alat bantu penangkapan ikan yang mengganggu dan merusak keberlanjutan sumber daya ikan sebagaimana dimaksud pada ayat (1) diatur dengan Peraturan Menteri.
Elucidation of Article 9: compressor named among damaging fishing gear/aids
Law No. 45 of 2009 amending Law No. 31 of 2004 on Fisheries - Penjelasan (Elucidation)
Pasal 9. Alat penangkapan ikan dan/atau alat bantu penangkapan ikan yang mengganggu dan merusak keberlanjutan sumber daya ikan termasuk diantaranya jaring trawl atau pukat harimau, dan/atau kompressor.
Criminal penalty for using catching gear/aids that damage fish-resource sustainability
Law No. 45 of 2009 amending Law No. 31 of 2004 on Fisheries
Pasal 85. Setiap orang yang dengan sengaja memiliki, menguasai, membawa, dan/atau menggunakan alat penangkap ikan dan/atau alat bantu penangkapan ikan yang mengganggu dan merusak keberlanjutan sumber daya ikan di kapal penangkap ikan di wilayah pengelolaan perikanan Negara Republik Indonesia sebagaimana dimaksud dalam Pasal 9 dipidana dengan pidana penjara paling lama 5 (lima) tahun dan denda paling banyak Rp2.000.000.000,00 (dua miliar rupiah).
Prohibition on catching, hunting, injuring, killing, keeping or trading protected fish and marine animals (Raja Ampat)
Raja Ampat Regency Regulation (Perda) No. 9 of 2012 on the Prohibition of Catching Sharks, Manta Rays and Certain Fish Species in the Waters of Raja Ampat
Pasal 14. Setiap orang dan/atau Badan Hukum dilarang melakukan kegiatan penangkapan, perburuan, melukai, membunuh, menyimpan, memiliki, memelihara, mengangkut, dan memperniagakan jenis-jenis ikan dan hewan laut yang dilindungi dalam keadaan hidup atau mati, sebagaimana dimaksud dalam Pasal 6, Pasal 7, Pasal 8, Pasal 9, dan Pasal 11. [Protected species are defined in: Pasal 6 - all sharks (hiu) in Class Chondrichthyes; Pasal 7 - manta rays (pari manta) and listed ray families; Pasal 8 - dugong (duyung), whales (paus) and sea turtles (penyu); Pasal 9 - listed ornamental fish.]
Prohibition on using harmful substances (poison, explosives) to catch/hunt marine biota (Raja Ampat)
Raja Ampat Regency Regulation (Perda) No. 9 of 2012
Pasal 16. Setiap orang dan/atau Badan Hukum dilarang melakukan kegiatan penangkapan dan perburuan terhadap berbagai jenis biota laut dengan menggunakan bahan yang dapat merusak biologi/ekosistem laut dan juga berdampak terhadap kesehatan manusia meliputi: a. bahan racun; b. bahan peledak.
Transitional clause referencing the earlier ban on compressor fishing and on fishing in marine-tourism and conservation areas (Raja Ampat)
Raja Ampat Regency Regulation (Perda) No. 9 of 2012
Pasal 24 (2). Dengan ditetapkannya Peraturan Daerah ini, maka Surat Edaran Bupati Raja Ampat Nomor 430/407/2010 tanggal 13 Oktober tahun 2010 tentang larangan penangkapan Ikan dengan menggunakan bahan peledak, bahan-bahan racun, kompresor, jaring muroami, bubu dan jaring lingkar (purse seine), serta dilarang menangkap biota lainnya yang dilindungi antara lain Ikan Hiu, Ikan Pari, Ikan Hias, Ikan Duyung dan Penyu, termasuk pula dilarang melakukan kegiatan penangkapan ikan pada daerah wisata bahari dan daerah konservasi yang telah ditetapkan. Dicabut dan dinyatakan tidak berlaku.
Marine Park rule prohibiting spearfishing by tourists/visitors (Raja Ampat MPA general use rules)
Raja Ampat Marine Protected Areas - General Use Rules & Regulations (implementing KEPMEN-KP No. 63/2014 and No. 36/2014, and Governor of West Papua Decree No. 523/124/7/2019 zoning plan)
It is prohibited for any tourists or visitors to be spearfishing for any purpose. (Local community members may use traditional spearfishing methods such as jubi and senapan molo, in Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Zones.)
When you can dive
Seasons & time restrictions
Closed, open and restricted periods across the year. Always confirm species-specific closures locally.
- ClosedManta rays (Manta birostris, Manta alfredi) - year-round nationwide protectionJan 1 – Dec 31
Full year-round protection; capture or possession prohibited anywhere in Indonesian waters under Decree No. 4/KEPMEN-KP/2014.
- ClosedAll sharks within Raja Ampat Regency waters - year-round (shark sanctuary)Jan 1 – Dec 31
Raja Ampat is a year-round shark and manta sanctuary under Perda No. 9 of 2012 (declared 20 Feb 2013); taking any shark or ray is prohibited at all times.
Permission to fish
License
What you need to be allowed in the water, what it costs, and how to get it.
- Type
- No recreational spearfishing licence exists at national level for locals or tourists
- Cost
- unknown
- Validity
- unknown
- How to obtain
- Not applicable - no recreational spearfishing licence is issued. Access to Marine Protected Areas instead requires a Marine Park Entry Card / environmental services fee (e.g. Raja Ampat), and small-island/conservation-area use may require permits under Permen-KP No. 31/2020.
- Authority
- Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan)
Gear & technique
Equipment rules
What gear is permitted, how it may be used, and the conditions attached.
Restrictions
- Spearfishing must be done on a single breath (freediving); SCUBA tanks and surface-supplied compressors may not be used to fish
- Compressor (kompresor) is expressly named in the elucidation of Art. 9 of Law No. 45/2009 as damaging fishing gear/aid - prohibited on fishing vessels nationwide (penalty: up to 5 years and Rp 2 billion under Art. 85)
- Explosives and poisons are strictly prohibited (national fisheries law and local regulations such as Raja Ampat Perda No. 9/2012 Art. 16)
The prohibition on SCUBA/compressor spearfishing is consistently reported by dive federations and charters and is grounded in the national ban on damaging fishing gear/aids; enforcement varies by region but violations occur.
What you may take
Catch limits & protected species
Daily quotas, minimum sizes, and species that must never be taken.
Daily limit
unknown
Protected species — do not take
- ProtectedAll manta rays (Manta birostris, Manta alfredi) - full national protection (KEPMEN-KP No. 4/2014)
- ProtectedWhale shark (Rhincodon typus) - fully protected nationally
- ProtectedNapoleon / humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) - protected (KEPMEN-KP No. 37/2013)
- ProtectedAll sea turtles (penyu)
- ProtectedDugong (duyung)
- ProtectedSawfish (Pristidae)
- ProtectedWhales / cetaceans (paus / mamalia laut)
- ProtectedAll sharks within Raja Ampat Regency waters (Perda No. 9/2012); various shark species protected/CITES-listed elsewhere
No general national bag or size limit for recreational spearfishing is published; the binding limits are the lists of fully protected species and the prohibition of extractive fishing inside MPAs/national parks. Regency-level regulations (e.g. Raja Ampat) add local protected-species lists.
Who may fish
Visitors & residents
How the rules differ for foreign visitors and local residents.
Foreign visitors
AllowedRequirements
- Freediving only - no SCUBA/compressor
- Do not take protected species
- Stay outside Marine Protected Areas and national parks; pay Marine Park entry fees where required
- Follow provincial/regency rules and any charter-operator guidance
Restrictions
- Spearfishing entirely prohibited for tourists/visitors inside MPAs and marine national parks (e.g. Raja Ampat, Bunaken, Komodo, Wakatobi, Nusa Penida)
Tourists routinely spearfish via charters in Bali, Lombok and Java; no foreigner-specific spearfishing permit is required, but all national protected-species and protected-area rules apply equally to foreigners.
Residents
No recreational spearfishing licence; traditional/customary fishing rights recognised for local communities
Requirements
- Within Raja Ampat MPAs, only local community members may spearfish, using traditional methods (jubi, senapan molo), and only in Sustainable Fisheries / Aquaculture Zones
Benefits
- Traditional fishing access in designated sustainable-use zones not available to tourists
National protected-species bans apply to residents as well; subsistence/traditional rights do not extend to protected species (sharks, manta, turtles, dugong) in sanctuary areas.
Where on the coast
Allowed & prohibited zones
Named areas that are open to or closed for spearfishing. See the full picture on the interactive map.
Allowed areas
Recreational freediving spearfishing is widely practised and legal; numerous charter operators run trips. SCUBA spearfishing is not permitted, and protected species must not be taken.
Freediving only (no SCUBA/compressor); no protected species; stay outside protected/national-park zones.
Generally allowed for freediving spearfishing subject to local rules and protected-area boundaries.
Freediving only; respect protected zones and species.
Generally allowed for freediving spearfishing subject to local rules and protected-area boundaries.
Freediving only; respect protected zones and species.
Prohibited areas
- Raja Ampat Marine Protected Areas (Dampier Strait, Misool, North Misool, Kofiau-Boo, Mayalibit Bay, Ayau-Asia, Fam, Sayang-Wayag)marine protected area / conservation area
All spearfishing by tourists/visitors is prohibited for any purpose. Entire regency is also a shark and manta sanctuary (Perda No. 9/2012). Only local communities may use traditional methods in Sustainable Fisheries/Aquaculture zones.
- Bunaken National Marine Park (North Sulawesi)national marine park
Protected national marine park; spearfishing strictly prohibited.
- Indonesian Marine Protected Areas / national parks generally (e.g. Komodo, Wakatobi, Nusa Penida, Bunaken, Raja Ampat)marine protected area / national park (no-take & tourism zones)
Within Marine Protected Areas and marine national parks designated under Permen-KP No. 31/2020 and KEPMEN-KP zoning decrees, extractive activities including spearfishing are prohibited in core/no-take and tourism zones.
Conditions on the water
Live conditions
Live marine and weather snapshot near a coastal reference point in Indonesia, from Open-Meteo. Conditions vary along the coast — treat as indicative.
Live marine & weather near Bali coastal waters (outside MPAs and national parks).
Who to ask
Authorities
The official bodies responsible for fisheries and licensing.
Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (Kementerian Kelautan dan Perikanan, KKP)
fisheries authority
Directorate General of Marine Spatial Management - Conservation Areas (Direktorat Jenderal Pengelolaan Ruang Laut / Seapark)
marine conservation authority
Raja Ampat Marine Park Authority (BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat)
marine protected area authority
Where this comes from
Sources
Every claim on this page traces back to one of these references.
- [01]
Law No. 45 of 2009 amending Law No. 31 of 2004 on Fisheries (official PDF, KKP SKP-PDSPKP)
Officialskp-pdspkp.kkp.go.idAccessed Jun 14 - [02]
Raja Ampat Regency Regulation (Perda) No. 9 of 2012 on the Prohibition of Catching Sharks and Manta Rays (official text, Bird's Head Seascape legislation archive)
Officialbirdsheadseascape.comAccessed Jun 14 - [03]
Raja Ampat Marine Park - Rules & Regulations: General Use (official MPA authority)
Officialkkprajaampat.comAccessed Jun 14 - [04]
The SEA People - Marine Protected Areas: Rules and Legal Framework (lists governing decrees and Perda)
Secondarytheseapeople.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [05]
The SEA People - Marine Protected Areas in Raja Ampat (MPA names and areas)
Secondarytheseapeople.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [06]
Permen-KP No. 31/PERMEN-KP/2020 on Management of Conservation Areas (official PDF, Seapark KKP)
Officialseapark.kkp.go.idAccessed Jun 14 - [07]
ReShark - How a species gains national protection in Indonesia (manta KEPMEN-KP 4/2014, Napoleon wrasse 37/2013)
Secondaryreshark.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [08]
Mongabay Indonesia - Raja Ampat establishes 46,000 km2 shark & manta protection area (Perda 9/2012, declared 20 Feb 2013)
Secondarymongabay.co.idAccessed Jun 14 - [09]
SWI Fishing Charters - Spearfishing in Bali guide (freediving only, no licence, Bunaken prohibited)
communityswi-fishing.safariwisata.co.idAccessed Jun 14 - [10]
harpune.info - Spearfishing rules worldwide: Indonesia (no licence required, no scuba, protected areas)
communityharpune.infoAccessed Jun 14
Researcher notes
Confidence is medium: the binding national legal texts (Law 45/2009 Arts. 9 & 85 and their elucidation) and the Raja Ampat Perda No. 9/2012 (Arts. 14, 16, 24) were retrieved verbatim from official/archival PDFs and extracted locally; the Perda text comes from an OCR'd scan so minor transcription artifacts were normalised (e.g. 'perse seine' read as 'purse seine'). Key uncertainties: (1) Indonesia has no single statute that names 'spearfishing' (penembakan ikan / panah ikan) explicitly - the freediving-only rule is the practical consequence of the national prohibition on compressor/scuba-assisted fishing (Art. 9 elucidation) plus protected-species and MPA rules, as consistently reported by dive federations and charters rather than by a dedicated spearfishing clause. (2) Province/regency rules vary; only Raja Ampat's local regulation was obtained verbatim. (3) No national recreational bag/size limits were found. The kkprajaampat.com and several charter pages were unreachable directly from this environment (network timeouts); their content was captured via web search snippets and the reachable mirror/legal-framework pages. Coordinates for zones are approximate centroids for mapping, not legal boundaries.
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