Kiribati · Spearfishing zone
Motu Tabu and Motu Upua Closed Areas (Kiritimati lagoon)
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Motu Tabu and Motu Upua Closed Areas (Kiritimati lagoon).
Motu Tabu (Pisonia-forest islet, ~0.04 km2) and Motu Upua (shrub-covered islet on the northern side, ~0.19 km2) are small islets within the Kiritimati lagoon that are designated Closed Areas under Kiritimati's wildlife sanctuary regime; access is restricted to protect nesting seabirds. They sit inside the sport-fishing lagoon and are listed in the Protected Planet database (e.g. Motu Tabu Islet Closed Area, site 4258). No published coordinate table was found for the individual islets, so they are listed without coordinates.
Source
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Kiribati
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
On Kiritimati, pleasure-fishing permits are obtained on arrival at Cassidy International Airport (typically arranged via the lodge). Commercial coastal licences are applied for to the Director, with Ministerial approval and Island Council consultation.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · mfmrd.gov.ki