Liberia
Africa · Western Africa
Liberia has no statute that names 'spearfishing' directly, but it is governed under recreational fishing. Recreational fishing (fishing for sport or pleasure, not for commercial gain, from land or vessel) is lawful only when carried out 'using authorized gear as prescribed in regulations' and requires a valid licence/authorization from the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) under the Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019. The Act expressly empowers NaFAA, by regulation, to regulate or PROHIBIT 'the use of any diving apparatus, spear guns or other similar devices for fishing or related activities' (Section 17 rule-making power). Therefore the legality of spearguns/diving gear is conditional on NaFAA regulations and licensing rather than being an unqualified right. Explosives, firearms, electrical devices and poisons are flatly banned as fishing methods. The 6/4-nautical-mile Inshore Exclusion Zone is reserved for subsistence, artisanal and semi-industrial fishing only. Recreational fishing vessels (river/ocean) must be registered and licensed by NaFAA. Because spearfishing-specific gear authorization rules were not located in retrievable text, the status is classified as restricted.
Last updated June 14, 2026
Governing framework
- §Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019 (Act amending the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority Law; enacted 26 Nov 2019)
- §Regulation No. NaFAA/001/2020 concerning Fisheries and Aquaculture (implementing regulations)
- §Title 24 of the Liberian Code of Laws (Laws on Marine Fisheries)
- License required
- Required
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.
Definition of recreational fishing
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019
"recreational fishing" means fishing for sport or pleasure and not for commercial gain, either from land or vessel and using authorized gear as prescribed in regulations; "Recreational fishing vessel" means any vessel designed and used for recreational fishing;
Power to regulate or prohibit diving apparatus and spear guns
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019
[The Authority/Minister may make regulations] ... n. regulating or prohibiting the use of any diving apparatus, spear guns or other similar devices for fishing or related activities;
Use of harmful fishing techniques and gear prohibited
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019
No person shall: a. use, permit to be used or attempt to use fishing gear that has not been authorized by a valid and applicable license issued pursuant to this Act for the purpose of fishing; or b. use, permit to be used [or] attempt to use the method of pair trawling for the purpose of fishing; c. use, permit to be used or attempt to use explosive, bomb, firearms, lights or other electrical devices or poison or other noxious substance for the purpose of fishing, including stunning, disabling, stupefying, destroying, catching or killing fish, or in any way rendering fish to be caught more easily; or d. carry on board a vessel, transport or have in his/her possession or control any fishing gear, explosive, bomb, firearm, lights or other electrical devices, poison or other noxious substance for any purpose referred to in subparagraphs (a), (b) and (c).
Inshore Exclusion Zone reserved for subsistence, artisanal and semi-industrial fishing
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019
1) The Inshore Exclusion Zone shall be reserved solely for the use of subsistence, artisanal and semi-industrial fishing activities. A number of shrimp, cephalopods and other coastal species trawlers in line with best scientific evidence may be licensed to operate beyond 4 nautical mile (NM) using approved fishing gears/nets. 2) No person shall in the Inshore Exclusion Zone: a. engage in fishing or related activities other than for subsistence, artisanal or semi-industrial fishing; b. use unapproved beach seine gear; c. carry out fishing or related activities in connection with an industrial fishing vessel, including by using canoe support vessels or by any other means; or d. carry out fishing or related activities otherwise than in accordance with this Act.
Licence required for recreational fishing
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019
A valid and applicable license and authorization issued under the authority of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority shall be required for: ... e. diving for commercial fishing purposes; f. recreational fishing; ...
Conditions for artisanal and recreational fishing vessels
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019
1) Every artisanal and recreational fishing vessel shall be marked with a registration number in such form as may be prescribed or required in writing by the Director General. 2) On receipt of an application for registration of an artisanal or recreational fishing vessel made under this Act, the Director General, shall as soon as practicable, cause the vessel to which the application refers to be inspected and if, upon such inspection, the vessel is found to be fit for fishing and meets the prescribed safety standards by LiMA, the Director General shall assign identification markings to the vessel and on payment by the applicant of the prescribed registration fee, issue to the owner of the vessel a certificate of registration. 3) The Director General may: a. determine from time to time the total number [of] artisanal and recreational fishing vessels to be licensed and may refuse to license additional artisanal or recreational fishing vessels once this number has been met; and b. specify conditions of licensing for artisanal and recreational fishing vessel relating to the area in which it is permitted to fish and the use of its fishing gear.
Prohibitions of protected or endangered fish species
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019
1) The Board of Directors may, by publication in accordance with Section 18.2, declare as protected or endangered any fish which are designated as endangered by international agreement or on recommendation by the Director General or the Fishery Advisory Council. ... 3) No person shall take, land, display for sale, sell, deal in, transport, receive, buy or possess any fish or fish product declared as endangered in accordance with this section.
When you can dive
Seasons & time restrictions
Closed, open and restricted periods across the year. Always confirm species-specific closures locally.
No seasonal closures recorded — verify locally before diving.
Permission to fish
License
What you need to be allowed in the water, what it costs, and how to get it.
Apply to NaFAA. Recreational boat owners are required to visit the NaFAA head office (near LPRC, Freeport of Monrovia) to register and regularize their status; no recreational boat is allowed on the waters without a valid licence.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · nafaa.gov.lr
- Type
- Recreational fishing license / authorization issued by NaFAA; recreational fishing vessel registration (River Fishing Boat or Ocean Fishing Boat). Spearfishing falls under recreational fishing.
- Cost
- Recreational vessel licence fees reported by NaFAA: River Fishing Boat USD 250.00; Ocean Fishing Boat USD 350.00 (verify current schedule with NaFAA).
- Validity
- unknown
- How to obtain
- Apply to NaFAA. Recreational boat owners are required to visit the NaFAA head office (near LPRC, Freeport of Monrovia) to register and regularize their status; no recreational boat is allowed on the waters without a valid licence.
- Authority
- National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA)
Gear & technique
Equipment rules
What gear is permitted, how it may be used, and the conditions attached.
Restrictions
- Section 17(n) of the 2019 Law empowers NaFAA to regulate or PROHIBIT the use of any diving apparatus, spear guns or other similar devices for fishing or related activities; legality is therefore conditional on NaFAA regulations.
- Recreational fishing may only use 'authorized gear as prescribed in regulations' (definition of recreational fishing).
- Section 4.6: explosives, bombs, firearms, lights/electrical devices, poison or other noxious substances are prohibited for fishing, and pair trawling and unauthorized gear are prohibited; monofilament nets and sub-minimum mesh nets are banned.
No retrievable text was found expressly authorizing or banning recreational spearguns in everyday practice; the statute makes their use subject to NaFAA regulation/prohibition. Spearfishing with breath-hold and a hand sling/speargun is not explicitly prohibited by primary law but requires authorized gear and a recreational licence. Confirm the current gear authorization with NaFAA before spearfishing.
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
- ProtectedAny species declared protected/endangered by NaFAA Board under Section 4.14 (incl. species protected by international agreement)
- ProtectedSharks - commercial shark fishing requires a licence and shark finning is prohibited (Section 4.7); fishing for internationally-protected shark species is restricted
- ProtectedSea turtles and marine mammals (protected under international agreements to which Liberia is party)
The Act does not publish numeric recreational catch or size limits in the retrievable text; conservation/management measures and protected-species lists are set by NaFAA via Fisheries Management Plans and Board declarations (Sections 4.5, 4.14).
Who may fish
Visitors & residents
How the rules differ for foreign visitors and local residents.
Foreign visitors
Special license required
Requirements
- A valid NaFAA recreational fishing licence/authorization (Section 10.1) and registered recreational fishing vessel (Section 10.22) are required regardless of nationality.
- Artisanal fishing is reserved for Liberian citizens; foreigners cannot substitute spearfishing for artisanal fishing activity.
Restrictions
- Foreign-flagged fishing vessels require fisheries access agreements and may not operate in the Inshore Exclusion Zone.
The 2019 Law does not set out a distinct recreational-fishing regime for tourists/foreigners; the general recreational licensing rules apply. Specific foreigner spearfishing permissions were not found in retrievable sources.
Residents
Recreational fishing licence + recreational fishing vessel registration via NaFAA
Requirements
- Register and licence any recreational fishing vessel with NaFAA (Section 10.22).
- Use only authorized gear as prescribed in regulations.
Benefits
- Liberian citizens have exclusive access to artisanal fishing and the coastal Inshore Exclusion Zone (Section 4.3).
Subsistence fishing by residents is recognized in the Inshore Exclusion Zone; recreational/spearfishing-type activity still falls under the recreational licensing regime.
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.
Prohibited areas
- Inshore Exclusion Zone (coastal waters within ~6 NM of baseline)fisheries exclusion zone
Coastal exclusion zone reserved solely for subsistence, artisanal and semi-industrial fishing. Recreational and industrial fishing activities are not permitted in this zone (Section 4.3). Trawlers for shrimp/cephalopods may be licensed only beyond 4 NM. This effectively restricts where recreational/spearfishing-type activity may legally occur close to shore.
- Lake Piso Multiple Sustainable Use Reservemarine protected area / Ramsar reserve
Brackish coastal lagoon connected to the Atlantic Ocean near Robertsport, Grand Cape Mount County. Designated Marine and Coastal Protected Area (WDPA 555542457, area ~339 km2) and a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance (Ramsar #1306, designated 2 July 2003). Classified as 'moderately restrictive' with species- and gear-specific fishing restrictions; managed for sustainable community use, so unrestricted spearfishing is not permitted.
Conditions on the water
Live conditions
Live marine and weather snapshot near a coastal reference point in Liberia, from Open-Meteo. Conditions vary along the coast — treat as indicative.
Live marine & weather near Lake Piso Multiple Sustainable Use Reserve.
Who to ask
Authorities
The official bodies responsible for fisheries and licensing.
National Fisheries and Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA)
fisheries authority
nafaa.gov.lrHead office near LPRC, Freeport of Monrovia, LiberiaLiberia Maritime Authority (LiMA)
maritime authority
liscr.comVessel safety standards / registration referenced in Section 10.22Forestry Development Authority (FDA)
environment / protected areas authority
fda.gov.lrManages protected areas including the Lake Piso Multiple Sustainable Use Reserve
Where this comes from
Sources
Every claim on this page traces back to one of these references.
- [01]
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019 - full text (FAOLEX, FAO)
Officialfaolex.fao.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [02]
Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019 - record (UNEP LEAP)
Officialleap.unep.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [03]
National Fisheries & Aquaculture Authority (NaFAA) - official site
Officialnafaa.gov.lrAccessed Jun 14 - [04]
NaFAA Compliance and Enforcement Announcement 2022-2023 (recreational boat licensing requirement)
Officialnafaa.gov.lrAccessed Jun 14 - [05]
Lake Piso Multiple Sustainable Use Reserve - World Database on Protected Areas
Officialprotectedplanet.netAccessed Jun 14 - [06]
Lake Piso - coordinates and Ramsar status (Wikipedia)
Secondaryen.wikipedia.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [07]
Liberia National Fisheries & Aquaculture Law 2019 (Outlaw Ocean toolkit)
Secondarytheoutlawocean.comAccessed Jun 14
Researcher notes
Spearfishing is not named in Liberian primary legislation; it is treated as a form of recreational fishing under the Fisheries and Aquaculture Management and Development Law of 2019 (the consolidating national fisheries statute). Key takeaways: (1) recreational fishing requires a NaFAA licence and authorized gear (Section 10.1(1)(f); definition of recreational fishing); (2) Section 17(n) expressly lets NaFAA regulate OR prohibit diving apparatus and spear guns - so spearfishing legality is conditional on subsidiary regulations not fully retrievable; (3) close-to-shore waters within the Inshore Exclusion Zone (out to ~6 NM, trawlers beyond 4 NM) are reserved for subsistence/artisanal/semi-industrial fishing only; (4) explosives, firearms, electrical devices and poisons are banned fishing methods; (5) protected/endangered species (incl. sharks, and species under international agreements) may not be taken. Numeric recreational catch/size limits, closed seasons, and explicit speargun authorization were NOT found in retrievable official text, hence seasons[] and allowed zones[] are empty and confidence is medium. Recommend contacting NaFAA directly to confirm whether a recreational spearfishing permit is issued and which areas/gear are authorized. Implementing Regulation No. NaFAA/001/2020 likely contains gear-specific detail but its full text was not retrievable during research.
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