Moldova
Europe · Eastern Europe
Moldova is landlocked; all spearfishing is freshwater (rivers, lakes, reservoirs). Underwater hunting ('vânătoarea subacvatică') is explicitly prohibited under the national sport/amateur/recreational fishing rules published by the Environment Agency (Agenția de Mediu). The primary law, Law No. 149/2006 on fish stocks, fishing and aquaculture, restricts amateur fishing to a closed list of permitted gear (rods, casting rods, crayfish traps, landing nets) and, in Art. 38(1)(p), prohibits the use of piercing implements ('unelte înţepătoare'), firearms and pneumatic weapons, which covers harpoons and spearguns. Recreational fishing is only allowed during daylight hours with a personal, non-transferable permit issued by the Environment Agency. Therefore recreational spearfishing is not legal anywhere in Moldova.
Last updated June 15, 2026
Governing framework
- §Legea nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura (Law No. 149/2006 on fish stocks, fishing and aquaculture), Monitorul Oficial Nr. 126-130, art. 597
- §Reguli privind practicarea pescuitului sportiv, amator și de agrement în obiectivele acvatice piscicole naturale (Rules on the practice of sport, amateur and recreational fishing in natural fishery water bodies), Agenția de Mediu
- §Codul Contravențional al Republicii Moldova, art. 114 (penalties for fishing/poaching offences)
- §Codul Penal al Republicii Moldova, art. 234 (illegal fishing / poaching)
- §Legea regnului animal nr. 439-XIII din 27.04.1995 (Law on the animal kingdom)
- License required
- Required
- Speargun
- Prohibited
- Foreigners
- Not allowed
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 of underwater hunting (spearfishing) in recreational fishing
Reguli privind practicarea pescuitului sportiv, amator și de agrement în obiectivele acvatice piscicole naturale
h) vânătoarea subacvatică;
Prohibition of night fishing for recreational/amateur fishers
Reguli privind practicarea pescuitului sportiv, amator și de agrement în obiectivele acvatice piscicole naturale
g) pescuitul sportiv, amator și de agrement în timpul nopții;
Prohibited fishing methods and gear (piercing implements, firearms, pneumatic weapons, electricity, explosives)
Legea nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura
p) pescuitul cu utilizarea substanțelor stupefiante şi toxice, materialelor explozibile, curentului electric, uneltelor înţepătoare, armelor de foc sau pneumatice, pescuitul prin gonire, lovire cu prăjina, cu ostia, cu jupuitorul, pescuitul cu ajutorul aparatelor de iluminat, cu producerea zgomotului;
Permitted recreational fishing gear (closed list - no spearguns/harpoons)
Legea nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura
(4) Pescuitul sportiv, amator şi de agrement se efectuează cu următoarele unelte: a) undiţe de toate formele şi sistemele; b) lansete; c) racile; d) mincioguri.
Recreational fishing allowed only by permit and only in daylight
Legea nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura
(1) Pescuitul sportiv, amator şi de agrement se permite în baza permisului de pescuit sportiv, amator şi de agrement în obiectivele acvatice piscicole naturale, cu excepţia celor din perimetrul ariilor naturale protejate de stat şi zonelor prohibite pentru orice pescuit, şi se efectuează numai în cursul zilei de la răsăritul şi pînă la asfinţitul soarelui, în bază de permis eliberat de Serviciul Piscicol.
Daily catch limit and maximum number of hooks for amateur fishers
Legea nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura
(5) Numărul de cîrlige pentru un pescar amator nu trebuie să fie mai mare de 5 la toate uneltele folosite, iar captura de peşte, mai mare de 5 kg pe zi (cu excepţia cazurilor cînd greutatea unui peşte depăşeşte norma stabilită). Pentru pescuitul racilor, un pescar amator nu poate utiliza mai mult de trei racile, iar captura zilnică nu poate fi mai mare de 30 de raci.
When you can dive
Seasons & time restrictions
Closed, open and restricted periods across the year. Always confirm species-specific closures locally.
- ClosedNistru (Dniester) River sectors, Dubăsari reservoir, Turunciuc branch, Lake CahulApr 1 – Jun 15
Annual fishing prohibition period (prohibiție) - all sport, amateur and recreational fishing prohibited (76 days). Dates set yearly by Environment Agency order.
- ClosedPrut River segments and Costești-Stânca reservoirApr 9 – Jun 7
Annual fishing prohibition period (60 days) for sport, amateur and recreational fishing. Dates set yearly by Environment Agency order.
- ClosedInterior rivers of the Nistru and Prut basins (Răut, Bîc, Botna, Lăpușna, Ciuhur, etc.), Manta marshes and other natural watersApr 1 – Jun 30
Annual fishing prohibition period (91 days) for sport, amateur and recreational fishing. Dates set yearly by Environment Agency order.
Permission to fish
License
What you need to be allowed in the water, what it costs, and how to get it.
Issued by the Environment Agency (Agenția de Mediu) / Piscicol Service; online permits available. Note: this permit is for permitted gear only (rods etc.); spearfishing is prohibited and not licensable.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · am.gov.md
- Type
- Permis de pescuit sportiv, amator şi de agrement (sport/amateur/recreational fishing permit) - personal and non-transferable; available online via e-Pescuit / pescar.md
- Cost
- unknown
- Validity
- Issued for the period for which it is granted; valid only during daylight hours (sunrise to sunset)
- How to obtain
- Issued by the Environment Agency (Agenția de Mediu) / Piscicol Service; online permits available. Note: this permit is for permitted gear only (rods etc.); spearfishing is prohibited and not licensable.
- Authority
- Agenția de Mediu (Environment Agency)
Gear & technique
Equipment rules
What gear is permitted, how it may be used, and the conditions attached.
Restrictions
- Underwater hunting (vânătoarea subacvatică) is explicitly prohibited (Environment Agency fishing rules, lit. h).
- Piercing implements (unelte înţepătoare), firearms and pneumatic weapons are prohibited for fishing (Law 149/2006 Art. 38(1)(p)) - this covers harpoons and spearguns.
- Permitted recreational gear is a closed list: rods (undiţe), casting rods (lansete), crayfish traps (racile), landing nets (mincioguri) (Art. 16(4)).
- Maximum 5 hooks per amateur fisher across all gear (Art. 16(5)).
- Night fishing prohibited; fishing only from sunrise to sunset (Art. 16(1), rules lit. g).
Spearfishing equipment (spearguns/harpoons) is not among the permitted gear and underwater hunting is expressly banned, so spearfishing is illegal regardless of equipment.
What you may take
Catch limits & protected species
Daily quotas, minimum sizes, and species that must never be taken.
Daily limit
5 kg of fish per day per amateur fisher (except when a single fish exceeds the established norm); for crayfish, max 30 per day using no more than 3 crayfish traps; up to 50 small fish per day for bait (Art. 16(5) and 16(7), Law 149/2006).
Protected species — do not take
- ProtectedSpecies listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova (Cartea Roșie) are strictly protected and may not be caught.
Minimum legal sizes for fish that may be caught are set under Art. 15 of Law 149/2006; specific per-species figures were not retrieved verbatim. Size limits therefore left empty rather than guessed.
Who may fish
Visitors & residents
How the rules differ for foreign visitors and local residents.
Foreign visitors
Not allowedRestrictions
- Spearfishing is prohibited for everyone in Moldova; the underwater-hunting ban and the gear restrictions apply to residents and foreigners alike.
- Foreigners may engage in permitted recreational (rod) fishing under the standard permit, but not in spearfishing.
No foreigner-specific spearfishing provisions exist because spearfishing is banned nationwide. 'allowed: false' refers to spearfishing specifically.
Residents
Permis de pescuit sportiv, amator şi de agrement (sport/amateur/recreational fishing permit)
Requirements
- Hold a valid personal, non-transferable fishing permit from the Environment Agency.
- Fish only with permitted gear (rods, casting rods, crayfish traps, landing nets) and only in daylight.
Benefits
- Reduced/zero permit fee may apply for certain categories (e.g. pensioners) per the Environment Agency rules.
Spearfishing is prohibited for residents as well as foreigners. No spearfishing-specific resident regime exists.
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
- State natural protected areas (arii naturale protejate de stat) and zones prohibited for any fishingprotected area / no-fishing zone
Per Art. 16(1) of Law 149/2006, recreational fishing is excluded from state protected natural areas and zones prohibited for any fishing. Spearfishing is in any case prohibited nationwide.
- Spawning grounds and wintering holes (locuri de depunere a icrelor, gropi de iernat) and 100 m around themecological no-fishing zone
Fishing prohibited at spawning sites, wintering holes and within 100 m of their boundaries (Art. 38(1)(n) of Law 149/2006).
Who to ask
Authorities
The official bodies responsible for fisheries and licensing.
Agenția de Mediu (Environment Agency of the Republic of Moldova)
environment / fisheries authority (issues fishing permits and prohibition orders)
am.gov.mdRepublic of Moldova, ChișinăuInspectoratul pentru Protecția Mediului (Environmental Protection Inspectorate)
enforcement / environmental inspection
ipm.gov.mdRepublic of Moldova, ChișinăuMinisterul Mediului (Ministry of Environment)
environment ministry
mediu.gov.mdRepublic of Moldova, Chișinău
Where this comes from
Sources
Every claim on this page traces back to one of these references.
- [01]
Reguli privind practicarea pescuitului sportiv, amator și de agrement în obiectivele acvatice piscicole naturale - Agenția de Mediu (official rules; explicitly prohibits vânătoarea subacvatică)
Officialam.gov.mdAccessed Jun 15 - [02]
LEGE Nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura (full text, FAOLEX/Parlament)
Officialfaolex.fao.orgAccessed Jun 15 - [03]
Prohibiția pescuitului în 2026: restricții pentru protejarea resurselor acvatice - Poliția de Frontieră (2026 seasonal prohibition dates)
Officialborder.gov.mdAccessed Jun 15 - [04]
Pescuitul și interzicerea pescuitului - Agenția de Mediu (legal framework references)
Officialam.gov.mdAccessed Jun 15 - [05]
Перейти / Когда в Молдове введут запрет на рыбалку в 2026 году - nokta.md (secondary; confirms underwater hunting prohibition and seasons)
Secondarynokta.mdAccessed Jun 15 - [06]
Regulamentul de pescuit la Nistru și Prut - pescar.md (community reproduction of prohibition list)
communitypescar.mdAccessed Jun 15
Researcher notes
Moldova is landlocked (no sea coastline); spearfishing can only be relevant in freshwater (Nistru/Dniester, Prut, internal rivers, lakes and reservoirs). Underwater hunting ('vânătoarea subacvatică') is expressly prohibited by the official Environment Agency recreational fishing rules (item h of the 'Se interzice' list). The primary statute, Law 149/2006, reinforces this: amateur fishing gear is a closed list (rods, casting rods, crayfish traps, landing nets - Art. 16(4)) that excludes spearguns/harpoons, and Art. 38(1)(p) bans piercing implements ('unelte înţepătoare') and firearms/pneumatic weapons for fishing. Recreational fishing is permitted only in daylight, under a personal non-transferable permit. Conclusion: recreational spearfishing is illegal in Moldova. Verbatim Romanian law text for the underwater-hunting ban (am.gov.md) and for the prohibited-methods/permitted-gear articles (FAOLEX full text of Law 149/2006) was retrieved from the actual fetched pages. Per-species minimum sizes (Art. 15) were not captured verbatim and were left empty rather than guessed. Confidence is high: the core prohibition is corroborated by the official Environment Agency rules and the primary statute.
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