SpearfishingMap

Malta

Europe · Southern Europe

Recreational spearfishing is legal in Malta and does not require a dedicated licence, but it is tightly regulated by directly-applicable EU law. Under Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 (and previously Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006) spear guns may only be used in recreational fishing WITHOUT an aqualung (underwater breathing apparatus / scuba) and only by day, from dawn until dusk; night spearfishing and spearfishing on scuba are prohibited. Spearfishing is also banned inside marine conservation areas, voluntary marine reserves around wrecks (e.g. Cirkewwa), designated swimmers'/bathing zones and protected archaeological zones at sea. EU minimum conservation reference sizes (Annex IX) apply to catch, recreational catch may not be sold, and bluefin tuna is effectively catch-and-release for recreational fishers. The national framework is the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Cap. 425.

Restricted
Data confidenceMedium confidence

Last updated June 15, 2026

Governing framework

  • §Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Chapter 425 of the Laws of Malta (Act II of 2001, as amended)
  • §Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of 20 June 2019 on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures
  • §Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006 of 21 December 2006 concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea
  • §Fishing Vessels Regulations, Subsidiary Legislation 425.07
  • §Notice to Mariners No. 5 of 2008 (Conservation Areas Around Wrecks)
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.

01Article 7(1)(g)Malta (EU directly-applicable regulation) · national

Prohibited fishing gears and methods - projectiles and spear guns

Regulation (EU) 2019/1241

ENOriginal

any type of projectile, with the exception of those used to kill caged or trapped tuna and of hand-held spears and spear guns used in recreational fishing without an aqualung, from dawn until dusk.

02Article 8(4)Malta (EU directly-applicable regulation, replaced by Reg. (EU) 2019/1241) · national

Restriction on spear-guns with breathing apparatus and at night

Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006

ENOriginal

Spear-guns shall be prohibited if used in conjunction with underwater breathing apparatus (aqualung) or at night from sunset to dawn.

03Long title and Article 1Malta · national

Fisheries Conservation and Management Act - short title and scope

Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Chapter 425 (Act II of 2001)

ENOriginal

To make provision for the regulation, conservation and management of the fisheries of Malta and matters incidental thereto. ... 1. The short title of this Act is Fisheries Conservation and Management Act.

04Article 2 (Interpretation)Malta · national

Definition of commercial fishing (excludes recreational fishing)

Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Chapter 425 (Act II of 2001)

ENOriginal

"commercial fishing" means all fishing operations with the exception of subsistence fishing and recreational fishing;

When you can dive

Seasons & time restrictions

Closed, open and restricted periods across the year. Always confirm species-specific closures locally.

  • RestrictedAll spearfishing (time-of-day restriction)sunset – dawn

    Spearfishing with spear guns is prohibited at night, from sunset/dusk until dawn; spear guns may only be used in daylight (dawn until dusk). Basis: Reg. (EU) 2019/1241 Art. 7(1)(g); Council Reg. (EC) 1967/2006 Art. 8(4).

    legislation.gov.uk
  • RestrictedDesignated bathing / swimmers' zones (seasonal, typically summer)unknown – unknown

    Fishing, including spearfishing, is not allowed in designated swimming zones; these are set seasonally (mainly summer) and change year to year, so local notices must be checked.

    spearfishing.mt

Permission to fish

License

What you need to be allowed in the water, what it costs, and how to get it.

No license requiredvia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA), Malta
No license required
Type
No dedicated spearfishing licence; recreational shore/underwater fishing requires no permit
Cost
None for recreational spearfishing
Validity
n/a
How to obtain
No licence is required to spearfish recreationally in Malta. A special recreational permit from the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture is only needed for specific activities such as private bluefin tuna fishing or for fishing implements not otherwise permitted.
Authority
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA), Malta
Official licensing portal · dfa.gov.mt

Gear & technique

Equipment rules

What gear is permitted, how it may be used, and the conditions attached.

SpeargunAllowed
ScubaProhibited

Restrictions

  • Spear guns may NOT be used in conjunction with underwater breathing apparatus (aqualung/scuba); free-diving / breath-hold only
  • Spear guns may only be used by day, from dawn until dusk; night spearfishing is prohibited
  • Spear gun defined in EU law as a pneumatic or mechanically powered hand-held gun that shoots a spear for the purpose of underwater fishing

Restrictions derive from directly-applicable EU law (Reg. (EU) 2019/1241 Art. 7(1)(g), formerly Council Reg. (EC) 1967/2006 Art. 8(4)). No specific national cap on number of spears was identified.

What you may take

Catch limits & protected species

Daily quotas, minimum sizes, and species that must never be taken.

Daily limit

No specific recreational daily bag limit identified for general species; recreational catch may NOT be sold. Bluefin tuna effectively catch-and-release (retain only if over 115 cm / 30 kg and may not be marketed).

Minimum sizes

  • European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)min 25 cm
  • Groupers (Epinephelus spp.)min 45 cm
  • White sea-bream (Diplodus sargus)min 23 cm
  • Gilt-head sea-bream (Sparus aurata)min 20 cm
  • Common sea bream / red porgy (Pagrus pagrus)min 18 cm
  • Red mullets (Mullus spp.)min 11 cm
  • Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)min 115 cm

Protected species — do not take

  • ProtectedAtlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) - recreational catch effectively catch-and-release, may not be marketed
  • ProtectedDusky grouper / groupers (Epinephelus spp.) - minimum size and conservation concern
  • ProtectedDentex and amberjack - minimum legal sizes apply

Minimum sizes are the EU Mediterranean minimum conservation reference sizes set in Annex IX of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241. Bluefin tuna minimum landing reference is 115 cm or 30 kg. Recreational anglers may not sell any part of their catch.

Who may fish

Visitors & residents

How the rules differ for foreign visitors and local residents.

Foreign visitors

Allowed

Restrictions

  • Same rules as residents: no scuba, daylight only, respect protected/swimmer/conservation zones, EU minimum sizes, no sale of catch

No spearfishing licence is required in Malta for residents or tourists, so foreigners may spearfish recreationally under the same EU and national rules. No nationality-specific restriction was identified.

Residents

No recreational spearfishing licence required

Recreational spearfishing requires no permit for residents. Owning/operating a fishing vessel is separately regulated under the Fishing Vessels Regulations (S.L. 425.07).

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

  • Maltese coastal waters (general, outside protected/swimmer/conservation zones)

    Recreational shore and boat spearfishing is generally permitted in Maltese coastal waters by daylight without scuba, subject to EU minimum sizes and no-sale rules, provided the area is not a marine conservation area, voluntary marine reserve, archaeological zone or designated bathing zone.

    No scuba/aqualung; daylight only; EU Annex IX minimum sizes; catch may not be sold; bluefin tuna catch-and-release for recreational fishers.

    divinginfo.mt

Prohibited areas

View on map

Conditions on the water

Live conditions

Live marine and weather snapshot near a coastal reference point in Malta, from Open-Meteo. Conditions vary along the coast — treat as indicative.

Live marine & weather near Cirkewwa Voluntary Marine Reserve (P29 and Rozi wrecks area).

Conditions

Who to ask

Authorities

The official bodies responsible for fisheries and licensing.

  • Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA)

    fisheries authority

    dfa.gov.mtGhammieri Government Farm, Triq l-Ingiered, Marsa MRS 3303, Malta; email infofisheries.mafa@gov.mt; tel +356 2292 6990

  • Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights

    environment / agriculture ministry

    agric.gov.mtMalta

  • Transport Malta (Ports and Yachting / Notices to Mariners)

    maritime authority

    transport.gov.mtRescue Coordination Centre tel 21809279 / 22494202

Where this comes from

Sources

Every claim on this page traces back to one of these references.

  1. [01]

    Laws related to diving and the marine environment in Malta - divinginfo.mt

    Secondary
    divinginfo.mtAccessed Jun 15
  2. [02]

    Spearfishing Malta - Regulations, Rules, Prohibited Zones

    community
    spearfishing.mtAccessed Jun 15
  3. [03]

    Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, Article 7 (Prohibited fishing gears and methods)

    Official
    legislation.gov.ukAccessed Jun 15
  4. [04]

    Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, Annex IX (minimum conservation reference sizes, Mediterranean)

    Official
    legislation.gov.ukAccessed Jun 15
  5. [05]

    Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Chapter 425 of the Laws of Malta (UN DOALOS copy)

    Official
    un.orgAccessed Jun 15
  6. [06]

    Cirkewwa Voluntary Marine Reserve - spearfishing illegal; cites EC 1967/2006 Art 8(4)

    community
    cirkewwavoluntarymarinereserve.blogspot.comAccessed Jun 15
  7. [07]

    Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA) - official website

    Official
    dfa.gov.mtAccessed Jun 15
  8. [08]

    Malta Fishing Forum - Local Fishing Regulations (cites S.L. 10.12, EC 1967/2006, EC 302/2009)

    community
    maltafishingforum.comAccessed Jun 15

Researcher notes

Malta has no standalone spearfishing statute; recreational spearfishing legality is governed by (a) directly-applicable EU technical-measures law - Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 (replacing Council Reg. (EC) 1967/2006), which permits hand-held spears and spear guns in recreational fishing only WITHOUT an aqualung and only from dawn until dusk, and (b) the national Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Cap. 425. Net effect: spearfishing is allowed but restricted (no scuba, daylight only, no protected/swimmer/conservation/archaeological zones, EU minimum sizes, no sale of catch). No recreational licence is required. The verbatim EC 1967/2006 Art. 8(4) text was retrieved from a community page that quotes it directly; the equivalent in-force provision (Reg. (EU) 2019/1241 Art. 7(1)(g)) was retrieved verbatim from the legislation.gov.uk retained-EU-law mirror. EUR-Lex pages would not render via the fetch tool. Cirkewwa coordinates are approximate (the wreck/reserve location, not an official boundary). Confidence set to medium: the in-force legal text and framework are well sourced, but the official EUR-Lex and Maltese government pages for precise national implementing notices and the full list of named conservation/swimmer zones could not all be directly retrieved.

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