SpearfishingMap

Mayotte

Africa · Eastern Africa

Mayotte is a French overseas department, so recreational spearfishing (peche sous-marine / chasse sous-marine) is governed by the French Code rural et de la peche maritime (articles R921-90 et seq.) supplemented by the prefectural arrete of 28 June 2018 regulating maritime fishing in Mayotte's waters. Spearfishing is strictly PROHIBITED inside the entire lagoon (up to the start of the outer slope of the barrier reef) and in all the reef passes, and within a 1-mile radius of any fish-aggregating device (DCP). It is only permitted OUTSIDE the lagoon, in breath-hold apnea, by day, and without any underwater breathing apparatus (no scuba/hookah). Spearfishing is additionally banned even outside the lagoon within the Saziley protected site. Professional spearfishing is not authorised, and all spearfishing competitions are prohibited in Mayotte's internal and territorial waters. The whole of Mayotte's territorial waters and EEZ lie within the Parc naturel marin de Mayotte (created 2010), managed by the Office francais de la biodiversite (OFB).

Restricted
Data confidenceHigh confidence

Last updated June 28, 2018

Governing framework

  • §Arrete prefectoral du 28 juin 2018 portant reglementation de l'exercice de la peche maritime dans les eaux du departement de Mayotte (Prefet de Mayotte / Direction de la mer Sud ocean Indien)
  • §Code rural et de la peche maritime, articles R921-90 et suivants (peche maritime de loisir et peche sous-marine)
  • §Decret n°2010-71 du 18 janvier 2010 portant creation du parc naturel marin de Mayotte
  • §Decret n°2007-105 du 26 janvier 2007 portant creation de la reserve naturelle de l'ilot Mbouzi
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 1 (definitions)Mayotte (departement d'outre-mer) · regional

Definition of underwater fishing (peche sous-marine)

Arrete prefectoral du 28 juin 2018 portant reglementation de l'exercice de la peche maritime dans les eaux du departement de Mayotte

FROriginal

Par peche sous-marine: la capture d'animaux marins, de coquillages et de crustaces, en action de nage sans equipement respiratoire gree (gilet stabilisant/bouteille/narguile) ;

02Article 9Mayotte (departement d'outre-mer) · regional

General regulation of underwater fishing and prohibition inside the lagoon and passes

Arrete prefectoral du 28 juin 2018 portant reglementation de l'exercice de la peche maritime dans les eaux du departement de Mayotte

FROriginal

Article 9 - L'exercice de la peche sous-marine est reglemente par les articles R921-90 et suivants du code rural et de la peche maritime. Elle se pratique a l'aide de foenes, de lassos (collets) ou de fusils a sandow, sachant que ces derniers ne doivent pas etre charges hors d'eau. A Mayotte, cette reglementation est completee par les dispositions suivantes : - L'exercice de la peche sous-marine est interdit a l'interieur du lagon, jusqu'au debut du tombant externe de la barriere de corail et dans les passes (lignes de bases droites definies par decret ministeriel). A l'exterieur du lagon, il est soumis aux dispositions nationales fixees par voie reglementaire et susvisees. - Il est egalement interdit dans un rayon d'un mille autour d'un dispositif de concentration de poissons (flotteur).

03Article 10Mayotte (departement d'outre-mer) · regional

Prohibition on speargun/foene for crustaceans

Arrete prefectoral du 28 juin 2018 portant reglementation de l'exercice de la peche maritime dans les eaux du departement de Mayotte

FROriginal

Article 10 - Il est interdit d'utiliser tout type de fusil ou de foene pour la peche sous-marine de crustaces.

04Article 11Mayotte (departement d'outre-mer) · regional

Prohibition on holding breathing apparatus together with spearfishing gear aboard a vessel

Arrete prefectoral du 28 juin 2018 portant reglementation de l'exercice de la peche maritime dans les eaux du departement de Mayotte

FROriginal

Article 11 - La detention simultanee a bord d'un navire d'un equipement respiratoire gree ou non (gilet stabilisant/bouteille/narguile) et d'un appareil special pour la peche sous-marine (fusil a sandows) ou d'une foene ou de tout autre equipement pouvant servir a la capture des animaux ou vegetaux marins, tel fil de fer ou de laiton confectionne pour en faire un engin de capture (collet) hamecon fixe sur un baton (courte gaffe) est interdite.

05Article 22Mayotte (departement d'outre-mer) · regional

Spearfishing banned in the Saziley protected site, including the part outside the lagoon

Arrete prefectoral du 28 juin 2018 portant reglementation de l'exercice de la peche maritime dans les eaux du departement de Mayotte

FROriginal

Article 22 - Seule la peche a la palangrotte et a la traine ainsi que la peche au Djarifa sont autorisees dans le perimetre du site de Saziley. La peche sous marine est interdite y compris dans sa partie situee a l'exterieur du lagon. Le site de Saziley est delimite en mer par les points de coordonnees geodesiques WGS84 suivants : I 12° 57,96' / 045° 11,04' ; J 12° 57,60' / 045° 13,50' ; K 13° 00,36' / 045° 14,64' ; L 12° 59,76' / 045° 10,56'.

06Article 40 (Chapitre 4 - Peche sous-marine de loisir)Mayotte (departement d'outre-mer) · regional

Prohibition of all spearfishing competitions

Arrete prefectoral du 28 juin 2018 portant reglementation de l'exercice de la peche maritime dans les eaux du departement de Mayotte

FROriginal

Article 40 - Tout concours de peche sous-marine est interdit dans les eaux interieures et territoriales de Mayotte.

07Article 12Mayotte (departement d'outre-mer) · regional

Prohibited / protected species (no take by any method including spearfishing)

Arrete prefectoral du 28 juin 2018 portant reglementation de l'exercice de la peche maritime dans les eaux du departement de Mayotte

FROriginal

Article 12 - La peche, le transport, la transformation, le conditionnement, la mise en vente ou l'achat de toutes les especes suivantes sont interdits: le grand requin marteau (Sphyrna mokarran), le requin renard (Alopiidae), la loche geante (Epinephelus lanceolatus), la grande raie-guitare ou poisson-paille a pois (Rhynchobatus djiddensis), le napoleon (Cheilinus undulatus), le perroquet a bosse (Bolbometopon muricatum), la raie Manta (Manta alfredi), le coelacanthe (Latimeria chalumnae), les holothuries ou concombres de mer (Holothuroidea), les tortues marines (Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, Caretta caretta, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea), les hippocampes (famille des Syngnathidae), et les especes de cetaces et de sireniens dont la liste figure a l'arrete ministeriel du 1er juillet 2011 sus-vise.

08Articles 33 and 42Mayotte (departement d'outre-mer) · regional

Catch limits per recreational fisher and per boat

Arrete prefectoral du 28 juin 2018 portant reglementation de l'exercice de la peche maritime dans les eaux du departement de Mayotte

FROriginal

Article 33 - A bord d'un navire de peche de loisir, la quantite de captures par pecheur est limitee a 10 poissons. Le total de captures par embarcation est limite a 20 poissons (pour les especes faisant l'objet de restrictions se reporter au chapitre 5, article 42). [...] Article 42 - En complement des dispositions prevues a l'article 33, le nombre maximum de captures autorisees par embarcation est de : 5 grands pelagiques (Scombridae.sp et Istiophoridae.sp), 5 merous (Serranidae.sp), 5 capitaines (Lethrinidae.sp), 5 vivaneaux dit << profonds >> (Etelis.sp), 5 castagnoles (Bramidae.sp), 1 poisson cartilagineux de la classe des chondrichthyes (raies et requins), sauf les especes sus-mentionnees interdites a la peche (article 12). Ces quantites de capture sont egalement applicables aux pecheurs de rivage.

When you can dive

Seasons & time restrictions

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

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
ClosedRestrictedOpen
  • ClosedLangouste verte (Palinurus versicolor), langouste rouge (Palinurus penicillatus), langouste porcelaine (Palinurus ornatus), cigale de mer (Scyllarus sp), crabe de mangrove (Scylla serrata)Nov 1 – Mar 31

    From 1 November to 31 March the fishing and capture of these crustacean species is prohibited throughout the internal and territorial waters of Mayotte (Article 15). Note: speargun/foene may not be used for crustaceans at any time (Article 10).

Permission to fish

License

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

No license requiredvia Direction de la mer Sud ocean Indien - Unite territoriale de Mayotte
No license required
Type
No individual recreational spearfishing licence; recreational maritime fishing is free but subject to declaration/authorisation regimes for specific activities
Cost
unknown
Validity
Authorisations under Article 4, where required, cover a maximum period of 12 months and are non-transferable
How to obtain
Recreational maritime fishing in Mayotte does not require a personal permit, but certain activities may be subject to authorisations issued by the administrative authority (Article 4). Catches taken under recreational fishing must be marked per arrete n°10/UTM/2015. Contact the Unite territoriale de Mayotte of the Direction de la mer Sud ocean Indien.
Authority
Direction de la mer Sud ocean Indien - Unite territoriale de Mayotte

Gear & technique

Equipment rules

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

SpeargunAllowed
ScubaProhibited

Restrictions

  • Spearfishing must be done in breath-hold apnea only; any underwater breathing apparatus (scuba bottle, hookah/narguile, BCD) is prohibited for spearfishing (Articles 1 and 9)
  • Spearguns (fusils a sandow) must not be loaded out of the water (Article 9)
  • It is forbidden to hold underwater breathing equipment simultaneously aboard a vessel with a speargun, foene, snare or other capture gear (Article 11)
  • No speargun or foene may be used to take crustaceans (Article 10)
  • Permitted gear for underwater fishing: foene, lasso/snare (collet), or sandow speargun (Article 9); recreational vessels limited to two spearguns and one lasso per boater (Article 31)
  • Pneumatic/explosive/gas-propelled spearguns and explosive-tipped arrows are not permitted under the national framework (per Code rural R921-90 et seq.); spearfishing is by day only

Spearfishing (peche sous-marine / chasse sous-marine) is defined as capturing marine animals while swimming WITHOUT rigged breathing equipment. It is allowed only outside the lagoon, in apnea, by day.

What you may take

Catch limits & protected species

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

Daily limit

10 fish per fisher and 20 fish per boat (Article 33). Octopus: 5 per person per day (Article 41, wood/bamboo gear only - no metal point/foene). Lobster, slipper lobster and mangrove crab: 5 each per fisher per day, max 10 per boat (Article 43).

Minimum sizes

  • Langouste (spiny lobster)min 8 cm
  • Cigale de mer (slipper lobster)min 20 cm
  • Crabe de mangrove (mangrove crab)min 10 cm

Protected species — do not take

  • ProtectedGrand requin marteau (Sphyrna mokarran)
  • ProtectedRequin renard (Alopiidae)
  • ProtectedLoche geante (Epinephelus lanceolatus)
  • ProtectedGrande raie-guitare (Rhynchobatus djiddensis)
  • ProtectedNapoleon (Cheilinus undulatus)
  • ProtectedPerroquet a bosse (Bolbometopon muricatum)
  • ProtectedRaie Manta (Manta alfredi)
  • ProtectedCoelacanthe (Latimeria chalumnae)
  • ProtectedHolothuries / concombres de mer (Holothuroidea)
  • ProtectedTortues marines (Chelonia mydas, Eretmochelys imbricata, Caretta caretta, Lepidochelys olivacea, Dermochelys coriacea)
  • ProtectedHippocampes (Syngnathidae)
  • ProtectedCetaces et sireniens (per arrete ministeriel du 1er juillet 2011)
  • ProtectedBenitiers (giant clams) - recreational take prohibited (Article 44)
  • ProtectedPer-species recreational sub-limits per boat: 5 large pelagics, 5 groupers (Serranidae), 5 capitaines (Lethrinidae), 5 deep snappers (Etelis), 5 Bramidae, 1 cartilaginous fish (Article 42)

Sale of spear-caught fish (poisson fleche) is prohibited; recreational catches must be marked. Coral, gorgonians, sponges and certain shells (Charonia tritonis, Cypraecassis rufa, Cassis cornuta, Cypraea, Lambis) may not be taken (Article 13).

Who may fish

Visitors & residents

How the rules differ for foreign visitors and local residents.

Foreign visitors

Allowed

Restrictions

  • Same rules apply to all: spearfishing only outside the lagoon, in apnea, by day; prohibited in the lagoon, passes, Saziley and around DCPs

Mayotte is part of France/EU; no spearfishing-specific rules distinguishing foreigners were found. Recreational fishers are subject to the same prefectural arrete. The arrete does not establish a nationality-based regime; vessels transiting territorial waters must report to the Unite territoriale de Mayotte to obtain any exceptional temporary derogation (Article 11).

Residents

No specific residents-only spearfishing licence

Benefits

  • Traditional Mahoraise practices (e.g. Djarifa, pirogue fishing) inside the lagoon may be authorised by the administrative authority after advice of the marine park (Articles 38-39) - these are not spearfishing

No resident-specific spearfishing regime; the same recreational rules apply to residents and visitors.

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

  • Spearfishing in breath-hold apnea is permitted outside the lagoon, beyond the start of the external slope of the barrier reef, subject to national rules. Practised by day, without underwater breathing apparatus. Excludes the passes, a 1-mile radius around any fish-aggregating device, and the Saziley protected site.

    Apnea only (no scuba/hookah); daytime only; spearguns must not be loaded out of the water; spearguns/foene may not be used for crustaceans; protected species (Article 12) may not be taken; per-fisher limit 10 fish, per-boat limit 20 fish.

Prohibited areas

  • Lagoon of Mayotte (entire lagoon up to outer reef slope)marine natural park / lagoon (no-spearfishing zone)

    Underwater fishing (peche sous-marine / chasse sous-marine) is prohibited throughout the interior of the lagoon, up to the start of the outer slope of the barrier reef (Article 9). The lagoon lies within the Parc naturel marin de Mayotte.

  • Underwater fishing is prohibited in all the reef passes (Article 9). In addition, fishing, shell collection and coral destruction/recovery are prohibited within the perimeter of the Passe en S (passe Longogori) under Article 21.

  • Saziley protected sitemarine protected site (no-spearfishing zone)

    Spearfishing is banned within the Saziley site INCLUDING the part situated outside the lagoon; only palangrotte, trolling and Djarifa fishing are allowed there (Article 22). Delimited by WGS84 points: 12°57.96'S/045°11.04'E, 12°57.60'S/045°13.50'E, 13°00.36'S/045°14.64'E, 12°59.76'S/045°10.56'E.

  • A regulated maritime perimeter is established around the Mbouzi islet nature reserve, inside which fishing is prohibited except palangrotte from a non-motorised vessel (Article 24). Marked by 4 yellow lit buoys. WGS84 points around: 12°48.132'S/045°13.870'E, 12°48.342'S/045°14.540'E, 12°49.175'S/045°14.460'E, 12°49.215'S/045°13.753'E.

  • Around fish-aggregating devices (DCP)gear-based exclusion zone

    Underwater fishing is prohibited within a 1-mile radius around any fish-aggregating device (floater/DCP) (Article 9).

  • The Mayotte Marine Natural Park, created by Decree n°2010-71 of 18 January 2010 and managed by the Office francais de la biodiversite, covers the entirety of Mayotte's territorial waters and EEZ (approx. 68,300 km2). It does not ban all spearfishing outside the lagoon but governs the wider marine environment and enforcement against illegal lagoon spearfishing.

Conditions on the water

Live conditions

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

Live marine & weather near Lagoon of Mayotte (entire lagoon up to outer reef slope).

Conditions

Who to ask

Authorities

The official bodies responsible for fisheries and licensing.

Where this comes from

Sources

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

  1. [01]

    Arrete prefectoral du 28 juin 2018 portant reglementation de l'exercice de la peche maritime dans les eaux du departement de Mayotte (full text PDF, FAOLEX)

    Official
    faolex.fao.orgAccessed Jun 15
  2. [02]

    Quand je peche - Parc naturel marin de Mayotte

    Official
    parc-marin-mayotte.frAccessed Jun 15
  3. [03]

    La peche de loisir - Parc naturel marin de Mayotte

    Official
    parc-marin-mayotte.frAccessed Jun 15
  4. [04]

    Lutte contre la peche sous-marine dans le lagon du Parc naturel marin de Mayotte - Agence francaise pour la biodiversite

    Official
    afbiodiversite.frAccessed Jun 15
  5. [05]

    Mayotte Marine Natural Park - Wikipedia

    Secondary
    en.wikipedia.orgAccessed Jun 15
  6. [06]

    Reglementations et bonnes pratiques de peche a Mayotte (tsiono.fr)

    Secondary
    tsiono.frAccessed Jun 15

Researcher notes

Mayotte is a French overseas department (departement d'outre-mer). Spearfishing law = French national framework (Code rural et de la peche maritime, art. R921-90 et seq.) + the consolidating prefectural arrete of 28 June 2018, whose verbatim French text was retrieved from the official FAOLEX-hosted PDF. The 2018 arrete abrogated and replaced the earlier dedicated arrete n°06/UTM/2014 of 20 May 2014 on chasse sous-marine. Core rule: spearfishing is PROHIBITED in the entire lagoon, all reef passes, the Saziley site (even outside the lagoon), within 1 mile of any DCP, and in the Mbouzi reserve perimeter; it is ALLOWED only outside the lagoon, in breath-hold apnea, by day, without breathing apparatus. Professional spearfishing is not authorised and all spearfishing competitions are banned. data_confidence is high because the binding prefectural arrete with article-level verbatim text was obtained from an official source. Caveat: the 2018 arrete is the most recent text retrieved; newer prefectural arretes could exist and should be re-checked against legifrance / the Prefecture de Mayotte recueil des actes administratifs. Coordinate centroids in zones were computed from the WGS84 degree-decimal-minute points quoted verbatim in the arrete; the lagoon/park centroids are approximate reference points, not legal boundaries.

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