Slovenia
Europe · Southern Europe
Recreational spearfishing (sport fishing with a spear gun / podvodna puška) is legal in the territorial waters of Slovenia but tightly regulated. It is allowed only as breath-hold (apnea) diving using one's own force, only in daytime from sunrise to sunset, and requires an annual sport fishing permit with a spear gun issued exclusively by the Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia (Zveza za športni ribolov na morju Slovenije, ZŠRMS); the applicant must be a member of an affiliated sport fishing society. A diver may use at most two spears or two spear guns. Use of underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) is prohibited. A signal buoy of at least 10 litres tied to the diver is mandatory. Spearfishing is prohibited in protected areas (notably the Strunjan Landscape Park / Nature Reserve marine area, the only state-protected marine area in Slovenia), within 200 m of marked marine aquaculture facilities, within 50 m of marked bottom-set nets, and at ports and bathing sites between 1 May and 30 October. The legal framework is the Marine Fisheries Act (ZMR-2) and the Rules on Recreational Sea Fishing (Pravilnik o prostočasnem ribolovu na morju, Uradni list RS no. 64/2008).
Last updated June 15, 2026
Governing framework
- §Marine Fisheries Act (Zakon o morskem ribištvu, ZMR-2), 2006
- §Rules on Recreational Sea Fishing (Pravilnik o prostočasnem ribolovu na morju), Uradni list RS no. 64/2008
- License required
- Required
- Speargun
- Allowed
- Scuba
- Prohibited
- Foreigners
- Welcome
- Max spears
- 2
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.
Permitted equipment for underwater spear fishing
Pravilnik o prostočasnem ribolovu na morju (Rules on Recreational Sea Fishing), Uradni list RS no. 64/2008
Športni ribolov s podvodno puško je dovoljen z uporabo sulice z ostmi ali harpune brez eksplozivnega naboja.
Maximum two spears / two spear guns
Pravilnik o prostočasnem ribolovu na morju (Rules on Recreational Sea Fishing), Uradni list RS no. 64/2008
Pri izvajanju športnega ribolova s podvodno puško lahko posamezni ribič uporablja največ dve sulici ali največ dve podvodni puški.
Daytime-only restriction (sunrise to sunset)
Pravilnik o prostočasnem ribolovu na morju (Rules on Recreational Sea Fishing), Uradni list RS no. 64/2008
Športni ribolov s podvodno puško se v skladu z zakonom lahko izvaja izključno podnevi, od sončnega vzhoda do sončnega zahoda.
Mandatory signal buoy (minimum 10 litres)
Pravilnik o prostočasnem ribolovu na morju (Rules on Recreational Sea Fishing), Uradni list RS no. 64/2008
V času izvajanja športnega ribolova s podvodno puško je obvezna uporaba signalne boje minimalne prostornine 10 litrov, ki mora biti z vrvico privezana na izvajalca športnega ribolova s podvodno puško.
Daily catch limit (5 kg rule)
Pravilnik o prostočasnem ribolovu na morju (Rules on Recreational Sea Fishing), Uradni list RS no. 64/2008
Dovoljena količina dnevnega ulova rib je do 5 kilogramov.
Conditions for sport fishing with a spear gun (official authority summary)
Marine Fisheries Act (ZMR-2) and Rules on Leisure/Recreational Sea Fishing (official SPOT e-government portal)
Sport fishing with a spear gun is carried out only during the daytime, from sunrise to sunset and only as a breath-hold diving and with the use of one's own force. The use of battery torch is allowed. It is mandatory to use a signal buoy of the minimum volume of 10 litres which must be tied with a rope to the performer of sport fishing with a spear gun. [Prohibited:] fishing between sunset and sunrise; fishing with the application of devices enabling underwater breathing; fishing in protected areas; closer than 200 metres from the marked facilities for marine aquaculture; closer than 50 metres from the properly marked bottom-set nets; in ports and bathing sites in the period from 1 May to 30 October. A person, who is a member of the sport fishing society which is a member of the Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia, may obtain the annual sport fishing permit with a spear gun.
Annual sport fishing permit with a spear gun - issuing authority and equipment limit
Marine Fisheries Act (ZMR-2); Rules on Leisure/Recreational Sea Fishing (official SPOT e-government portal)
A person, who is a member of the sport fishing society which is a member of the Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia, may obtain the annual sport fishing permit with a spear gun. Sport fishing with a spear gun may be implemented in territorial waters of the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of the annual permit. The Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia is the only organisation which issues annual permits. In conducting sport fishing with a spear gun, the maximum of two spears of spear guns may be used.
When you can dive
Seasons & time restrictions
Closed, open and restricted periods across the year. Always confirm species-specific closures locally.
- ClosedPorts and bathing sites (Slovenian coast)May 1 – Oct 30
Sport fishing with a spear gun must not be carried out at ports and bathing sites in the period from 1 May to 30 October.
- RestrictedAll spearfishing (daytime-only rule)sunrise – sunset
Spearfishing may be conducted exclusively in daytime, from sunrise to sunset; fishing between sunset and sunrise is prohibited. (Pravilnik o prostočasnem ribolovu na morju, Art. 6(1).)
Permission to fish
License
What you need to be allowed in the water, what it costs, and how to get it.
Become a member of a sport fishing society affiliated with the Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia; the society forwards the application to the Federation, which issues the annual spear-gun permit.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · spot.gov.si
- Type
- Annual sport fishing permit with a spear gun (letna dovolilnica za športni ribolov s podvodno puško), issued only to members of a sport fishing society affiliated with the Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia (ZŠRMS).
- Cost
- Approximately EUR 85 total per year as listed on the official SPOT portal: association membership EUR 15, society membership EUR 15, permit fee EUR 40, issuing/preparation EUR 15 (verify current figures with ZŠRMS).
- Validity
- One calendar year; valid only together with the membership card of an affiliated society; not transferable.
- How to obtain
- Become a member of a sport fishing society affiliated with the Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia; the society forwards the application to the Federation, which issues the annual spear-gun permit.
- Authority
- Zveza za športni ribolov na morju Slovenije (Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia, ZŠRMS)
Gear & technique
Equipment rules
What gear is permitted, how it may be used, and the conditions attached.
Restrictions
- Breath-hold (apnea) diving only, using one's own force; no underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) permitted
- Maximum two spears or two spear guns per diver (Art. 3(2))
- Spears must be barbed spears (sulica z ostmi) or harpoons without explosive charge (Art. 2(2))
- Mandatory signal buoy of minimum 10 litres volume, tied by rope to the diver (Art. 6(4))
- Battery torch use is allowed
- Daytime only, from sunrise to sunset (Art. 6(1))
- Must not be conducted from a vessel carrying an underwater-breathing device, nor using tow vessels/towing by surface vessel
- Must keep at least 200 m from marked marine aquaculture facilities and at least 50 m from marked bottom-set nets
- Must not disturb or hinder industrial fishing or fish farming
- Prohibited in protected areas, ports and bathing sites (the latter 1 May - 30 October)
Rules from the Rules on Recreational Sea Fishing (Pravilnik o prostočasnem ribolovu na morju, Uradni list RS no. 64/2008) and the official SPOT e-government portal summary of the Marine Fisheries Act (ZMR-2).
What you may take
Catch limits & protected species
Daily quotas, minimum sizes, and species that must never be taken.
Daily limit
Up to 5 kg of fish per day; alternatively one fish heavier than 5 kg, or two fish whose combined weight exceeds 5 kg (Pravilnik, Art. 15).
Protected species — do not take
- ProtectedEndangered/protected species may not be caught; immature (undersized) fish must be returned to the sea. Specific minimum landing sizes and the protected-species list are set by separate fisheries and nature-protection regulations and were not retrieved verbatim - verify with the Fisheries Research Institute of Slovenia / ZŠRMS.
Minimum landing sizes per species are governed by separate regulations referenced (but not enumerated) in Art. 14 of the Rules on Recreational Sea Fishing; exact size tables were not obtained from an authoritative verbatim source and are left for verification. The Sava Hotels source also notes that living vertebrates and natural baits made of endangered/protected animals may not be used.
Who may fish
Visitors & residents
How the rules differ for foreign visitors and local residents.
Foreign visitors
AllowedSpecial license required
Requirements
- Same annual spear-gun permit and affiliated-society membership requirement applies regardless of nationality - spearfishing requires membership in a society affiliated with the Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia
- Note: shore-based rod/line recreational fishing does not require a permit, but spearfishing (spear gun) always requires the annual spear-gun permit
Restrictions
- All national spearfishing restrictions apply: breath-hold only, daytime only, protected-area bans, distance rules
The law does not distinguish by nationality; the binding constraint for non-residents is obtaining the annual spear-gun permit via society/Federation membership. Practical access for short-term visiting tourists is therefore limited.
Residents
Annual sport fishing permit with a spear gun via membership in a sport fishing society affiliated with ZŠRMS
Requirements
- Membership in a sport fishing society that is a member of the Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia
- Valid society membership card carried together with the permit
Same regime applies to residents and non-residents; there is no separate resident-only spear-gun licence category identified.
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
Sport fishing with a spear gun may be carried out in the territorial waters of the Republic of Slovenia on the basis of an annual permit issued by the Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia, subject to all equipment, daytime and protected-area restrictions.
Annual spear-gun permit + society membership required; breath-hold diving only; max two spears/two spear guns; signal buoy mandatory; no scuba; keep 200 m from aquaculture facilities and 50 m from bottom-set nets.
Reported as the only stretch of the Slovenian coast with conditions well suited to spearfishing/sea fishing; most of the Slovenian seabed is muddy/loamy, which limits good spearfishing elsewhere. (Secondary tourism source; not a legal designation.)
Note part of this area lies near/within protected coastal sea around the Piran/Fiesa coast; standard national spearfishing restrictions apply. Verify exact protected-area boundaries before fishing.
Prohibited areas
- Strunjan Landscape Park / Strunjan Nature Reserve (marine area)landscape park / marine nature reserve
The only state-level protected area in Slovenia that includes the sea: a 200-metre belt of coastal sea and the entire Bay of Strunjan as far as Pacug, including the central Marine Reserve (Holy Cross Bay / Sveti Križ and the Ronek area). Spearfishing falls under the prohibition on fishing in protected areas; in the park, sport fishing is only allowed from the shore in designated areas, and navigation/anchoring are banned in the central Marine Reserve.
- Cape Madona Natural Monument (Piran)natural monument (marine)
Marine natural monument off the tip of the Piran peninsula, an area of high marine biodiversity; falls within protected areas where spearfishing is prohibited under the general ban on fishing in protected areas.
- Portorož fisheries reservefisheries reserve
Fisheries reserve where commercial fishing is prohibited; only non-commercial sport/recreational fishing from the shore is permitted. Spearfishing is barred under the protected-area / fisheries-reserve restrictions.
- Strunjan fisheries reservefisheries reserve
Fisheries reserve where commercial fishing is prohibited; only non-commercial sport/recreational fishing from the shore is permitted. Spearfishing is barred under the protected-area / fisheries-reserve restrictions.
- Ports and bathing sites (seasonal)ports / designated bathing areas (seasonal closure)
Spearfishing is prohibited in ports and at bathing sites during the bathing season, from 1 May to 30 October.
Conditions on the water
Live conditions
Live marine and weather snapshot near a coastal reference point in Slovenia, from Open-Meteo. Conditions vary along the coast — treat as indicative.
Live marine & weather near Strunjan Landscape Park / Strunjan Nature Reserve (marine area).
Who to ask
Authorities
The official bodies responsible for fisheries and licensing.
Zveza za športni ribolov na morju Slovenije (Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia, ZŠRMS)
sport fishing federation (public authorisation to issue sea sport-fishing permits, including spear-gun permits)
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food (Ministrstvo za kmetijstvo, gozdarstvo in prehrano) - Fisheries
fisheries authority / competent ministry under the Marine Fisheries Act (ZMR-2)
Fisheries Research Institute of Slovenia (Zavod za ribištvo Slovenije, ZZRS)
fisheries research / advisory institute
Strunjan Landscape Park (Krajinski park Strunjan) - park management
marine protected area manager
parkstrunjan.si+386 (0)8 205 1880
Where this comes from
Sources
Every claim on this page traces back to one of these references.
- [01]
Sea sport fishing with a spear gun - SPOT (official Slovenian e-government portal)
Officialspot.gov.siAccessed Jun 15 - [02]
Annual sport fishing permit with a spear gun - SPOT (official Slovenian e-government portal)
Officialspot.gov.siAccessed Jun 15 - [03]
Sea sport fishing - SPOT (official Slovenian e-government portal)
Officialspot.gov.siAccessed Jun 15 - [04]
Pravilnik o prostočasnem ribolovu na morju (Rules on Recreational Sea Fishing), Uradni list RS no. 64/2008
Officialuradni-list.siAccessed Jun 15 - [05]
FAO AdriaMed - Marine capture fisheries legislation and regulations: Slovenia
Officialfaoadriamed.orgAccessed Jun 15 - [06]
Strunjan Landscape Park - The Sea (marine protected area)
Officialparkstrunjan.siAccessed Jun 15 - [07]
Sea of Slovenia (sea fishing) - Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia (ZŠRMS) via ribiskekarte.si
Secondaryribiskekarte.siAccessed Jun 15 - [08]
Everything you need to know about fishing on the Slovenian coast - Sava Hotels & Resorts
Secondarysava-hotels-resorts.comAccessed Jun 15
Researcher notes
Slovenia has a short (~47 km) Adriatic coastline. Recreational spearfishing is legal but heavily restricted and gated behind an annual spear-gun permit issued only by the Sea Sport Fishing Federation of Slovenia (ZŠRMS) to members of affiliated societies, which limits casual access for visiting tourists. Core rules come verbatim from the Rules on Recreational Sea Fishing (Pravilnik o prostočasnem ribolovu na morju, Uradni list RS no. 64/2008) and the Marine Fisheries Act (ZMR-2). Key constraints: breath-hold (no scuba) only; daytime only (sunrise to sunset); max two spears/spear guns; barbed spears or non-explosive harpoons; mandatory 10 L signal buoy tied to the diver; 200 m clearance from marine aquaculture and 50 m from bottom-set nets; prohibited in protected areas and at ports/bathing sites from 1 May to 30 October; daily catch limit ~5 kg. The marine portion of Strunjan Landscape Park / Nature Reserve is the only state-protected marine area and is the principal no-spearfishing zone, together with Cape Madona and the Portorož and Strunjan fisheries reserves. CONFIDENCE/LIMITATIONS: Verbatim Slovenian article text (Arts. 2, 3, 6, 15) was obtained via the Uradni list official gazette page through a fetch summariser rather than a directly downloaded PDF, so exact punctuation/wording of the daytime and catch-limit clauses should be re-checked against the full consolidated text before any official/legal use. Per-species minimum landing sizes and the full protected-species list are set by separate regulations (referenced in Art. 14) and were NOT retrieved verbatim - they are intentionally left empty/flagged rather than guessed. Prohibited-zone coordinates are approximate town/peninsula centroids, not surveyed boundaries. Permit fees are as listed on the SPOT portal and may change.
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