Timor-Leste · Spearfishing zone
Atauro Island reef waters (outside tara bandu no-take zones)
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Atauro Island reef waters (outside tara bandu no-take zones).
Atauro Island has some of the highest reef-fish diversity in the world and a long tradition of free-dive spearfishing, including the Wawata Topu women spearfishers of Adara. Local operators (e.g. ATKOMA, Barry's Place) offer traditional speargun and big-game fishing. Visitors are asked to fish only outside the community-managed tara bandu conservation zones and to avoid endangered species and small reef fish.
What applies here
Restrictions
Specific rules and limits that apply within this area.
Do not fish inside tara bandu (customary no-take) conservation zones; do not take endangered species or small reef fish; recreational/dive fishing requires a permit (individual or via tourist business) under Decree-Law 6/2004 Art. 75.
On the coast
Location
Approximate reference point for this zone. See the full picture on the interactive map.
8.2333°S, 125.5833°E
View on the mapSource
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Timor-Leste
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
Permits are granted by the Minister responsible for fisheries; recreational/dive permits are issued to individuals or, for tourism operations, to the tourist business (Arts. 72-75). Detailed application procedure not published in retrievable official sources.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · fao.org