Türkiye · Spearfishing zone
Inland and fresh waters (rivers, lakes, reservoirs)
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Inland and fresh waters (rivers, lakes, reservoirs).
Speargun fishing is a permitted gear only in the seas (MADDE 16(2)(a) lists sualtı tüfeği under 'Denizlerde amatör avcılık'); it is not among the gears permitted for inland-water amateur fishing, so spearfishing in fresh/inland waters is not allowed.
Source
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Türkiye
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
Apply to a provincial or district directorate (il/ilçe müdürlüğü) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Since 1 January 2026 anyone fishing with a speargun must hold the Ek-1 Amatör Balıkçı Belgesi showing that they fish by the diving method — verbatim: '1 Ocak 2026 tarihinden itibaren sualtı tüfeği kullanarak avcılık yapacak kişilerin il/ilçe müdürlüklerinden dalma yöntemiyle avcılık yaptıklarını gösterir Ek-1'de yer alan Amatör Balıkçı Belgesini alması zorunludur' (Circular 6/2, MADDE 16(4)(ç), added by Tebliğ 2025/12, RG 16/4/2025 No. 32872). For other amateur methods the document stays optional and need not be carried. The circular does not state how a foreign national obtains the Ek-1 document — foreigners resident or officially present in Türkiye are otherwise issued the Ek-2 Misafir Amatör Balıkçı Belgesi, and tourist amateurs use a tourism-operator permit or an Ek-3 avlanma fişi — so non-citizens planning to spearfish should confirm the position with the provincial (il) directorate before diving.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · resmigazete.gov.tr
