Estonia
Europe · Northern Europe
Recreational spearfishing (allveepüük) is legal in Estonia, in both inland waters and the sea, but only on the basis of a paid recreational fishing right (harrastuspüügiõigus). Permitted gear is a harpoon gun and an up-to-five-pronged harpoon. Using a self-contained breathing apparatus (scuba) or artificial lighting during underwater fishing is prohibited, and a harpoon may not be used without a harpoon gun (except for catching flounder/turbot). Spearfishing is banned in listed salmon/trout/grayling spawning and habitat waters, in Paide artificial lake, and is seasonally closed in some areas (e.g. Lake Pihkva 5 May–10 June). General closed seasons, minimum sizes and protected-species rules apply; up to three fishing devices may be used at once and a 15 kg / per-species daily ceiling applies. On Lakes Kuremaa and Saadjärv a separate fishing card (not just the recreational fishing right) is required for harpoon fishing.
Última actualización junio 14, 2026
Marco regulador
- §Fishing Act (Kalapüügiseadus), 2015 (RT I, in force since 01.07.2015; consolidated text RT I 521112022001)
- §Fishing Rules (Kalapüügieeskiri), Government Regulation No. 65 of 16.06.2016 (RT I, 21.06.2016, 32; consolidated RT I, 16.06.2022, 9, in force 19.06.2022)
- §Nature Conservation Act (Looduskaitseseadus) § 51 (List of spawning sites and habitats of salmon, brown trout, sea trout and grayling)
- Licencia obligatoria
- Obligatoria
- Fusil de pesca
- Permitido
- Escafandra
- Prohibido
- Extranjeros
- Bienvenidos
- Máx. de arpones
- 5
La ley, literal
Textos legales
Las disposiciones legales y reglamentarias exactas que regulan la pesca submarina aquí, citadas tal como están publicadas, con un enlace a cada fuente oficial.
Underwater fishing gear (harpoon gun and harpoon)
Fishing Rules (Kalapüügieeskiri), Government Regulation No. 65 of 16.06.2016
§ 5. Underwater fishing gear (1) Underwater fishing gear is a tool used to catch fish while underwater. (2) Allowed underwater fishing gear are: 1) harpoon gun – a mechanical or pneumatic device for harpooning fish; 2) harpoon – up to five-pronged piercing instrument with or without spears, which is fired from a harpoon gun or inserted into a fish.
Prohibited methods during underwater fishing (scuba, artificial light, harpoon without gun)
Fishing Rules (Kalapüügieeskiri), Government Regulation No. 65 of 16.06.2016
§ 20. Restrictions on the use of fishing gear and fishing methods (1) In all water bodies, it is prohibited to: [...] 5) use a self-contained breathing apparatus and artificial lighting during underwater fishing; 6) use a harpoon without a harpoon gun during underwater fishing;
Daily catch ceiling for recreational and underwater fishing gear
Fishing Rules (Kalapüügieeskiri), Government Regulation No. 65 of 16.06.2016
(7) In recreational fishing and angling, it is prohibited for one person to catch more than 15 kg of the following fish species in one day with the fishing traps specified in clauses 1-9 of § 4 (2) and with the underwater fishing gear specified in § 5: 1) 15 kg of perch; 2) 5 pikes; 3) 5 [pike-perch]; 4) 15 bream; 5) 2 salmon or 2 trout or 1 salmon and 1 trout.
Prohibition of harpoon-gun fishing in salmonid spawning and habitat waters
Fishing Rules (Kalapüügieeskiri), Government Regulation No. 65 of 16.06.2016
29) with gill nets, seines and harpoon guns in the water bodies or their sections included in the list of spawning and habitats for salmon, river trout, sea trout and grayling, established by the regulation of the minister responsible for the field on the basis of § 51 (2) of the Nature Conservation Act, except in dams;
Seasonal prohibition of underwater fishing in Lake Pihkva (Pskov)
Fishing Rules (Kalapüügieeskiri), Government Regulation No. 65 of 16.06.2016
8) with professional fishing and underwater fishing equipment in Lake Pskov [Lake Pihkva] - from May 5 to June 10;
Recreational fishing gear allowed on the basis of recreational fishing right (incl. harpoon gun)
Pocket guide for recreational fishing in Estonia 2019 (Ministry of the Environment), summarising Fishing Act and Fishing Rules §§ 4–5
Fishing with following sport fishing equipment is allowed on the basis of recreational fishing right: more than one simple hand line; hand line; spinning reel; troll; pulling device; fly hook; bottom line (tonka, krunda); unanchored trimmer; hook line for Baltic herring fishing and harpoon gun and up to five-prong harpoon for underwater fishing.
Underwater fishing prohibited in salmonid spawning waters and Paide artificial lake
Pocket guide for recreational fishing in Estonia 2019 (Ministry of the Environment)
Underwater fishing with harpoon gun and harpoon, as well as fishing with gillnet, hoopnet and dragnet is prohibited in all waterbodies specified in the regulation of the Minister of the Environment “List of spawning sites and habitats of salmon, brown trout, sea trout and grayling” or their sections. Underwater fishing is prohibited also in Paide artificial lake.
Fishing card required for harpoon-gun fishing on Lakes Kuremaa and Saadjärv
Pocket guide for recreational fishing in Estonia 2019 (Ministry of the Environment)
For harpoon gun and harpoon fishing, fishing card is necessary on Lake Kuremaa and Lake Saadjärv, whereby the card is valid for both waterbodies.
Cuándo puedes bucear
Temporadas y restricciones horarias
Periodos de veda, de apertura y restringidos a lo largo del año. Confirma siempre localmente las vedas específicas de cada especie.
- VedaLake Pihkva (Pskov) - underwater fishing equipmentMay 5 – Jun 10
Underwater (and professional) fishing equipment is prohibited in Lake Pihkva from 5 May to 10 June.
- VedaSalmon and sea trout in inland waterbodiesSep 1 – Nov 30
Prohibited to catch salmon and sea trout in inland waterbodies from 1 September to 30 November, except in rivers/sections opened by the Minister.
- VedaBrown troutSep 15 – Ene 31
Brown trout closed season from 15 September to 31 January.
- VedaPike in the seaMar 1 – Abr 30
Pike closed in the sea from 1 March to 30 April (in ice-free inland water 15 March to 10 May, with lake-specific variants).
- VedaPike perch (pikeperch) in the seaMay 15 – Jul 15
Pike perch closed in the sea 15 May to 15 July (period may change annually); in ice-free inland water 15 April to 15 June.
Permiso para pescar
Licencia
Qué necesitas para poder estar en el agua, cuánto cuesta y cómo conseguirlo.
Pay via mobile (SMS to 1322), online at pilet.ee, or in person at Omniva service points. Proof of right is shown by an identity document to inspectors. Fishing cards (Kuremaa/Saadjärv) are issued by the Environmental Board via pilet.ee.
Consigue tu licenciaAbre el portal oficial · keskkonnaamet.ee
- Tipo
- Recreational fishing right (harrastuspüügiõigus) - mandatory for underwater fishing with harpoon gun/harpoon. A separate fishing card (kalastuskaart) is additionally required only on Lakes Kuremaa and Saadjärv.
- Coste
- Recreational fishing right fee (as published 2019): 24 h - 1 EUR; 7 days - 3 EUR; 6 months - 13 EUR; 12 months - 20 EUR (plus up to ~0.51 EUR service charge for mobile payment). Free for pre-school and under-16 children, pensioners, disabled persons, unlawfully repressed persons and persons with reduced work ability. Fees may change over time.
- Validez
- 24 hours / 7 days / 6 months / 12 months
- Cómo obtenerla
- Pay via mobile (SMS to 1322), online at pilet.ee, or in person at Omniva service points. Proof of right is shown by an identity document to inspectors. Fishing cards (Kuremaa/Saadjärv) are issued by the Environmental Board via pilet.ee.
- Autoridad
- Ministry of Climate (formerly Ministry of the Environment) / Environmental Board (Keskkonnaamet)
Equipo y técnica
Normas de equipo
Qué equipo está permitido, cómo puede usarse y las condiciones asociadas.
Restricciones
- Harpoon gun (mechanical or pneumatic) is the required launching device for underwater fishing.
- Harpoon may have up to five prongs, with or without spears (barbs).
- Self-contained breathing apparatus (scuba) is prohibited during underwater fishing.
- Artificial lighting is prohibited during underwater fishing.
- A harpoon may not be used without a harpoon gun during underwater fishing (the Pocket Guide notes an exception for flounder/turbot).
- Up to three fishing devices may be used simultaneously for recreational fishing.
- It is prohibited to use recreational fishing gear closer than 25 m to pound nets and gillnets.
max_spears refers to the maximum number of prongs on the harpoon (up to five-pronged), per Fishing Rules § 5(2).
Lo que puedes capturar
Límites de captura y especies protegidas
Cuotas diarias, tallas mínimas y especies que nunca deben capturarse.
Límite diario
Per § 20(7) of the Fishing Rules, with recreational/underwater gear one person may not take more than, per day: 15 kg perch; 5 pike; 5 pike-perch; 15 bream; 2 salmon or 2 trout (or 1+1). Crayfish (separate gear): 75 per day.
Tallas mínimas
- Perch (sea)mín. 16 cm
- Pikemín. 40 cm
- Pike perch (inland, general)mín. 40 cm
- Pike perch (Lake Võrtsjärv)mín. 45 cm
- Brown troutmín. 32 cm
- Salmonmín. 55 cm
- Sea troutmín. 50 cm
- Eel (sea)mín. 35 cm
- Eel (other inland waters)mín. 50 cm
- Bream (Peipsi/Pihkva/Lämmijärv & Emajõgi)mín. 30 cm
- Whitefish (sea and rivers to sea)mín. 30 cm
- Codmín. 35 cm
- Burbotmín. 40 cm
- Flounder (subarea 28)mín. 21 cm
- Flounder (subareas 29 and 32)mín. 18 cm
- Idemín. 32 cm
- Vimbamín. 26 cm
- Tenchmín. 25 cm
- Vendacemín. 10 cm
Especies protegidas — no capturar
- ProtegidaSturgeon (catch completely prohibited)
- ProtegidaAsp (catch completely prohibited)
- ProtegidaSheatfish / wels catfish (catch completely prohibited)
- ProtegidaGrayling (catch completely prohibited)
Minimum sizes use measurement l (snout to start of central caudal-fin rays) or L (to end of caudal fin); a fish is legal if either length meets the minimum. The Minister may temporarily raise or lower minimum sizes. Sturgeon, asp, sheatfish and grayling are endangered and may not be caught at all.
Quién puede pescar
Visitantes y residentes
Cómo difieren las normas para los visitantes extranjeros y los residentes locales.
Visitantes extranjeros
PermitidoRequisitos
- Pay the same recreational fishing right fee as residents.
- Non-residents without an Estonian ID code pay by mobile using the format 0yymmdd0000 (date of birth).
- Carry an identity document as proof of the paid fishing right.
Restricciones
- Same gear, season, area and catch-limit rules as for residents.
- Concessions (free fishing right for children/pensioners/disabled) require Estonian supporting documents and effectively apply to residents.
Roughly 10% of recreational anglers in Estonia are foreign tourists; no separate foreigner spearfishing permit exists. The recreational fishing right is person- and period-based, not nationality-based.
Residentes
Recreational fishing right (harrastuspüügiõigus); fishing card (kalastuskaart) for Kuremaa/Saadjärv harpoon fishing.
Requisitos
- Pay the recreational fishing right fee for the chosen validity period.
- Keep gear under personal supervision (active fishing) so inspectors can reach the owner on site.
Ventajas
- Recreational fishing right is free for pre-school children, children under 16, pensioners, disabled persons, unlawfully repressed persons and persons with partial/no work ability (relevant document must be shown on request).
- Free line fishing right with a single simple hand line is available to everyone without any permit.
Concessions do not extend to the fishing card (kalastuskaart).
Dónde en la costa
Zonas permitidas y prohibidas
Áreas concretas abiertas o cerradas a la pesca submarina. Consulta el panorama completo en el mapa interactivo.
Áreas permitidas
Underwater fishing with harpoon gun and harpoon is generally permitted in inland water bodies and at sea on the basis of a paid recreational fishing right, outside listed prohibited/seasonal areas.
Recreational fishing right (fee) required; no scuba, no artificial light; harpoon must be fired from a harpoon gun; up to 3 devices; 15 kg/species daily limits.
Harpoon-gun/harpoon fishing allowed but requires a separate fishing card (kalastuskaart), valid jointly for Kuremaa and Saadjärv.
Fishing card required in addition to recreational fishing right.
Harpoon-gun/harpoon fishing allowed but requires a separate fishing card (kalastuskaart), valid jointly for Kuremaa and Saadjärv.
Fishing card required in addition to recreational fishing right.
Áreas prohibidas
- Paide artificial lakeartificial lake / total ban on underwater fishing
Underwater fishing is prohibited in Paide artificial lake.
- Salmon, brown trout, sea trout and grayling spawning sites and habitats (listed waters)protected spawning/habitat waters
Underwater fishing with harpoon gun and harpoon is prohibited in all water bodies or their sections listed in the Minister's regulation 'List of spawning sites and habitats of salmon, brown trout, sea trout and grayling' (under § 51(2) Nature Conservation Act), except in dams.
- Lake Pihkva (Pskov) - seasonalseasonal closure (transboundary lake)
Underwater fishing equipment prohibited in Lake Pihkva from 5 May to 10 June.
- River mouths and salmonid river sectionsriver protection zones
Fishing (including with underwater fishing gear) is prohibited near many river mouths and in numerous river sections from dams to the sea (e.g. Kunda, Keila, Loobu, Valgejõgi, Vääna, Purtse, Selja, etc.), per Appendix 10 and the river-mouth restrictions of the Fishing Rules.
Condiciones en el agua
Condiciones en vivo
Instantánea en vivo del mar y el tiempo cerca de un punto de referencia costero en Estonia, de Open-Meteo. Las condiciones varían a lo largo de la costa; tómalo como orientativo.
Estado del mar y el tiempo en vivo cerca de Lake Kuremaa.
A quién preguntar
Autoridades
Los organismos oficiales responsables de la pesca y las licencias.
Environmental Board (Keskkonnaamet)
environment / fisheries enforcement authority
keskkonnaamet.eeIssues fishing cards; general fishing supervision.Ministry of Climate (Kliimaministeerium, formerly Ministry of the Environment)
environment ministry / policy authority
kliimaministeerium.eeSets recreational fishing fee and policy; publishes the recreational fishing pocket guide.Ministry of Regional Affairs and Agriculture (Regionaal- ja Põllumajandusministeerium)
fisheries / agriculture authority
agri.eeFisheries (kalandus) policy and recreational fishing information.Environmental Inspectorate / emergency violation line
enforcement
keskkonnaamet.eeRound-the-clock operative phone 1313 to report fishing violations; Rescue Board 112.
De dónde proviene
Fuentes
Cada afirmación de esta página se remonta a una de estas referencias.
- [01]
Fishing Rules (Kalapüügieeskiri), Government Regulation No. 65, English translation (consolidated, in force 19.06.2022)
Oficialfaolex.fao.orgConsultado Jun 14 - [02]
Pocket guide for recreational fishing in Estonia 2019, Ministry of the Environment
Oficialkliimaministeerium.eeConsultado Jun 14 - [03]
Fishing Act (Kalapüügiseadus), consolidated English text - Riigi Teataja
Oficialriigiteataja.eeConsultado Jun 14 - [04]
Kalapüügieeskiri - Riigi Teataja (Estonian original)
Oficialriigiteataja.eeConsultado Jun 14 - [05]
Fishing rights - Environmental Board (Keskkonnaamet)
Oficialkeskkonnaamet.eeConsultado Jun 14 - [06]
Temporary fishing restrictions, fishing rights fee and limit number of fishing devices (English) - FAOLEX
Oficialfaolex.fao.orgConsultado Jun 14
Notas del investigador
Spearfishing is termed 'allveepüük' (underwater fishing) in Estonian law and is treated as a class of recreational fishing gear (harpoon gun + harpoon), not a separate sport. Verbatim legal provisions were taken from the FAOLEX English translation of the Fishing Rules (Government Regulation No. 65 of 16.06.2016, consolidated to 19.06.2022) and from the Ministry of the Environment's 2019 Pocket Guide; both are official sources. The Riigi Teataja pages render legal text via JavaScript and could not be scraped as plain text, so the FAOLEX mirror is cited for verbatim text while Riigi Teataja is listed as the canonical instrument source. The catch-limit clause numbering in § 20(7) lists '5 places' in the machine translation, which corresponds to pike-perch (koha); rendered here as pike-perch. Coordinates for lakes/waterbodies are approximate centroids from general geography, not from the legal text; the only coordinates explicitly in the law are river-mouth boundary points (not all reproduced here). Fee figures are the 2019 published amounts and may have changed; verify current fees with the Ministry/Environmental Board before relying on them.
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