SpearfishingMap

Guernsey

Europe · Northern Europe

Guernsey (Bailiwick of Guernsey, a British Crown Dependency) has no licensing scheme or explicit prohibition for recreational spearfishing; sea-fisheries licensing applies to commercial fishing vessels only. Recreational spearfishing/freediving for fish is therefore generally permitted, but it is heavily constrained by species rules under the Fishing Ordinance, 1997 and its subordinate orders: minimum landing sizes apply to all prescribed species, the prized ormer (Haliotis tuberculata, a wild abalone) must NOT be taken by diving or while wearing a wetsuit/snorkel/breathing apparatus and may only be gathered by hand on foot during a few permitted 'ormering tides' (Jan-Apr) and never between sunset and sunrise, and certain restricted/controlled inshore waters limit some gear and methods. Scuba (aqualung) spearfishing is in practice not accepted, consistent with surrounding UK/EU practice that spearfishing be done only while freediving/snorkelling. Confidence is medium: minimum-size, ormer and seasonal rules are sourced from official/legislative texts, but no Guernsey statute expressly names 'spearfishing/speargun', so the top-level legality is inferred from the absence of any prohibition and from the species/method rules that do exist.

Restricted
Confianza de los datosConfianza media

Última actualización diciembre 1, 2024

Marco regulador

  • §The Fishing Ordinance, 1997 (Ordinance No. XXV of 1997)
  • §The Fishing (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022 (P.2022/97; in force 25 November 2022)
  • §The Fishing (Minimum Size and Prescribed Species) Order, 1997 (in force 1 November 1997)
  • §The Restricted Fishing Areas Order, 1997 (in force 1 November 1997)
  • §The Fishing (Prohibition of Importation of Ormers) Order, 1999
  • §The Fishing (Licensing and Protection of Fisheries) Ordinance, 1987
  • §The Sea Fish Licensing (Bailiwick of Guernsey) Law, 2012 (commercial vessel licensing)
Licencia obligatoria
No obligatoria
Fusil de pesca
Permitido
Escafandra
Prohibido
Extranjeros
Bienvenidos

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.

01Section 3 (inserting new subsection 3(3A) into the Fishing Ordinance, 1997)Bailiwick of Guernsey · national

Prohibition on taking ormers between sunset and sunrise

The Fishing (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022 (P.2022/97), amending the Fishing Ordinance, 1997

ENOriginal

3. In section 3, immediately after subsection (3) insert the following subsection - "(3A) Notwithstanding anything in this section, a person shall not take ormers at any time between the hours of sunset and sunrise.".

02Explanatory Memorandum, Section 3Bailiwick of Guernsey · national

Explanatory memorandum on ormer shore-gathering restrictions

The Fishing (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022 (P.2022/97) - Explanatory Memorandum

ENOriginal

Section 3 amends the Fishing Ordinance to provide that the taking of ormers at any time between the hours of sunset and sunrise is prohibited. This was the position in legislation prior to the enactment of the Fishing Ordinance. The policy letter that led to the enactment of the Fishing Ordinance proposed that no changes should be made to the restrictions concerning the shoregathering of ormers. This amendment therefore corrects an oversight and gives effect to the States resolution of 30th October 1996.

03Section 2 (inserting new subsection 1(4) into the Fishing Ordinance, 1997)Bailiwick of Guernsey · national

Power to regulate taking, buying and selling of prescribed species

The Fishing (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022 (P.2022/97), amending the Fishing Ordinance, 1997

ENOriginal

2. In section 1, immediately after subsection (3) insert the following subsection - "(4) The Committee may by order regulate the import, export, taking, buying and selling of any fish which is of a prescribed species.".

04Section 1(1) and Schedule 1, Parts I and IIBailiwick of Guernsey · national

Minimum sizes of prescribed species (molluscs, crustaceans, fish)

The Fishing (Minimum Size and Prescribed Species) Order, 1997

ENOriginal

SCHEDULE 1 - MINIMUM SIZES OF PRESCRIBED SPECIES. PART II - OTHER SPECIES. Crustaceans: Edible crab (Cancer pagurus) 140; Spider crab (Maia squinado) 120; European lobster (Homarus gammarus) 85; Crawfish (Palinurus elephas) 230; Lady crab (Macropipus puber) 50. Molluscs: Wild ormer (Haliotis tuberculata) 80; Cultivated ormer (Haliotis tuberculata) 60; Scallop (Pecten maximus) 100. Vertebrates: Mackerel (Scomber scombrus) 200; Herring (Clupea harengus) 200; Horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) 150; Skate/Ray (Raja spp., Dasyatis pastinacea, Myliobatis aquila, Torpedo marmorata) 300. [Sizes in millimetres; method of measurement codes defined in Schedule 2. Part I adopts the minimum sizes in Annex II (Region 2) of EC Council Regulation 894/97 for species including bass, black sea bream, brill, cod, conger eel, dab, flounder, grey mullet, haddock, hake, lemon sole, megrim, plaice, pollack, red mullet, red sea bream, saithe, shad, sole, turbot, whiting and witch flounder.]

05Section 2(1)Bailiwick of Guernsey · national

Restriction on export of ormers and sandeels

The Fishing (Minimum Size and Prescribed Species) Order, 1997

ENOriginal

2. (1) Subject to subsection (2), for the purposes of section 2(2) of the 1997 Ordinance, the Committee shall not grant an export licence in respect of - (a) ormers (Haliotis tuberculata), other than cultivated ormers; or (b) sandeels (Ammodytidae: Linnaeus 1758) taken from within territorial waters or the foreshore.

06Sections 1 and 2Bailiwick of Guernsey · national

Restriction on trawling and dredging in controlled waters; crawfish net ban

The Restricted Fishing Areas Order, 1997

ENOriginal

1. (1) A person shall not use or cause or permit any other person to use a boat within any part of the controlled waters - (a) during the period commencing on the 1st April in each year and ending on the 30th day of September next following, both dates inclusive, for the purpose of fishing by any method of trawling whatsoever; or (b) at any time for the purpose of fishing by any means of dredging whatsoever. (2) A person shall not use or cause or permit any other person to use a boat carrying a beam trawl or more than one beam trawls, the length or aggregate length of which, as the case may be, is greater than eight metres, within territorial waters for the purpose of fishing for any species of fish. 2. (1) A person shall not use or cause or permit any other person to use in territorial waters any net for the purpose of fishing for crawfish. (2) Any crawfish caught in contravention of subsection (1) shall be returned to the sea forthwith.

07Section 1Bailiwick of Guernsey · national

Prohibition on importation of ormers

The Fishing (Prohibition of Importation of Ormers) Order, 1999 (1999 No. 33)

ENOriginal

1. (1) Subject to paragraph (2), no person shall import - (a) any ormers of the species Haliotis tuberculata (commonly known as ormers), whether dead or alive; or (b) any eggs or larvae of such ormers. (2) This section does not apply to preserved ormers.

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.

Ene
Feb
Mar
Abr
May
Jun
Jul
Ago
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dic
VedaRestringidoAbierto
  • AbiertoOrmer (Haliotis tuberculata) - shore gatheringEne 1 – Abr 30

    Ormers may only be gathered between 1 January and 30 April, and only on permitted 'ormering tides' - the day of each new moon and each full moon and the two days following. Gathering is by hand on foot at low tide only; diving for ormers and use of a wetsuit, snorkel/goggles or any breathing apparatus is not permitted. Taking ormers between sunset and sunrise is prohibited (Fishing (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022).

  • VedaOrmer (Haliotis tuberculata)May 1 – Dic 31

    Outside 1 January - 30 April, and on any day that is not a permitted ormering tide, the taking of ormers is not allowed.

  • VedaControlled waters around Guernsey (trawling)Abr 1 – Sep 30

    Trawling by any method is prohibited within the defined controlled waters from 1 April to 30 September inclusive each year. Dredging within controlled waters is prohibited at all times. (Not specific to spearfishing but defines a restricted inshore zone.)

Permiso para pescar

Licencia

Qué necesitas para poder estar en el agua, cuánto cuesta y cómo conseguirlo.

No se requiere licenciaa través de States of Guernsey - Sea Fisheries (Committee for Economic Development)
No se requiere licencia
Tipo
No recreational licence
Coste
n/a
Validez
n/a
Cómo obtenerla
No licence is required for recreational sea fishing, shore gathering or spearfishing in Guernsey. The Bailiwick of Guernsey licensing scheme administered by Sea Fisheries applies to commercial fishing vessels only.
Autoridad
States of Guernsey - Sea Fisheries (Committee for Economic Development)

Equipo y técnica

Normas de equipo

Qué equipo está permitido, cómo puede usarse y las condiciones asociadas.

Fusil de pescaPermitido
EscafandraProhibido

Restricciones

  • No Guernsey statute expressly names spearguns; recreational spearfishing is treated as permitted while freediving/snorkelling, consistent with surrounding UK/EU practice that spearfishing be done without underwater breathing apparatus.
  • Diving for ormers is not permitted; ormers must be gathered by hand on foot at low tide and not while wearing a wetsuit, snorkel/goggles or breathing apparatus.
  • Use of any net to fish for crawfish in territorial waters is prohibited.
  • All minimum landing sizes under the Fishing (Minimum Size and Prescribed Species) Order, 1997 apply to anything taken, including by spear.

scuba_allowed is marked false on the basis that scuba (aqualung) spearfishing is not an accepted method and ormer-taking by diving is expressly prohibited; no Guernsey provision was found that explicitly permits scuba spearfishing. Treat speargun_allowed=true as an inference (no prohibition found), not as an express statutory authorisation.

Lo que puedes capturar

Límites de captura y especies protegidas

Cuotas diarias, tallas mínimas y especies que nunca deben capturarse.

Límite diario

No general recreational daily bag limit found in Guernsey legislation for fish taken by spear; species-specific UK/EU recreational limits (e.g. sea bass) may apply to anglers but were not confirmed as Guernsey statute.

Tallas mínimas

  • European lobster (Homarus gammarus)mín. 8.5 cm
  • Edible crab (Cancer pagurus)mín. 14 cm
  • Spider crab (Maia squinado)mín. 12 cm
  • Crawfish (Palinurus elephas)mín. 23 cm
  • Lady crab (Macropipus puber)mín. 5 cm
  • Wild ormer (Haliotis tuberculata)mín. 8 cm
  • Cultivated ormer (Haliotis tuberculata)mín. 6 cm
  • Scallop (Pecten maximus)mín. 10 cm
  • Mackerel (Scomber scombrus)mín. 20 cm
  • Herring (Clupea harengus)mín. 20 cm
  • Horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)mín. 15 cm
  • Skate/Ray (Raja spp. and others)mín. 30 cm

Especies protegidas — no capturar

  • ProtegidaWild ormer (Haliotis tuberculata) - taking restricted to permitted ormering tides Jan-Apr, by hand on foot only, no diving, min size 80mm, export and import prohibited

Minimum sizes are taken from Schedule 1 Part II of the Fishing (Minimum Size and Prescribed Species) Order, 1997, where values are stated in millimetres (converted to cm here). Part I additionally adopts the EC Council Regulation 894/97 (Region 2) minimum sizes for finfish such as bass, bream, cod, mullet, pollack, plaice, sole and turbot; those numeric values were not legible in the retrieved table and are not reproduced here to avoid fabrication.

Quién puede pescar

Visitantes y residentes

Cómo difieren las normas para los visitantes extranjeros y los residentes locales.

Visitantes extranjeros

Permitido

Restricciones

  • Visitors are subject to the same rules as residents: minimum landing sizes, ormer gathering restrictions and method/zone rules apply equally.
  • Ormers gathered may not be exported (only cultivated ormers may be exported under licence), and importation of ormers is prohibited.

No licence or residency requirement applies to recreational sea fishing or spearfishing for visitors; the same species and method rules apply to everyone.

Residentes

None (no recreational licence scheme)

Ormering is a traditional Guernsey shore-gathering activity open to the public during permitted tides; no permit is issued. Same minimum-size and method rules apply to residents and visitors alike.

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 prohibidas

Condiciones en el agua

Condiciones en vivo

Instantánea en vivo del mar y el tiempo cerca de un punto de referencia costero en Guernsey, 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 Controlled waters - North Guernsey (Fort Le Marchant to Fort Pembroke / Chouet to Rousse).

Condiciones

A quién preguntar

Autoridades

Los organismos oficiales responsables de la pesca y las licencias.

  • Sea Fisheries (States of Guernsey, Committee for Economic Development)

    fisheries authority

    gov.ggTel: +44 (0)1481 221161
  • Guernsey Harbours

    maritime authority

De dónde proviene

Fuentes

Cada afirmación de esta página se remonta a una de estas referencias.

  1. [01]

    The Fishing (Amendment) Ordinance, 2022 (P.2022/97) - States of Guernsey

    Oficial
    gov.ggConsultado Jun 15
  2. [02]

    The Fishing (Minimum Size and Prescribed Species) Order, 1997 - FAOLEX (FAO)

    Oficial
    faolex.fao.orgConsultado Jun 15
  3. [03]

    The Restricted Fishing Areas Order, 1997 - FAOLEX (FAO)

    Oficial
    faolex.fao.orgConsultado Jun 15
  4. [04]

    The Fishing (Restrictions on the Use of Trot Line and Set Net) Order, 1997 - FAOLEX (FAO)

    Oficial
    faolex.fao.orgConsultado Jun 15
  5. [05]

    The Fishing (Prohibition of Importation of Ormers) Order, 1999 - FAOLEX (FAO)

    Oficial
    faolex.fao.orgConsultado Jun 15
  6. [06]

    Fishing and Aquaculture - States of Guernsey

    Oficial
    gov.ggConsultado Jun 15
  7. [07]

    Sea Fish Licensing (Guernsey) Ordinance, 2003 - Guernsey Legal Resources

    Oficial
    guernseylegalresources.ggConsultado Jun 15
  8. [08]

    Ormering: Your guide to the 2024 season - Bailiwick Express

    Secundaria
    bailiwickexpress.comConsultado Jun 15
  9. [09]

    Ormering reminder as tides are right for picking - Bailiwick Express

    Secundaria
    bailiwickexpress.comConsultado Jun 15

Notas del investigador

Guernsey is the main island of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, a self-governing British Crown Dependency with its own fisheries legislation (separate from the UK and from Jersey). No Guernsey law expressly mentions 'spearfishing' or 'speargun', and there is no recreational fishing licence; the Bailiwick licensing scheme (Sea Fish Licensing Law 2012 / Sea Fish Licensing Ordinance 2003) covers commercial vessels only. Recreational spearfishing while freediving/snorkelling is therefore treated as permitted, subject to the species and method rules captured here. The single most important constraint for divers/spearos is the ormer regime: ormers (wild abalone) may NOT be taken by diving or while wearing a wetsuit/snorkel/breathing apparatus, only by hand on foot at low water on permitted 'ormering tides' between 1 January and 30 April, never between sunset and sunrise, minimum 80mm. Minimum landing sizes apply to all prescribed species (Schedule 1 of the 1997 Order). The EC Council Regulation 894/97 finfish minimum sizes referenced in Part I of that Order were not legible in the retrieved PDF and are intentionally omitted rather than guessed. Coordinates given for the three restricted/controlled-water zones are approximate centroids for the parish-line boundaries described verbatim in the Restricted Fishing Areas Order, 1997, not surveyed coordinates from the legal text (which describes boundaries by named forts/towers/points). Data confidence: medium - ormer, minimum-size and zone rules are well sourced from legislation; the top-level spearfishing legality and the speargun/scuba positions are reasoned inferences from the absence of any prohibition, so should be confirmed with Sea Fisheries before relying on them operationally.

Mantente al díaAcceso anticipado

Avísame cuando cambien las normas de Guernsey

Te enviaremos un correo cuando se actualicen las temporadas o la normativa de Guernsey en nuestro conjunto de datos.

Avísame sobre

Sin spam — solo avisos de cambios. Date de baja cuando quieras. Nunca vendemos tu correo.