Thermaikos Gulf — whole-gulf year-round spearfishing ban (π.δ. 68/2009)

Spearfishing is banned all year round across the ENTIRE Thermaikos Gulf — not at one spot. Art. 1(β) of Presidential Decree 68/2009 (ΦΕΚ 90 Α΄, 12 June 2009, in force since 12 December 2009) defines the gulf as the whole body of water between the imaginary line joining Cape Megalo Emvolo with the Kavoura Lighthouse (to the north) and the line joining Cape Kassandra with the Stomio Lighthouse (to the south) — roughly the coasts of Pieria, Imathia, the Thessaloniki/Epanomi shore and western Kassandra. Art. 9 §2(γ), derogating from π.δ. 373/1985, bans recreational spearfishing and harpoon (kamaki) fishing outright, with or without a light; professional spearfishing is excluded as well because art. 2 §1 lists the permitted professional gear exhaustively and does not include the speargun. The Hellenic Coast Guard's own prohibition register states the ban applies to both amateurs and professionals, all year. Still cited as being in force by the Thessaloniki Central Port Authority in ΦΕΚ Β΄ 2760/16-05-2024, a decision of 29 April 2024 that recites π.δ. 68/2009 among its legal bases; no instrument amending or repealing the decree exists in the Government Gazette (re-checked 20 August 2026).