Guam
Oceania · Micronesia
Recreational spearfishing is legal in Guam but only by breath-hold (freediving / snorkeling). Fishing with SCUBA or any other self-contained or surface-supplied underwater breathing apparatus (including Nitrox, surface-supplied air and rebreathers) was banned territory-wide by Public Law 35-78 (signed 20 March 2020), which added 5 GCA Article 1 Chapter 63 provisions; SCUBA-assisted fishing is a felony. All forms of fishing, including spearfishing, are prohibited inside Guam's five marine preserves (Tumon Bay, Piti Bomb Holes, Sasa Bay, Achang Reef Flat, Pati Point) except as specifically permitted by regulation (5 GCA § 63116.2). No general recreational fishing license is required for residents or visitors. Several species (sea turtles, marine mammals, humphead/Napoleon wrasse) are fully protected under territorial and U.S. federal law.
Última actualización junio 15, 2026
Marco regulador
- §Guam Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 63 (Fish, Game, Forestry and Conservation), Article 1
- §Public Law 24-21 (1997) - establishment of marine preserves
- §Public Law 28-107 (2006) - Marine Preserves provisions (5 GCA §§ 63116.1, 63116.2)
- §Public Law 35-78 (signed 20 March 2020) - prohibition of fishing with SCUBA / underwater breathing apparatus (added 5 GCA §§ 63101(dd), 63116.3)
- §Guam Administrative Rules, Title 9, Chapter 12 - Fishing Regulations (marine preserve take rules)
- 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.
Activities within Marine Preserves
Guam Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 63, Article 1
All forms of fishing, and the taking or altering of aquatic life, living or dead coral and any resources to include, but not limited to, mangroves, seagrass, sand, and rocks within a preserve, is unlawful except as specifically permitted by the Director of Agriculture through regulations. SOURCE: Added by P.L. 28-107:4 (April 14, 2006).
Purpose of Marine Preserves
Guam Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 63, Article 1
The purpose of the marine preserve is to protect, preserve, manage, and conserve aquatic life, habitat, and marine communities and ecosystems, and to ensure the health, welfare and integrity of marine resources for current and future generations by managing, regulating, restricting, or prohibiting activities to include, but not limited to, fishing, development, human uses. SOURCE: Added by P.L. 28-107:3 (April 14, 2006).
Taking of Fish
Guam Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 63, Article 1
Fish may be taken by lawful means at any time except as prohibited by regulation made under § 63127; provided, however, that it shall be unlawful for any person to place or maintain a drag net (Chenchulu or tekin) within Agana Boat Basin proper; and further provided that angling and cast net (talaya) fishing are the only approved methods of fishing within the Agana Boat Basin proper and within fifty feet of the western edge of the Agana Boat Basin channel ...
Definitions - juvenile size limits (Goatfish, Jacks, Rabbitfish)
Guam Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 63, Article 1
(i) Juvenile Goatfish (Ti'ao) - is defined as fish within the family Mullidae (Goatfishes) that are four (4) inches (100 mm) or smaller when measured from the tip of the snout or jaw to the rear center edge or fork of the tail (fork length); (j) Juvenile Jacks (I'e') - is defined as fish within the family Carangidae (Jacks) that are four (4) inches (100 mm) or smaller when measured from the tip of the snout or jaw to the rear center edge or fork of the tail (fork length); (k) Juvenile Rabbitfish (Manahak) - is defined as fish within the family Siganidae (Rabbitfishes) that are three (3) inches (76 mm) or smaller when measured from the tip of the snout or jaw to the rear center edge or fork of the tail (fork length);
Penalty (general Chapter 63 violations)
Guam Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 63, Article 1
Any person violating § 63104, § 63105, § 63106, § 63107, or § 63108 of this Article is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, or by a fine of not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500), nor more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000), or by both. ... A violation of any other provision of this Article or its supporting regulations shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof, shall be punishable by a fine of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50), nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500), or by imprisonment of not more than ninety (90) days, or by both fine and imprisonment.
Prohibition of fishing with SCUBA / underwater breathing apparatus (paraphrase from secondary sources - not a verbatim statutory quote)
Public Law 35-78 (signed 20 March 2020); added 5 GCA Article 1, Chapter 63 §§ 63101(dd), 63116.3; amended §§ 63128, 63129
PARAPHRASE (full statutory text of § 63116.3 was not retrievable from an official source; this summarizes the bill as reported): It is unlawful to take any fish with a spear or any other device used for the purpose of taking fish while using SCUBA, as defined in § 63101(dd). The definition of self-contained underwater breathing apparatus covers compressed air or a mixture of air and gas (including Nitrox), and surface-supplied air and rebreathers. Violators are guilty of a felony punishable by up to five years in prison, or a fine of not less than $1,000 and not more than $5,000, or a combination of imprisonment and fines. The bill was Bill 53-35 (Sen. Sabina Perez), signed into law 20 March 2020.
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.
- AbiertoRecreational breath-hold (freediving) spearfishing outside marine preservesEne 1 – Dic 31
Breath-hold spearfishing is permitted year-round in open waters outside the five marine preserves and outside other closed areas. No general closed season is defined for recreational spearfishing in Guam.
Permiso para pescar
Licencia
Qué necesitas para poder estar en el agua, cuánto cuesta y cómo conseguirlo.
- Tipo
- No general recreational fishing/spearfishing license required
- Coste
- None for general recreational fishing; permits are required only for regulated take inside marine preserves
- Validez
- unknown
- Cómo obtenerla
- No license needed for recreational breath-hold spearfishing in open waters. Special take permits inside marine preserves are issued by the Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources (DAWR), Guam Department of Agriculture.
- Autoridad
- Guam Department of Agriculture, Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources (DAWR)
Equipo y técnica
Normas de equipo
Qué equipo está permitido, cómo puede usarse y las condiciones asociadas.
Restricciones
- Fishing with SCUBA / self-contained underwater breathing apparatus is prohibited territory-wide (P.L. 35-78, 2020) - breath-hold (freedive/snorkel) only
- Prohibition extends to compressed air or air/gas mixtures including Nitrox, surface-supplied air, and rebreathers
- Spearfishing (and all fishing) is prohibited inside the five marine preserves except as permitted by regulation
- Explosives, poisons/intoxicating substances and electrical devices for taking fish are prohibited (5 GCA §§ 63104-63108)
Speargun / breath-hold spearfishing is legal and culturally significant (CHamoru tradition). The defining restriction is the SCUBA fishing ban, making Guam a freedive-only spearfishing jurisdiction.
Lo que puedes capturar
Límites de captura y especies protegidas
Cuotas diarias, tallas mínimas y especies que nunca deben capturarse.
Límite diario
unknown
Tallas mínimas
- Goatfish (Mullidae) - 'ti'ao' juvenile thresholdmín. 10 cm
- Jacks (Carangidae) - 'i'e'' juvenile thresholdmín. 10 cm
- Rabbitfish (Siganidae) - 'manahak' juvenile thresholdmín. 7.6 cm
Especies protegidas — no capturar
- ProtegidaAll sea turtles (e.g. green turtle, hawksbill) - protected under Guam's Endangered Species Act and U.S. federal law
- ProtegidaAll marine mammals - protected under U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act
- ProtegidaHumphead / Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)
The cited statutory size figures are the juvenile definitions in 5 GCA § 63101 (goatfish/jacks 4 in / 100 mm, rabbitfish 3 in / 76 mm) used to govern permitted take of juveniles within marine preserves; they are not minimum-keep sizes for general spearfishing. General per-species daily bag and minimum-keep limits for recreational spearfishing in open waters were not retrieved from an official source and are marked unknown. Protected-species list is corroborated by secondary sources; verify against DAWR before fishing.
Quién puede pescar
Visitantes y residentes
Cómo difieren las normas para los visitantes extranjeros y los residentes locales.
Visitantes extranjeros
PermitidoRestricciones
- Same rules as residents: no SCUBA fishing, no spearfishing in marine preserves, protected species may not be taken
Visitors/tourists may spearfish (breath-hold) without a license, subject to the same territorial rules as residents. Guam is a U.S. unincorporated territory; U.S. federal protected-species law also applies.
Residentes
No license required for recreational fishing
Ventajas
- Traditional/cultural fishing methods recognized under 5 GCA § 63101 and § 63133 (Indigenous Fishing Rights); limited cultural take permitted inside some marine preserves under permit
Breath-hold spearfishing is a recognized CHamoru cultural and subsistence activity.
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
Coastal reef and nearshore waters of Guam outside the five marine preserves and outside other federal/military closed areas. Breath-hold spearfishing is permitted; fishing with SCUBA or any underwater breathing apparatus is prohibited territory-wide.
No SCUBA / underwater breathing apparatus (P.L. 35-78); protected species (sea turtles, marine mammals, humphead wrasse) may not be taken; juvenile size definitions apply to goatfish, jacks and rabbitfish.
Áreas prohibidas
- Tumon Bay Marine Preservemarine preserve
From Two Lovers Point to the northeast tip of Hospital Point, Tumon/Tamuning. Spearfishing and all fishing methods prohibited; limited shore-based hook & line and cast net (talaya) take of certain juvenile/rabbitfish species permitted under regulation.
- Piti Bomb Holes Marine Preservemarine preserve
Asan/Piti, from southwest end of Piti Channel mark to Camel Rock to Asan Point. All fishing/harvest prohibited except trolling for pelagics from the reef margin outward and seasonal permitted take of atulai, manahak and achemson. Spearfishing prohibited.
- Sasa Bay Marine Preservemarine preserve
Apra Harbor, from west corner of Polaris Point to southernmost point of Drydock Island, including all water, shoreline and mangroves eastward. No-take zone: all forms of fishing and collection prohibited.
- Achang Reef Flat Marine Preservemarine preserve
Merizo, from the southern side of Manell Channel to the northern side of Ajayan Channel. All fishing/harvest prohibited except trolling for pelagics from the reef margin and seasonal permitted take of atulai, manahak and achemson. Spearfishing prohibited.
- Pati Point Marine Preservemarine preserve
Andersen Air Force Base, Yigo; coastline to Pati Point and southerly to Anao Point. Spearfishing and all fishing prohibited except shore-based hook & line and trolling for pelagics from the reef margin outward. Access also restricted as it lies within a military installation.
Condiciones en el agua
Condiciones en vivo
Instantánea en vivo del mar y el tiempo cerca de un punto de referencia costero en Guam, 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 Tumon Bay Marine Preserve.
A quién preguntar
Autoridades
Los organismos oficiales responsables de la pesca y las licencias.
Guam Department of Agriculture, Division of Aquatic and Wildlife Resources (DAWR)
fisheries / wildlife authority
doag.guam.gov163 Dairy Road, Mangilao, Guam 96913; tel +1 671-735-0294 / 0281; violations hotline +1 671-688-DAWR (3297)Guam Compiler of Laws (Guam Judiciary)
official legislation portal
De dónde proviene
Fuentes
Cada afirmación de esta página se remonta a una de estas referencias.
- [01]
Guam Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 63 (Fish, Game, Forestry & Conservation) - full text (FAO FAOLEX mirror)
Oficialfaolex.fao.orgConsultado Jun 15 - [02]
Guam Code Annotated, Title 5, Chapter 63 - DOAG-hosted copy
Oficialdoag.guam.govConsultado Jun 15 - [03]
DAWR Aquatic Resources - Guam Department of Agriculture
Oficialdoag.guam.govConsultado Jun 15 - [04]
Guam Administrative Rules, Title 9, Chapter 12 - Fishing Regulations (Guam Compiler of Laws)
Oficialguamcourts.govConsultado Jun 15 - [05]
New bill proposes banning fishing with the use of SCUBA gear (Bill 53-35 / P.L. 35-78) - Pacific Daily News / Post Guam
Secundariapostguam.comConsultado Jun 15 - [06]
Guam's Marine Preserves - Guam Coral Reef Initiative
Secundariaguamcoralreefs.infoConsultado Jun 15 - [07]
Underwater diving in Guam (SCUBA spearfishing ban; breath-hold spearfishing) - Wikipedia
Secundariaen.wikipedia.orgConsultado Jun 15
Notas del investigador
Guam is a U.S. unincorporated territory; spearfishing is governed by territorial law (5 GCA Chapter 63 and Guam Administrative Rules Title 9 Chapter 12) plus applicable U.S. federal protections. Key facts: (1) breath-hold spearfishing is legal year-round in open waters and is a recognized CHamoru cultural practice; (2) fishing with SCUBA/underwater breathing apparatus is banned territory-wide and is a felony (P.L. 35-78, 20 March 2020); (3) all fishing including spearfishing is prohibited in the five marine preserves (5 GCA § 63116.2) except permitted take; (4) no general recreational fishing license is required. ANTI-FABRICATION FLAGS: Verbatim §§ 63116, 63116.1, 63116.2, 63101 definitions and 63129 are quoted from an official-text mirror (FAOLEX) that predates P.L. 35-78, so it does NOT contain § 63116.3; the full statutory text of § 63116.3 (the SCUBA ban) could NOT be retrieved from an official source - the law_texts entry for it is an explicitly-labelled paraphrase from secondary news reporting of the bill, not a verbatim quote. Marine-preserve coordinates are approximate centroid estimates derived from the named geographic boundaries (not surveyed legal boundary points). Daily bag limits and general minimum-keep sizes for open-water spearfishing were not located in an official source and are marked unknown. Confidence is medium: legality and structure are well-corroborated, but exact SCUBA-ban wording and quantitative catch limits need confirmation against the current Guam Compiler of Laws and DAWR. The official current Chapter 63 PDF and the GAR Chapter 12 PDF on guamcourts.gov returned HTTP errors during automated retrieval.
Avísame cuando cambien las normas de Guam
Te enviaremos un correo cuando se actualicen las temporadas o la normativa de Guam en nuestro conjunto de datos.