SpearfishingMap

Ireland

Europe · Northern Europe

Recreational spearfishing in the sea is legal in the Republic of Ireland and no licence is required for sea spearfishing. It is, however, subject to important restrictions. Spearfishing in freshwater (rivers, lakes) is prohibited. Salmon and sea trout (and other salmonids) may not be taken by spear under any circumstances. Sea bass is heavily regulated: a minimum size of 42 cm, a recreational bag limit of 2 fish per 24 hours from 1 April to 31 December, and a catch-and-release-only / closed period in the early part of the year (March is catch-and-release only). Shellfish (lobster, crab) may NOT be speared and may not be taken by anyone using underwater breathing apparatus (scuba); minimum sizes apply. There is no general national recreational sea-fishing licence, but EU and Irish conservation rules on sizes, bag limits and protected species apply.

Restricted
Confianza de los datosConfianza media

Última actualización junio 24, 2025

Marco regulador

  • §Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 (No. 14 of 1959)
  • §Inland Fisheries Act 2010
  • §Sea-Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Act 2006
  • §Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 230 of 2006)
  • §Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 341 of 2016)
  • §Lobster (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 234 of 2006)
  • §Council Regulation (EC) No 850/98 (technical conservation measures, minimum landing sizes)
  • §Wildlife Acts 1976-2018
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.

01Regulation 8Ireland · national

Possession of undersized bass prohibited

Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 230 of 2006)

ENOriginal

No person shall, within the State, have in possession bass of size less than 40 centimetres measured from the tip of the snout to the end of the tail.

02Regulation 5Ireland · national

Prohibition on netting bass in specified areas

Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 230 of 2006)

ENOriginal

[A person shall not] fish or attempt to fish for bass using nets in the specified areas.

03Explanatory NoteIreland · national

Bass minimum conservation reference size (MCRS) 42 cm

Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 341 of 2016) / EU minimum conservation reference size

ENOriginal

The minimum conservation reference size for sea bass is 42 cm.

04Recreational bass rulesIreland · national

Bass recreational bag limit (2 in 24 hours) and minimum size 42 cm

Inland Fisheries Ireland enforcement guidance (bass bye-law / EU recreational measures)

ENOriginal

It is illegal to keep more than two European Sea Bass caught in any 24-hour period. There is currently a minimum size limit of 42 cm for each Bass retained.

05Regulations 3(1) and 5Ireland · national

V-notched / mutilated lobster may not be retained

Lobster (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 234 of 2006)

ENOriginal

An Irish sea-fishing boat, or a person on board such boat in the specified area shall not retain on board a V notched or mutilated lobster. ... Any V notched or mutilated lobster taken while fishing in the specified area shall be carefully handled and returned to the water from which it was taken.

06SFPA recreational fishers reminderIreland · national

Prohibition on taking shellfish using breathing apparatus (scuba); recreational minimum sizes

Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) recreational crab and lobster guidance

ENOriginal

Never catch crabs or lobster by means of skin-diving, which includes using apparatus of any kind which enables a person to breathe under water. Lobster: minimum size of 87mm and maximum size 127mm (carapace length). Brown crab: minimum size 140mm. Spider crab: 130mm for males and 125mm for females. Never retain a lobster that has been V-notched or has a mutilated tail - they must be released back into the water.

07Section 3 (interpretation)Ireland · national

Definition of fishing engine (instruments capable of taking fish)

Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 (No. 14 of 1959)

ENOriginal

"fishing engine" means any engine, net or other instrument whatsoever capable of being used for the taking of fish.

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
  • RestringidoEuropean sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)Ene 1 – Mar 31

    Early in the year bass is catch-and-release only; for 2025 the month of March remained catch-and-release only (no retention, and therefore no retention by spearfishing).

  • AbiertoEuropean sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)Abr 1 – Dic 31

    From 1 April to 31 December a recreational bag limit of 2 bass per 24 hours applies, with a minimum size of 42 cm.

Permiso para pescar

Licencia

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

No se requiere licenciaa través de Inland Fisheries Ireland (freshwater/salmon); Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (sea-fisheries conservation)
No se requiere licencia
Tipo
No licence required for recreational sea spearfishing. A separate Inland Fisheries Ireland licence is required to fish for salmon and sea trout (which may not be speared in any case).
Coste
N/A for sea spearfishing
Validez
N/A
Cómo obtenerla
No licence application is needed to spearfish permitted sea species from the Irish coast. Anglers targeting salmon/sea trout (rod and line only, not spear) require a State licence from Inland Fisheries Ireland.
Autoridad
Inland Fisheries Ireland (freshwater/salmon); Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (sea-fisheries conservation)

Equipo y técnica

Normas de equipo

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

Fusil de pescaPermitido
EscafandraProhibido

Restricciones

  • Spearguns may be used for sea finfish that are not protected (no salmon, no sea trout, no salmonids).
  • Underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) may not be used to take shellfish (lobster, crab); such species may only be taken by hand or by permitted methods on the surface.
  • Shellfish (lobster, crab) may not be speared.

No national licence is required to own or use a speargun for sea spearfishing. Scuba is specifically prohibited for taking shellfish per SFPA guidance and conservation rules.

Lo que puedes capturar

Límites de captura y especies protegidas

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

Límite diario

Sea bass: maximum 2 fish per angler per 24-hour period during the open period (1 April - 31 December); catch-and-release only earlier in the year.

Tallas mínimas

  • European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)mín. 42 cm
  • European lobster (Homarus gammarus) - carapace lengthmín. 8.7 cm
  • Brown crab (Cancer pagurus) - carapace widthmín. 14 cm
  • Spider crab (Maja squinado) - male, carapacemín. 13 cm
  • Spider crab (Maja squinado) - female, carapacemín. 12.5 cm

Especies protegidas — no capturar

  • ProtegidaAtlantic salmon (Salmo salar) - may not be taken by spear
  • ProtegidaSea trout / brown trout (Salmo trutta) - may not be taken by spear
  • ProtegidaOther salmonids
  • ProtegidaV-notched or mutilated lobster (must be released)

Shellfish must not be taken with breathing apparatus (scuba) and must not be speared; they may only be taken by hand/permitted surface methods. Minimum sizes for lobster and crab are enforced by the SFPA. EU minimum conservation reference sizes apply to many sea species.

Quién puede pescar

Visitantes y residentes

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

Visitantes extranjeros

Permitido

Restricciones

  • Same rules apply to visitors as to residents: no spearing of salmonids, bass size/bag limits, shellfish restrictions, no scuba for shellfish, no freshwater spearfishing.

No special permit is required for non-residents to spearfish permitted sea species recreationally.

Residentes

No sea-spearfishing licence; salmon/sea trout require a State licence (rod and line only).

Residents and non-residents are subject to the same recreational sea-spearfishing rules.

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

  • Recreational sea spearfishing is generally permitted along the Irish coast without a licence, subject to species restrictions (no salmonids), bass conservation rules, shellfish restrictions and protected-area rules.

    No spearing of salmon, sea trout or other salmonids; no spearing of shellfish; bass size/bag limits apply; no scuba for shellfish.

Áreas prohibidas

  • Freshwater (rivers, lakes, canals)freshwater fishery (regulated)

    Spearfishing in freshwater is prohibited in Ireland. Salmonid waters and freshwater fisheries are managed by Inland Fisheries Ireland under the Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 and Inland Fisheries Act 2010.

A quién preguntar

Autoridades

Los organismos oficiales responsables de la pesca y las licencias.

  • Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI)

    fisheries authority

    fisheriesireland.iehttps://www.fisheriesireland.ie/contact
  • Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA)

    sea-fisheries authority

  • Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine

    government department (marine/sea fisheries)

De dónde proviene

Fuentes

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

  1. [01]

    Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 230 of 2006)

    Oficial
    irishstatutebook.ieConsultado Jun 14
  2. [02]

    Bass (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2016 (S.I. No. 341 of 2016)

    Oficial
    irishstatutebook.ieConsultado Jun 14
  3. [03]

    Lobster (Conservation of Stocks) Regulations 2006 (S.I. No. 234 of 2006)

    Oficial
    irishstatutebook.ieConsultado Jun 14
  4. [04]

    Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959, Section 3 (interpretation)

    Oficial
    irishstatutebook.ieConsultado Jun 14
  5. [05]

    Inland Fisheries Ireland - Illegal Bass fishing (recreational bass rules)

    Oficial
    fisheriesireland.ieConsultado Jun 14
  6. [06]

    Inland Fisheries Ireland - Our legislation

    Oficial
    fisheriesireland.ieConsultado Jun 14
  7. [07]

    SFPA reminder to recreational fishers on crab and lobster fishing (minimum sizes, no breathing apparatus)

    Secundaria
    thefishingdaily.comConsultado Jun 14
  8. [08]

    Spearfishing Ireland - Irish Spearfishing Regulations (national spearfishing federation site)

    community
    spearfishing.ieConsultado Jun 14
  9. [09]

    Sea Angling Ireland forum - Is spearfishing legal in the sea in Ireland

    community
    sea-angling-ireland.orgConsultado Jun 14
  10. [10]

    Lancaster Scuba - Is Spearfishing Legal in Ireland (secondary summary)

    Secundaria
    lancasterscuba.comConsultado Jun 14

Notas del investigador

Confidence is MEDIUM. Core conservation provisions are anchored in verbatim primary law from the Irish Statute Book (S.I. 230/2006 bass possession size and net ban; S.I. 234/2006 v-notch lobster rule; Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 s.3 definition) and official Inland Fisheries Ireland / SFPA guidance (42 cm bass minimum, 2-fish 24h bag limit, recreational shellfish minimum sizes, prohibition on using breathing apparatus to take shellfish). Two key spearfishing-specific points are well-attested by the national spearfishing federation (spearfishing.ie) and angling community/secondary sources but I could NOT pin them to a single verbatim primary-law section within the research budget: (a) the outright ban on spearfishing in freshwater, and (b) the prohibition on taking salmon/sea trout/salmonids by spear. These are treated as restrictions, not fabricated as verbatim law. The Fisheries (Consolidation) Act 1959 prohibits taking salmon/trout by instruments other than rod and line and restricts unlawful instruments, but the exact section/subsection wording could not be retrieved verbatim (irishstatutebook section numbering for the enacted text did not surface the instruments-prohibition text on the pages fetched). The bass 40 cm figure in S.I. 230/2006 is the original 2006 possession size; the current binding minimum conservation reference size is 42 cm (EU MCRS, reflected in later instruments/guidance) - both are recorded. spearfishing.ie was not fetchable (expired TLS certificate) and fishinginireland.info returned HTTP 403, so those were corroborated via search snippets and secondary sources rather than direct fetch. Applies to the Republic of Ireland only; Northern Ireland is a separate UK jurisdiction with different rules.

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