SpearfishingMap

Malta

Europe · Southern Europe

Recreational spearfishing is legal in Malta and does not require a dedicated licence, but it is tightly regulated by directly-applicable EU law. Under Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 (and previously Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006) spear guns may only be used in recreational fishing WITHOUT an aqualung (underwater breathing apparatus / scuba) and only by day, from dawn until dusk; night spearfishing and spearfishing on scuba are prohibited. Spearfishing is also banned inside marine conservation areas, voluntary marine reserves around wrecks (e.g. Cirkewwa), designated swimmers'/bathing zones and protected archaeological zones at sea. EU minimum conservation reference sizes (Annex IX) apply to catch, recreational catch may not be sold, and bluefin tuna is effectively catch-and-release for recreational fishers. The national framework is the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Cap. 425.

Restricted
Confianza de los datosConfianza media

Última actualización junio 15, 2026

Marco regulador

  • §Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Chapter 425 of the Laws of Malta (Act II of 2001, as amended)
  • §Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of 20 June 2019 on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures
  • §Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006 of 21 December 2006 concerning management measures for the sustainable exploitation of fishery resources in the Mediterranean Sea
  • §Fishing Vessels Regulations, Subsidiary Legislation 425.07
  • §Notice to Mariners No. 5 of 2008 (Conservation Areas Around Wrecks)
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.

01Article 7(1)(g)Malta (EU directly-applicable regulation) · national

Prohibited fishing gears and methods - projectiles and spear guns

Regulation (EU) 2019/1241

ENOriginal

any type of projectile, with the exception of those used to kill caged or trapped tuna and of hand-held spears and spear guns used in recreational fishing without an aqualung, from dawn until dusk.

02Article 8(4)Malta (EU directly-applicable regulation, replaced by Reg. (EU) 2019/1241) · national

Restriction on spear-guns with breathing apparatus and at night

Council Regulation (EC) No 1967/2006

ENOriginal

Spear-guns shall be prohibited if used in conjunction with underwater breathing apparatus (aqualung) or at night from sunset to dawn.

03Long title and Article 1Malta · national

Fisheries Conservation and Management Act - short title and scope

Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Chapter 425 (Act II of 2001)

ENOriginal

To make provision for the regulation, conservation and management of the fisheries of Malta and matters incidental thereto. ... 1. The short title of this Act is Fisheries Conservation and Management Act.

04Article 2 (Interpretation)Malta · national

Definition of commercial fishing (excludes recreational fishing)

Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Chapter 425 (Act II of 2001)

ENOriginal

"commercial fishing" means all fishing operations with the exception of subsistence fishing and recreational fishing;

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.

  • RestringidoAll spearfishing (time-of-day restriction)sunset – dawn

    Spearfishing with spear guns is prohibited at night, from sunset/dusk until dawn; spear guns may only be used in daylight (dawn until dusk). Basis: Reg. (EU) 2019/1241 Art. 7(1)(g); Council Reg. (EC) 1967/2006 Art. 8(4).

    legislation.gov.uk
  • RestringidoDesignated bathing / swimmers' zones (seasonal, typically summer)unknown – unknown

    Fishing, including spearfishing, is not allowed in designated swimming zones; these are set seasonally (mainly summer) and change year to year, so local notices must be checked.

    spearfishing.mt

Permiso para pescar

Licencia

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

No se requiere licenciaa través de Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA), Malta
No se requiere licencia
Tipo
No dedicated spearfishing licence; recreational shore/underwater fishing requires no permit
Coste
None for recreational spearfishing
Validez
n/a
Cómo obtenerla
No licence is required to spearfish recreationally in Malta. A special recreational permit from the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture is only needed for specific activities such as private bluefin tuna fishing or for fishing implements not otherwise permitted.
Autoridad
Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA), Malta
Portal oficial de licencias · dfa.gov.mt

Equipo y técnica

Normas de equipo

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

Fusil de pescaPermitido
EscafandraProhibido

Restricciones

  • Spear guns may NOT be used in conjunction with underwater breathing apparatus (aqualung/scuba); free-diving / breath-hold only
  • Spear guns may only be used by day, from dawn until dusk; night spearfishing is prohibited
  • Spear gun defined in EU law as a pneumatic or mechanically powered hand-held gun that shoots a spear for the purpose of underwater fishing

Restrictions derive from directly-applicable EU law (Reg. (EU) 2019/1241 Art. 7(1)(g), formerly Council Reg. (EC) 1967/2006 Art. 8(4)). No specific national cap on number of spears was identified.

Lo que puedes capturar

Límites de captura y especies protegidas

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

Límite diario

No specific recreational daily bag limit identified for general species; recreational catch may NOT be sold. Bluefin tuna effectively catch-and-release (retain only if over 115 cm / 30 kg and may not be marketed).

Tallas mínimas

  • European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)mín. 25 cm
  • Groupers (Epinephelus spp.)mín. 45 cm
  • White sea-bream (Diplodus sargus)mín. 23 cm
  • Gilt-head sea-bream (Sparus aurata)mín. 20 cm
  • Common sea bream / red porgy (Pagrus pagrus)mín. 18 cm
  • Red mullets (Mullus spp.)mín. 11 cm
  • Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus)mín. 115 cm

Especies protegidas — no capturar

  • ProtegidaAtlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) - recreational catch effectively catch-and-release, may not be marketed
  • ProtegidaDusky grouper / groupers (Epinephelus spp.) - minimum size and conservation concern
  • ProtegidaDentex and amberjack - minimum legal sizes apply

Minimum sizes are the EU Mediterranean minimum conservation reference sizes set in Annex IX of Regulation (EU) 2019/1241. Bluefin tuna minimum landing reference is 115 cm or 30 kg. Recreational anglers may not sell any part of their catch.

Quién puede pescar

Visitantes y residentes

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

Visitantes extranjeros

Permitido

Restricciones

  • Same rules as residents: no scuba, daylight only, respect protected/swimmer/conservation zones, EU minimum sizes, no sale of catch

No spearfishing licence is required in Malta for residents or tourists, so foreigners may spearfish recreationally under the same EU and national rules. No nationality-specific restriction was identified.

Residentes

No recreational spearfishing licence required

Recreational spearfishing requires no permit for residents. Owning/operating a fishing vessel is separately regulated under the Fishing Vessels Regulations (S.L. 425.07).

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

  • Maltese coastal waters (general, outside protected/swimmer/conservation zones)

    Recreational shore and boat spearfishing is generally permitted in Maltese coastal waters by daylight without scuba, subject to EU minimum sizes and no-sale rules, provided the area is not a marine conservation area, voluntary marine reserve, archaeological zone or designated bathing zone.

    No scuba/aqualung; daylight only; EU Annex IX minimum sizes; catch may not be sold; bluefin tuna catch-and-release for recreational fishers.

    divinginfo.mt

Áreas prohibidas

Ver en el mapa

Condiciones en el agua

Condiciones en vivo

Instantánea en vivo del mar y el tiempo cerca de un punto de referencia costero en Malta, 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 Cirkewwa Voluntary Marine Reserve (P29 and Rozi wrecks area).

Condiciones

A quién preguntar

Autoridades

Los organismos oficiales responsables de la pesca y las licencias.

  • Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA)

    fisheries authority

    dfa.gov.mtGhammieri Government Farm, Triq l-Ingiered, Marsa MRS 3303, Malta; email infofisheries.mafa@gov.mt; tel +356 2292 6990

  • Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights

    environment / agriculture ministry

    agric.gov.mtMalta

  • Transport Malta (Ports and Yachting / Notices to Mariners)

    maritime authority

    transport.gov.mtRescue Coordination Centre tel 21809279 / 22494202

De dónde proviene

Fuentes

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

  1. [01]

    Laws related to diving and the marine environment in Malta - divinginfo.mt

    Secundaria
    divinginfo.mtConsultado Jun 15
  2. [02]

    Spearfishing Malta - Regulations, Rules, Prohibited Zones

    community
    spearfishing.mtConsultado Jun 15
  3. [03]

    Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, Article 7 (Prohibited fishing gears and methods)

    Oficial
    legislation.gov.ukConsultado Jun 15
  4. [04]

    Regulation (EU) 2019/1241, Annex IX (minimum conservation reference sizes, Mediterranean)

    Oficial
    legislation.gov.ukConsultado Jun 15
  5. [05]

    Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Chapter 425 of the Laws of Malta (UN DOALOS copy)

    Oficial
    un.orgConsultado Jun 15
  6. [06]

    Cirkewwa Voluntary Marine Reserve - spearfishing illegal; cites EC 1967/2006 Art 8(4)

    community
    cirkewwavoluntarymarinereserve.blogspot.comConsultado Jun 15
  7. [07]

    Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA) - official website

    Oficial
    dfa.gov.mtConsultado Jun 15
  8. [08]

    Malta Fishing Forum - Local Fishing Regulations (cites S.L. 10.12, EC 1967/2006, EC 302/2009)

    community
    maltafishingforum.comConsultado Jun 15

Notas del investigador

Malta has no standalone spearfishing statute; recreational spearfishing legality is governed by (a) directly-applicable EU technical-measures law - Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 (replacing Council Reg. (EC) 1967/2006), which permits hand-held spears and spear guns in recreational fishing only WITHOUT an aqualung and only from dawn until dusk, and (b) the national Fisheries Conservation and Management Act, Cap. 425. Net effect: spearfishing is allowed but restricted (no scuba, daylight only, no protected/swimmer/conservation/archaeological zones, EU minimum sizes, no sale of catch). No recreational licence is required. The verbatim EC 1967/2006 Art. 8(4) text was retrieved from a community page that quotes it directly; the equivalent in-force provision (Reg. (EU) 2019/1241 Art. 7(1)(g)) was retrieved verbatim from the legislation.gov.uk retained-EU-law mirror. EUR-Lex pages would not render via the fetch tool. Cirkewwa coordinates are approximate (the wreck/reserve location, not an official boundary). Confidence set to medium: the in-force legal text and framework are well sourced, but the official EUR-Lex and Maltese government pages for precise national implementing notices and the full list of named conservation/swimmer zones could not all be directly retrieved.

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