Portugal
Europe · Southern Europe
Recreational spearfishing (pesca submarina / caca submarina) is legal in mainland Portugal and is one of the four recognised modalities of recreational sea fishing (pesca ludica). It requires a specific recreational fishing licence issued by the DGRM (or the 'all modalities' licence). It may only be practised in apnea (breath-hold); the use of any artificial breathing apparatus (scuba / compressed gas) while spearfishing is prohibited, and a speargun may not be carried on board a vessel together with breathing apparatus. The spearfisher must be marked at the surface by a signalling buoy/board flying the international Alfa flag, which must stay within 30 m. Night spearfishing (between sunset and sunrise) is banned, as is the use of speargun propulsion based on chemical detonation or compressed gas. A daily catch limit of 15 kg applies to spearfishing (largest specimen excluded). Selling any recreational catch is forbidden. Spearfishing is prohibited or heavily restricted inside several marine protected areas (Berlengas, Arrabida/Luiz Saldanha, SW Alentejo & Costa Vicentina, Litoral Norte). Capture of the dusky grouper (mero, Epinephelus marginatus) is prohibited. The autonomous regions of Azores and Madeira have their own separate regimes.
Última actualización septiembre 27, 2024
Marco regulador
- §Decreto-Lei n.o 246/2000, de 29 de setembro (regime juridico da pesca ludica), as amended (incl. Decreto-Lei n.o 101/2013)
- §Portaria n.o 14/2014, de 23 de janeiro (regulamenta o exercicio da pesca ludica)
- §Tamanhos Minimos de Referencia de Conservacao (TMRC) - DGRM / Regulamento (UE) 2019/1241
- §Portaria n.o 83-B/2024, de 27 de setembro (proibicao da captura de mero - Acores)
- §Resolucao do Conselho do Governo Regional (Madeira) n.o 604/2022 (proibicao de captura de mero - Madeira)
- Licencia obligatoria
- 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.
Pesca submarina must be practised in apnea; no chemical/compressed-gas propulsion
Decreto-Lei n.o 246/2000
A pesca submarina so pode ser exercida por praticante em apneia, podendo ser usado utensilio de captura de mao ou de arremesso desde que a respetiva forca propulsora nao seja devida a poder detonante resultante de substancia quimica ou a gas artificialmente comprimido.
Definition of pesca submarina as a recreational fishing modality
Decreto-Lei n.o 246/2000
Pesca submarina, que se exerce em flutuacao ou em submersao na agua em apneia
Prohibition of night spearfishing
Decreto-Lei n.o 246/2000
Exercer a pesca submarina no periodo noturno, entre o por e o nascer do Sol
Spearfishing without signalling buoy or with breathing apparatus is prohibited
Decreto-Lei n.o 246/2000
Exercer a pesca submarina sem a boia de sinalizacao ou com uso de equipamentos de respiracao artificial
Prohibition of selling recreational catch
Decreto-Lei n.o 246/2000
E proibido expor para venda, colocar a venda ou vender especimes marinhos, animais ou vegetais, ou suas partes capturados na pesca ludica.
Licences are issued by the DGRM
Decreto-Lei n.o 246/2000
As licencas sao emitidas pela Direcao-Geral de Recursos Naturais, Seguranca e Servicos Maritimos (DGRM).
Surface signalling equipment must stay within 30 m of the spearfisher
Portaria n.o 14/2014
O exercicio da pesca submarina e obrigatoriamente assinalado, a superficie, por equipamento de sinalizacao, o qual nao pode estar a uma distancia superior a 30 m do praticante de pesca submarina.
Daily catch weight limit (15 kg for spearfishing, largest specimen excluded)
Portaria n.o 14/2014
O peso total das capturas diarias nao pode exceder 10 kg por praticante, nao sendo contabilizado o exemplar de maior peso. Na pesca submarina este limite e de 15 kg, nao sendo igualmente contabilizado o maior exemplar.
Minimum capture sizes apply to recreational fishing as per commercial sizes
Portaria n.o 14/2014
E proibida a captura de peixes, crustaceos, moluscos e equinodermes, cujo tamanho seja inferior aos tamanhos minimos fixados na legislacao em vigor para a pesca comercial.
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.
- Vedapesca submarina (spearfishing) - night-timesunset – sunrise
Spearfishing is prohibited at night, in the period between sunset and sunrise (Decreto-Lei n.o 246/2000, Art. 14.o(1)(d)).
- RestringidoMarine areas of Berlengas, Arrabida, SW Alentejo & Costa Vicentina, Litoral Norte (boat fishing)Oct 1 – May 30
From 1 October to 30 May, boat-based recreational fishing in the marine areas of the listed protected areas is authorised only from Thursday to Monday (Portaria n.o 14/2014).
Permiso para pescar
Licencia
Qué necesitas para poder estar en el agua, cuánto cuesta y cómo conseguirlo.
Online via the DGRM/Bmar portal (www.bmar.pt) - the route for non-residents and foreigners; at Portuguese Multibanco ATMs (national citizens); at the DGRM counter in Lisbon; or at regional DRAP offices. Licence is dematerialised (digital record).
Consigue tu licenciaAbre el portal oficial · dgrm.pt
- Tipo
- Licenca de pesca ludica - submarina (underwater/spearfishing), or the 'todas as modalidades' (all-types) licence. Issued for mainland Portugal; Azores and Madeira have separate regional licences.
- Coste
- Submarina (underwater): EUR 3/day, EUR 10/month, EUR 25/year. All-types (todas): EUR 20/month, EUR 70/year (mainland; urgent issuance costs double).
- Validez
- Daily, monthly or annual
- Cómo obtenerla
- Online via the DGRM/Bmar portal (www.bmar.pt) - the route for non-residents and foreigners; at Portuguese Multibanco ATMs (national citizens); at the DGRM counter in Lisbon; or at regional DRAP offices. Licence is dematerialised (digital record).
- Autoridad
- Direcao-Geral de Recursos Naturais, Seguranca e Servicos Maritimos (DGRM)
Equipo y técnica
Normas de equipo
Qué equipo está permitido, cómo puede usarse y las condiciones asociadas.
Restricciones
- Spearfishing may only be practised in apnea (breath-hold); use of artificial breathing apparatus (scuba / compressed gas) while spearfishing is prohibited (Decreto-Lei 246/2000, Art. 9.o(3) and Art. 14.o(1)(o)).
- Speargun propulsion may not derive from chemical detonation or artificially compressed gas (i.e. powder/pneumatic-explosive guns banned); hand or throwing capture tools allowed.
- Carrying or keeping a speargun and artificial breathing apparatus simultaneously on board a vessel is prohibited.
- Mandatory surface signalling: a clearly visible buoy or board flying the international code Alfa flag, kept within 30 m of the spearfisher; vessels must keep a 50 m safety distance from Alfa-flagged signalling equipment/vessels.
- Use of artificial light sources as a lure/attractant underwater is prohibited (except permitted use of toneira for cephalopods).
Spearfishing must not be practised within the legally established distance of concessioned (lifeguarded) bathing beaches. Minimum age and licence eligibility: minors under 16 are exempt from licensing only when accompanied by a licence holder; licence applications for minors require parental/guardian authorisation.
Lo que puedes capturar
Límites de captura y especies protegidas
Cuotas diarias, tallas mínimas y especies que nunca deben capturarse.
Límite diario
Spearfishing: 15 kg total per practitioner per day, the single largest specimen not counted (general recreational fishing limit is 10 kg). For organisms other than fish and cephalopods, a combined max of 2 kg/day.
Tallas mínimas
- Robalo-legitimo / European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)mín. 36 cm
- Dourada / Gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)mín. 19 cm
- Sargo legitimo / White seabream (Diplodus sargus)mín. 17 cm
- Sargo safia (Diplodus vulgaris)mín. 17 cm
- Sargo bicudo (Diplodus puntazzo)mín. 22 cm
- Sargo veado (Diplodus cervinus)mín. 27 cm
- Pargo-legitimo / Common seabream (Pagrus pagrus)mín. 20 cm
- Goraz / Blackspot seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo)mín. 33 cm
- Besugo (Pagellus acarne)mín. 18 cm
- Bica (Pagellus erythrinus)mín. 15 cm
- Corvina-legitima / Meagre (Argyrosomus regius)mín. 42 cm
- Salmonete-legitimo / Striped red mullet (Mullus surmuletus)mín. 18 cm
- Faneca / Pouting (Trisopterus luscus)mín. 17 cm
- Lagostas / Spiny lobsters (Palinurus spp.) - carapacemín. 9.5 cm
- Lavagante-europeu / European lobster (Homarus gammarus) - carapacemín. 8.7 cm
- Choco-vulgar / Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) - dorsal mantlemín. 10 cm
- Lula-vulgar / European squid (Loligo vulgaris) - dorsal mantlemín. 10 cm
Especies protegidas — no capturar
- ProtegidaMero / Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) - capture prohibited in spearfishing nationally; full capture ban in Azores (Portaria 83-B/2024) and Madeira (Resolucao do Conselho do Governo Regional 604/2022)
- ProtegidaCavalos-marinhos / Seahorses (Hippocampus spp.)
- ProtegidaCoral-vermelho / Red coral
- ProtegidaPepinos-do-mar / Sea cucumbers (under Decreto-Lei 38/2021)
Polvo-vulgar / Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris) minimum capture weight is 750 g. Minimum sizes are the conservation reference sizes (TMRC) set for commercial fishing and apply equally to recreational/spearfishing catch.
Quién puede pescar
Visitantes y residentes
Cómo difieren las normas para los visitantes extranjeros y los residentes locales.
Visitantes extranjeros
PermitidoRequisitos
- Obtain a recreational fishing licence (pesca ludica submarina or all-types) - non-residents/foreigners apply online via the Bmar portal (www.bmar.pt).
- Bmar requires online registration/authentication, selection of the pesca ludica category, and bank-transfer payment with proof attached.
- Allow advance processing time (about 5 working days for regular, 3 for urgent requests).
Restricciones
- Same rules as residents apply: apnea only, Alfa-flag signalling, no night spearfishing, 15 kg daily limit, no sale of catch, MPA restrictions.
- Mainland licence does not cover the Azores or Madeira, which require their own regional licences.
International spearfishing competitors registered for a sanctioned tournament may be exempt from the individual licence requirement.
Residentes
Licenca de pesca ludica - submarina (or all-types) issued by DGRM for mainland Portugal
Requisitos
- Hold a valid recreational fishing licence (national citizens can buy at Multibanco ATMs).
- Comply with apnea-only, signalling, distance, season, size and catch-limit rules.
Ventajas
- Convenient purchase channels (ATM, DGRM counter, DRAP offices, online).
- Minors under 16 exempt from licensing when accompanied by a licence holder.
Residents of the Azores and Madeira obtain licences through the respective regional systems.
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
Spearfishing is permitted along the mainland Atlantic coast outside protected/no-take areas, subject to the licence, apnea-only, signalling, distance-from-bathers and daily-limit rules. Distinct licence regimes apply in the Azores and Madeira.
Licence required; apnea only; Alfa-flag signalling buoy within 30 m; not within the legally established distance of concessioned bathing beaches; no night spearfishing; 15 kg daily limit; no sale of catch.
Áreas prohibidas
- Reserva Natural das Berlengasmarine nature reserve
Recreational and underwater fishing not authorised within the Berlengas Natural Reserve marine area; seasonal Thursday-Monday boat-fishing window applies in surrounding park waters Oct-May.
Marine park off the Arrabida coast with no-take and partial-protection zones restricting/prohibiting spearfishing; seasonal boat-fishing restrictions Oct-May.
- Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina (marine area)natural park (marine area)
Marine area of the SW Alentejo & Costa Vicentina Natural Park where recreational/underwater fishing is restricted; spearfishing prohibited at night and boat fishing limited to Thursday-Monday Oct-May. Active enforcement by Policia Maritima.
- Parque Natural do Litoral Norte (marine area)natural park (marine area)
Northern coast natural park marine area subject to recreational/underwater fishing restrictions and the seasonal Thursday-Monday boat-fishing window Oct-May.
Condiciones en el agua
Condiciones en vivo
Instantánea en vivo del mar y el tiempo cerca de un punto de referencia costero en Portugal, 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 Reserva Natural das Berlengas.
A quién preguntar
Autoridades
Los organismos oficiales responsables de la pesca y las licencias.
Direcao-Geral de Recursos Naturais, Seguranca e Servicos Maritimos (DGRM)
fisheries / maritime authority (licensing and conservation)
dgrm.pt+351 213 035 805; ajuda@bmar.ptAutoridade Maritima Nacional / Policia Maritima
maritime enforcement authority
amn.ptunknownInstituto da Conservacao da Natureza e das Florestas (ICNF)
environment / protected areas authority
icnf.ptunknownDirecao Regional de Pescas (Acores)
regional fisheries authority (Azores)
portal.azores.gov.ptunknownDirecao Regional do Mar / Governo Regional da Madeira
regional fisheries authority (Madeira)
simplifica.madeira.gov.ptunknown
De dónde proviene
Fuentes
Cada afirmación de esta página se remonta a una de estas referencias.
- [01]
Decreto-Lei n.o 246/2000 (consolidado) - Pesca ludica - Marinha Portuguesa LexMar
Oficialmarinha.ptConsultado Jun 15 - [02]
Portaria n.o 14/2014, de 23 de janeiro - texto integral (mirror DRE)
Secundariadre.tretas.orgConsultado Jun 15 - [03]
Portaria 14/2014 - pagina oficial Diario da Republica
Oficialdiariodarepublica.ptConsultado Jun 15 - [04]
DGRM - Licenca de Pesca Ludica (tipos, custos, como obter)
Oficialdgrm.ptConsultado Jun 15 - [05]
DGRM - Licensing (EN) pesca ludica
Oficialdgrm.ptConsultado Jun 15 - [06]
DGRM - Tabela de Tamanhos Minimos de Captura (TMRC), 04-01-2023 (PDF)
Oficialdgrm.ptConsultado Jun 15 - [07]
DGRM - Especies / Tamanhos Minimos / Defesos
Oficialdgrm.ptConsultado Jun 15 - [08]
DGRM - Zonas de Pesca (areas protegidas e restricoes)
Oficialdgrm.ptConsultado Jun 15 - [09]
Jornal da Economia do Mar - A Pesca Maritima Ludica (overview of framework)
Secundariajornaldaeconomiadomar.comConsultado Jun 15 - [10]
Portal do Governo dos Acores - Portaria n.o 66/2021 / proibicao mero
Oficialportal.azores.gov.ptConsultado Jun 15 - [11]
Madeira - Licenca de pesca ludica (SIMplifica)
Oficialsimplifica.madeira.gov.ptConsultado Jun 15
Notas del investigador
Mainland framework: Decreto-Lei 246/2000 + Portaria 14/2014. Verbatim provisions on the apnea requirement, night ban, signalling buoy, sale ban and DGRM licensing were retrieved from the Marinha Portuguesa LexMar consolidated text of DL 246/2000; the 30 m signalling distance and the 15 kg spearfishing daily limit from a Portaria 14/2014 text mirror. Minimum capture sizes are quoted directly from the official DGRM TMRC table PDF (extracted from the document). The article numbers cited for DL 246/2000 reflect the consolidated text and should be re-checked against the official Diario da Republica before publication. Coordinates for the prohibited MPAs are approximate centroids for map display, not legal boundaries; exact spearfishing boundaries inside each park are defined by that park's own POOC/management plan and should be consulted before diving. The Azores and Madeira autonomous regions operate separate licence and conservation regimes (e.g. mero capture fully banned: Azores Portaria 83-B/2024; Madeira Resolucao 604/2022) - those regional rules are summarised but not fully exhausted here. Confidence is high for mainland core rules; medium for exact in-park boundaries and current article numbering.
Avísame cuando cambien las normas de Portugal
Te enviaremos un correo cuando se actualicen las temporadas o la normativa de Portugal en nuestro conjunto de datos.