Togo
Africa · Western Africa
Togo has no specific statute that names recreational spearfishing (chasse/peche sous-marine). Fishing in all Togolese waters is governed by Law No. 2016-026 of 11 October 2016 regulating fishing and aquaculture. Under that law the State owns the fishing right and may authorise its exercise (Art. 5). Recreational/leisure fishing ('peche de loisir') in State waters is explicitly subject to a prior authorisation from the competent authority (Art. 53), and sport fishing ('peche sportive') and leisure fishing are listed among the recognised purposes of fishing (Art. 7). The most spearfishing-relevant prohibition is Art. 60, which bans holding on board or using firearms, explosives, detonators, poisons, baits and toxic lures for fishing; a speargun (fusil-harpon, mechanically powered) is not a firearm ('arme a feu') and is not expressly named, so its status is legally undefined rather than clearly banned. Killing/wounding protected aquatic mammals and amphibians is prohibited, and all sea turtles and all marine birds (plus their derived products) are fully protected (Art. 61). Technical limits (minimum mesh, minimum species sizes, closed periods, closed/restricted zones, protected-species lists) are delegated to ministerial decrees (arretes) and fishery management plans (Art. 25/Art. 32), which were not retrievable, so concrete numeric limits are unknown. Treat spearfishing as permitted only with prior authorisation and subject to the Art. 60/61 prohibitions; verify with the Ministry in charge of the maritime economy and fisheries before diving.
Última actualización octubre 3, 2025
Marco regulador
- §Loi n° 2016-026 du 11 octobre 2016 portant reglementation de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Togo
- §Code de la marine marchande (loi portant code de la marine marchande, revised 2016) - referenced for vessel nationality and maritime activity
- Licencia obligatoria
- Obligatoria
- 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.
Objet de la loi (scope: fishing in continental and maritime waters under Togolese jurisdiction)
Loi n° 2016-026 du 11 octobre 2016 portant reglementation de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Togo
Article premier : La presente loi portant reglementation de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Togo a pour objet de definir les regles applicables a la peche et a l'aquaculture dans les eaux continentales et les eaux maritimes sous juridiction togolaise, ainsi que les regles applicables aux navires de peche togolais exercant au-dela des eaux maritimes sous juridiction togolaise.
Definitions of leisure fishing and sport fishing
Loi n° 2016-026 du 11 octobre 2016 portant reglementation de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Togo
ae. « Peche de loisir », peche recreative ou de plaisance non lucrative. af. « Peche sportive » : peche qui obeit aux regles du sport.
State ownership of the fishing right
Loi n° 2016-026 du 11 octobre 2016 portant reglementation de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Togo
Les ressources halieutiques des eaux continentales et des eaux maritimes sous juridiction togolaise constituent un patrimoine national. Le droit de peche dans les eaux continentales et les eaux maritimes sous juridiction togolaise appartient a l'Etat qui peut en autoriser l'exercice par des personnes physiques ou morales de nationalite togolaise ou etrangere.
Recognised purposes of fishing (includes sport and leisure fishing)
Loi n° 2016-026 du 11 octobre 2016 portant reglementation de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Togo
Art. 7 : Les activites de peche peuvent avoir comme finalite : a. la peche commerciale maritime ou continentale pratiquee a des fins de profit ; b. la peche de subsistance dont le but fondamental est l'obtention d'especes comestibles pour la subsistance du pecheur et de sa famille ; c. la peche scientifique ou technique, pratiquee a des fins de recherche par les institutions de recherche et d'enseignement scientifique ou par des personnes dument habilitees reconnues au niveau national ou international ; d. la peche sportive ; e. la peche de loisir.
Leisure fishing requires prior authorisation
Loi n° 2016-026 du 11 octobre 2016 portant reglementation de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Togo
Art. 53 : Toute activite de peche de loisir dans les eaux de l'Etat togolais est soumise a autorisation delivree par l'autorite competente.
Prohibition of explosives, firearms, poisons and toxic lures for fishing
Loi n° 2016-026 du 11 octobre 2016 portant reglementation de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Togo
Art. 60 : Il est interdit de detenir a bord ou d'utiliser pour la peche, des explosifs, des detonateurs ou des armes a feu et de faire usage de poison, d'appat et de leurres toxiques ou autres substances pouvant tuer, paralyser ou changer le comportement normal des animaux aquatiques immediatement ou ulterieurement.
Protection of marine mammals, sea turtles and marine birds
Loi n° 2016-026 du 11 octobre 2016 portant reglementation de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Togo
Art. 61 : Sur l'etendue des eaux continentales et maritimes de l'Etat togolais, il est interdit de tuer, blesser ou poursuivre des mammiferes ou autres animaux aquatiques ou amphibies proteges selon les dispositions legales et reglementaires en vigueur. En cas de capture accidentelle, la personne doit relacher les animaux lorsqu'ils sont toujours vivants, ou bien les declarer aux autorites competentes lorsqu'ils sont morts. Sont notamment prohibees, la peche, la capture, la detention et la commercialisation de toutes les especes de tortues marines et produits derives ; ainsi que la chasse, la capture, la detention et la commercialisation de toutes les especes d'oiseaux marins et produits derives.
Conservation and management measures delegated to fishery management plans (mesh, minimum sizes, closed periods, restricted zones)
Loi n° 2016-026 du 11 octobre 2016 portant reglementation de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Togo
f. les mesures de conservation, d'amenagement et de gestion des ressources halieutiques, notamment ouverture minimale des mailles des filets, tailles et poids minimaux des especes, periodes de fermeture des zones de peche, zones d'acces limite ou reserve, restrictions relatives aux captures accessoires, limitation ou prohibition de certains types de navires, d'engins ou de methodes de peche.
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.
No se registran vedas estacionales — verifícalo localmente antes de bucear.
Permiso para pescar
Licencia
Qué necesitas para poder estar en el agua, cuánto cuesta y cómo conseguirlo.
Apply to the administration in charge of fisheries (Ministry in charge of the maritime economy, fisheries and coastal protection / Direction des pêches). The general fishing-licence application exists on the national e-government service portal, but a dedicated recreational/spearfishing permit pathway is not documented.
Consigue tu licenciaAbre el portal oficial · service-public.gouv.tg
- Tipo
- Prior authorisation for leisure/sport fishing ('autorisation de peche de loisir') issued by the competent authority under Art. 53 of Law No. 2016-026; specific recreational-permit procedure not published.
- Coste
- unknown
- Validez
- unknown
- Cómo obtenerla
- Apply to the administration in charge of fisheries (Ministry in charge of the maritime economy, fisheries and coastal protection / Direction des pêches). The general fishing-licence application exists on the national e-government service portal, but a dedicated recreational/spearfishing permit pathway is not documented.
- Autoridad
- Ministere de l'Economie maritime, de la Peche et de la Protection cotiere (Direction des Peches et de l'Aquaculture)
Equipo y técnica
Normas de equipo
Qué equipo está permitido, cómo puede usarse y las condiciones asociadas.
Restricciones
- Explosives, detonators and firearms ('armes a feu') are prohibited on board and for fishing (Art. 60).
- Use of poisons, toxic baits and toxic lures, or any substance that kills, paralyses or alters the normal behaviour of aquatic animals, is prohibited (Art. 60).
- Mechanically-powered spearguns (fusil-harpon) are not expressly named in the law; their legality is undefined and not confirmed.
The law does not explicitly address spearguns, scuba diving for fishing, or breath-hold spearfishing. A speargun is generally not an 'arme a feu' (firearm) and therefore is arguably not caught by the Art. 60 firearm ban, but no Togolese text affirmatively authorises spearfishing gear. Gear/method restrictions and any prohibition of specific methods are set by ministerial decree and fishery management plans (Art. 25/Art. 32), which were not retrievable.
Lo que puedes capturar
Límites de captura y especies protegidas
Cuotas diarias, tallas mínimas y especies que nunca deben capturarse.
Límite diario
unknown
Especies protegidas — no capturar
- ProtegidaAll species of sea turtles (toutes les especes de tortues marines) - fishing, capture, holding and trade prohibited (Art. 61)
- ProtegidaAll species of marine birds (toutes les especes d'oiseaux marins) - hunting, capture, holding and trade prohibited (Art. 61)
- ProtegidaProtected aquatic/amphibious mammals and other protected aquatic animals - killing, wounding or pursuing prohibited (Art. 61)
Minimum species sizes and daily/quantity limits are delegated to fishery management plans and ministerial decrees (Art. 25(f), Art. 32) and could not be retrieved; specific numeric limits are unknown. Marine mammals, all sea turtles and all marine birds are fully protected and must never be targeted.
Quién puede pescar
Visitantes y residentes
Cómo difieren las normas para los visitantes extranjeros y los residentes locales.
Visitantes extranjeros
PermitidoRequisitos
- The State may authorise the exercise of fishing rights by natural or legal persons of Togolese or foreign nationality (Art. 5).
- Leisure fishing requires a prior authorisation from the competent authority (Art. 53).
Foreign nationals are not excluded by the law (Art. 5 expressly allows foreigners). No foreigner-specific recreational-fishing rule was found. Whether a distinct special permit applies to non-residents is unknown; confirm with the fisheries administration.
Residentes
Same framework as all persons: leisure fishing under Art. 53 prior authorisation; no resident-specific recreational regime documented.
No resident-specific recreational spearfishing provisions were found in the law.
A quién preguntar
Autoridades
Los organismos oficiales responsables de la pesca y las licencias.
Ministere de l'Economie maritime, de la Peche et de la Protection cotiere
fisheries and maritime authority
maritime.gouv.tgunknownDirection des Affaires Maritimes du Togo
maritime authority
togo-port.netunknown
De dónde proviene
Fuentes
Cada afirmación de esta página se remonta a una de estas referencias.
- [01]
Loi n° 2016-026 du 11 octobre 2016 portant reglementation de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Togo (Journal Officiel de la Republique Togolaise, full text via FAOLEX)
Oficialfaolex.fao.orgConsultado Jun 15 - [02]
FAOLEX Database - Togo country general profile (fisheries legislation)
Oficialfao.orgConsultado Jun 15 - [03]
Demande de licence de peche - Service public de l'administration togolaise
Oficialservice-public.gouv.tgConsultado Jun 15 - [04]
Togo : vers une aire marine protegee de 950 km2 (status: project in preparation, not yet established) - Togo First
Secundariatogofirst.comConsultado Jun 15 - [05]
Diving in Togo - PADI (recreational dive context, 56 km Atlantic coastline)
Secundariapadi.comConsultado Jun 15
Notas del investigador
Togo has a ~56 km Atlantic (Gulf of Guinea) coast; recreational dive/spearfishing infrastructure is minimal (mainly the Port of Lome anchorage and a small scuba club in Lome). The governing instrument is Law No. 2016-026 of 11 October 2016 on fishing and aquaculture; its full French text was retrieved verbatim from the FAOLEX PDF (Journal Officiel reproduction). The law does NOT mention spearfishing, spearguns, scuba or breath-hold diving by name. Key applicable rules: State owns the fishing right and may license it to nationals or foreigners (Art. 5); leisure fishing in State waters requires a prior authorisation (Art. 53); explosives, detonators, firearms, poisons and toxic lures are banned for fishing (Art. 60); marine mammals, all sea turtles and all marine birds are protected (Art. 61). Concrete technical limits (minimum sizes, mesh, closed seasons, closed/reserved zones, full protected-species lists) are delegated to ministerial decrees (arretes) and fishery management plans (Art. 25(f), Art. 32) that could not be retrieved - hence seasons[] and zones[] are empty and many numeric fields are 'unknown'. A 950 km2 marine protected area (prefectures of Lacs, Vo, Zio, between the Atlantic and Lake Togo) is in active preparation as of October 2025 but is NOT yet legally established, so it is not listed as a prohibited zone. data_confidence is 'low' because, while the primary statute is verified, no recreational-spearfishing-specific rule, no implementing decrees, and no zone/season detail could be obtained. Anyone intending to spearfish should obtain the Art. 53 authorisation and confirm gear legality directly with the Ministere de l'Economie maritime, de la Peche et de la Protection cotiere before diving.
Avísame cuando cambien las normas de Togo
Te enviaremos un correo cuando se actualicen las temporadas o la normativa de Togo en nuestro conjunto de datos.