Cayman Islands
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Spearfishing with a speargun (broadly defined to include Hawaiian sling, pole spear, harpoon, etc.) is illegal in Cayman waters unless the user holds a licence from the National Conservation Council / Marine Conservation Board. Licences are granted only to Caymanians over 18. There is no recreational spearfishing access for foreigners or non-licensed residents. Even licensed users face strict limits: a maximum of three fish per day and six in possession, no use in marine parks, replenishment zones or environmental zones, no use in lagoons/sounds or water 20 feet or shallower, no use within ~200 yards of a vessel flying a dive flag, and no use within one mile of a Designated Grouper Spawning Area (Nov 1 - Mar 31). Nassau grouper and parrotfish may not be taken by speargun. Importing spearguns or speargun parts is prohibited. The licence regime is administered by the Department of Environment under the National Conservation Act, 2013 (which replaced the Marine Conservation Law) and the National Conservation (Marine Parks) Regulations, 2021. As of the March 2026 Conservation Council vote, the DoE was preparing to resume issuing/renewing speargun licences with education and enforcement measures in place.
Azken eguneraketa Martxoa 30, 2026
Arau-esparrua
- §National Conservation Act, 2013 (in force 2013; replaced the Marine Conservation Law)
- §Marine Conservation Law (2013 Revision) - Law 19 of 1978 as consolidated (historical instrument; provisions carried into current regulations)
- §National Conservation (Marine Parks) Regulations, 2021 (enhanced marine parks, effective 12 March 2021)
- Baimena beharrezkoa
- Beharrezkoa
- Arpoia
- Baimenduta
- Scuba
- Debekatuta
- Atzerritarrak
- Ez dago baimenduta
Legea, hitzez hitz
Lege-testuak
Hemen arpoiarekin arrantzatzea arautzen duten xedapen araugile eta arauzko zehatza, argitaratutakoak aipatuak, iturri ofizial bakoitzeko esteka batekin.
Definition of 'spear gun'
Marine Conservation Law (2013 Revision), Law 19 of 1978 as consolidated
“spear gun” includes a mechanical or pneumatic spear gun, a Hawaiian sling, a pole spear, a stick spear, harpoon, rod or any device with a pointed end which may be used to impale, stab or pierce any marine life but does not include a striker;
Use of spear guns prohibited (licence requirement)
Marine Conservation Law (2013 Revision), Law 19 of 1978 as consolidated
15. (1) A person who has a spear gun in his possession in the Islands or takes any marine life with the aid of a spear gun in Cayman waters or has in his possession any marine life taken from Cayman waters with the aid of a spear gun commits an offence unless licensed by the Board who may, in granting such licence, make such conditions as to possession and use as it may think fit.
Spear gun catch and possession limits
Marine Conservation Law (2013 Revision), Law 19 of 1978 as consolidated
(2) A person who, being licensed under subsection (1), in any one day, takes more than three fish from Cayman waters by the use of a spear gun or who has in his possession more than six fish which have been caught by a spear gun commits an offence.
Fishing by divers prohibited (underwater breathing apparatus)
Marine Conservation Law (2013 Revision), Law 19 of 1978 as consolidated
14. Subject to section 18, any person who, while equipped with any kind of underwater breathing apparatus, takes any marine life in Cayman waters commits an offence.
Use of noxious substances prohibited
Marine Conservation Law (2013 Revision), Law 19 of 1978 as consolidated
13. A person who uses any noxious substance for the purpose of taking marine life in Cayman waters commits an offence.
Marine parks designation and restrictions
Marine Conservation Law (2013 Revision), Law 19 of 1978 as consolidated
11. (1) The Governor may designate certain areas of Cayman waters to be marine parks and such areas shall be clearly demarcated and subject to such restrictions of user by the public as the Governor may prescribe in each case. (2) A person who, in a marine park, fails to comply with any restriction imposed with respect thereof commits an offence.
Restriction on use of fish pots near grouper spawning areas (seasonal)
Marine Conservation Law (2013 Revision), Law 19 of 1978 as consolidated
(2) A person who uses a fish pot for the purpose of taking any marine life within a an area of one mile of any boundary of a designated grouper spawning area during the months of November to March inclusive commits an offence.
Spear gun and spearfishing rules (current DoE guidance)
National Conservation Act, 2013 and National Conservation (Marine Parks) Regulations
No one may use a pneumatic or mechanical speargun (includes Hawaiian sling, polespear, harpoon, hookstick or any device with a pointed end which may be used to impale, stab or pierce any marine life but does not include a striker) or seine net without a licence. Only Caymanians over 18. Three fish per licensed person per day. (Excluding lionfish.) No one may use a speargun in any lagoon, sound or a body of water which does not exceed twenty feet in depth. No one may use a spear gun or seine net within a designated Grouper Spawning Area. Spear guns cannot be used to take Nassau grouper or parrotfish. No spear fishing within two hundred yards (meters) of any dive or snorkel vessel flying a dive flag indicating there are divers or snorkelers in the water, excluding the vessel from which the licensee is snorkeling. No one may import a speargun or any parts for a speargun.
Noiz urpean sar zaitezken
Denboraldiak eta denbora-mugak
Urteko itxitako, irekitako eta mugatutako aldiak. Egiaztatu beti espeziearen arabera lokalean.
- ItxitaDesignated Grouper Spawning Areas (one-mile radius) - spearfishing and fish potsAza 1 – Mar 31
No spearfishing or setting of fish pots within a one-mile radius of any Designated Grouper Spawning Area from 1 November through 31 March.
- ItxitaNassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus)Abe 1 – Api 30
Closed season for Nassau grouper. In open season only Nassau grouper between 16 and 24 inches may be taken, limit five per person or five per boat per day; Nassau grouper may not be taken by speargun at any time.
- ItxitaSpiny lobster (Panulirus argus)Mar 1 – Aza 30
Closed season for spiny lobster. Open-season limit three per person or six per boat per day (whichever is less); minimum six-inch tail.
- ItxitaQueen conch (Strombus gigas)Mai 1 – Urr 31
Closed season for queen conch. Open-season limit five per person or ten per boat per day (whichever is less).
Arrantza-baimena
Baimena
Uretara sartzeko behar duzuna, zenbat kostatzen den eta nola lortu.
Apply to the Department of Environment. Speargun licence applications are accepted annually between 1 June and 31 August. As of the March 2026 Conservation Council decision, the DoE was preparing to (re)commence issuing and renewing licences.
Lortu zure baimenaAtari ofiziala irekitzen du · doe.ky
- Mota
- Speargun (and seine net) licence issued by the National Conservation Council / Marine Conservation Board, administered by the Department of Environment
- Kostua
- CI$50 per year (per DoE / Cayman Compass reporting); statutory Schedule fishing-licence fees are CI$400 annual / CI$150 monthly under the Marine Conservation Law schedule
- Baliozkotasuna
- One year (speargun licence); statutory fishing licences are for one month or one year
- Nola lortu
- Apply to the Department of Environment. Speargun licence applications are accepted annually between 1 June and 31 August. As of the March 2026 Conservation Council decision, the DoE was preparing to (re)commence issuing and renewing licences.
- Agintaritza
- National Conservation Council / Marine Conservation Board (Department of Environment)
Ekipajea eta teknika
Ekipaje-arauak
Zer ekipaje dagoen baimenduta, nola erabil daitekeen eta aplikatzen diren baldintzak.
Murrizketak
- Speargun use requires a licence; only Caymanians over 18 may be licensed
- Speargun defined broadly: includes mechanical/pneumatic speargun, Hawaiian sling, pole spear, stick spear, harpoon, rod or any pointed device to impale/stab/pierce marine life (excludes a 'striker')
- Taking marine life while using any underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) is an offence - spearfishing is effectively breath-hold/free-dive only
- Importing a speargun or any speargun parts is prohibited
- May not be used to take Nassau grouper or parrotfish
- May not be used in lagoons, sounds, or water 20 feet or shallower
- May not be used within ~200 yards/metres of a vessel flying a dive flag
- May not be used in marine parks, replenishment zones or environmental zones
- May not be used within one mile of a Designated Grouper Spawning Area between 1 Nov and 31 Mar
A 'striker' (a long wooden pole no shorter than ten feet with barbless prongs) is excluded from the speargun definition and is a traditional permitted tool. Lionfish culling tools are treated separately and lionfish are excluded from speargun catch limits.
Zer har dezakezun
Harrapaketa-mugak eta babestutako espezieak
Eguneroko kuotak, tamaina minimoak eta inoiz hartu behar ez diren espezieak.
Eguneroko muga
By speargun: maximum 3 fish per licensed person per day (excluding lionfish); no more than 6 speargun-caught fish in possession.
Tamaina minimoak
- General finfish (most species)min 20.3 zm
- Spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) - tail lengthmin 15.2 zm
- Nassau grouper (min, when open)min 40.6 zm
- Nassau grouper (max, when open)min 61 zm
Babestutako espezieak — ez hartu
- BabestuaNassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus) - may not be taken by speargun at any time; seasonal/area protections apply
- BabestuaParrotfish - may not be taken by speargun
- BabestuaGoliath grouper
- BabestuaTilefish
- BabestuaFilefish
- BabestuaAngelfish
- BabestuaSharks and rays (may not be taken at any time)
- BabestuaEchinoderms - starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, sand dollars (may not be taken at any time)
- BabestuaAll corals and sponges
- BabestuaMarine turtles (and their eggs) - protected, no taking without licence
- BabestuaChitons, periwinkles, bleeding teeth
General minimum fish size is eight inches (~20 cm), with exceptions for lionfish, goggle eyes, sprats and fries. Nassau grouper open season (when not closed) limits five per person/five per boat per day and only fish 16-24 inches; conch and lobster have their own seasonal limits. Speargun limits are independent and stricter (3/day).
Nork arrantza egin dezakeen
Bisitariak eta bertakoek
Arauak nola desberdinak diren atzerriko bisitarientzat eta bertako bizilagunendako.
Atzerriko bisitariak
Ez dago baimendutaMurrizketak
- Speargun licences are granted only to Caymanians over 18; foreigners/tourists cannot obtain a speargun licence and therefore cannot legally spearfish
- Importing spearguns or speargun parts is prohibited, so visitors cannot bring their own gear
- Line fishing from shore for personal consumption is generally permitted to visitors outside protected zones, but this is not spearfishing
There is no legal route for non-Caymanian visitors to spearfish in Cayman waters. The activity is effectively closed to tourists.
Bizilaguneak
Speargun licence (Caymanians over 18 only)
Eskakizunak
- Must be Caymanian and over 18 years of age
- Apply to the Department of Environment, application window 1 June - 31 August
- Carry the licence when spearfishing and comply with licence conditions
Onurak
- Permitted to use one licensed speargun subject to all area, depth, species and catch restrictions
Historically the policy was to phase out speargun licences; a National Conservation Act amendment allowed continued spearfishing for traditional/cultural needs, and in March 2026 the Conservation Council voted to approve new and renewed speargun licences.
Kostan non
Baimendutako eta debekatutako eremuak
Arpoiarekin arrantzatzeko irekita edo itxita dauden eremu izendatuak. Ikusi irudi osoa mapa interaktiboan.
Debekatutako eremuak
- Marine Parks (network)marine park
No-take / restricted marine parks where taking marine life, including by speargun, is prohibited. The enhanced marine park network (effective 12 March 2021) covers roughly 50% of Cayman coastal waters; on Grand Cayman over 48% of territorial waters.
- Replenishment Zonesreplenishment zone
Marine zones with restricted take; spearfishing and use of spearguns are prohibited.
- Environmental Zonesenvironmental zone
Highly protected marine zones; no in-water taking of marine life, no spearfishing.
- Wildlife Interaction Zoneswildlife interaction zone
Managed interaction areas such as Stingray City, added to the Marine Parks Regulations; taking of marine life is restricted.
- Designated Grouper Spawning Area - West End, Little Caymandesignated grouper spawning area
Designated Grouper Spawning Area (DGSA) protecting the largest known Nassau grouper spawning aggregation. No spearfishing or fish pots within a one-mile radius from 1 Nov to 31 Mar; Nassau grouper may not be taken here.
- Designated Grouper Spawning Area - Coxswain Bank / South West Point, Grand Caymandesignated grouper spawning area
Designated Grouper Spawning Areas off Grand Cayman (Coxswain Bank and South West Point). No spearfishing or fish pots within a one-mile radius from 1 Nov to 31 Mar.
- Designated Grouper Spawning Areas - East and West End, Cayman Bracdesignated grouper spawning area
Designated Grouper Spawning Areas at the east and west ends of Cayman Brac. No spearfishing or fish pots within a one-mile radius from 1 Nov to 31 Mar.
- Designated Grouper Spawning Area - Twelve Mile Bankdesignated grouper spawning area
Offshore seamount designated as a Nassau grouper spawning area. No spearfishing or fish pots within a one-mile radius from 1 Nov to 31 Mar.
- Lagoons, sounds and shallow water (≤ 20 ft)depth/area restriction
Spearguns may not be used in any lagoon, sound, or body of water 20 feet (about 6 m) or shallower in depth.
- Dive-flag buffer (200 yards/metres)safety buffer
No spearfishing within two hundred yards/metres of any dive or snorkel vessel flying a dive flag indicating divers or snorkelers in the water.
- Stingray City Wildlife Interaction Zone, North Sound, Grand Caymanwildlife interaction zone
Stingray City and the adjacent sandbar in the North Sound of Grand Cayman are designated Wildlife Interaction Zones (WIZs) under the National Conservation (Marine Parks) Regulations. Taking of marine life (including by speargun) is restricted; managed human-stingray interaction area. Specific discrete instance of the general 'Wildlife Interaction Zones' category already in the dataset.
Uraren gaineko baldintzak
Baldintza biziak
Cayman Islandsko kostaldeko erreferentzia-puntu baten ondoko itsas eta eguraldi-egoera bizia, Open-Meteo bidez. Baldintzak aldatzen dira kostaldean zehar — adierazgarritzat hartu.
Itsas eta eguraldi-baldintza biziak Designated Grouper Spawning Area - West End, Little Cayman ondoan.
Nori galdetu
Agintariak
Arrantza eta baimenez arduratzen diren organo ofizialak.
Cayman Islands Department of Environment (DoE)
environment / fisheries authority
doe.kydoe@gov.ky; +1 (345) 949-8469; Environmental Centre, 580 North Sound Road, George Town, Grand CaymanNational Conservation Council
statutory conservation council (formerly Marine Conservation Board)
conservation.kyVia Department of Environment
Hemendik datorren informazioa
Iturriak
Orri honetako aldarrikapen bakoitza erreferentzia haietako batera lotzen da.
- [01]
Marine Conservation Law (2013 Revision), Cayman Islands - full consolidated text (FAOLEX)
Ofizialafaolex.fao.orgSarbidea Eka 15 - [02]
Spear Guns & Seine Nets - Cayman Islands Department of Environment
Ofizialadoe.kySarbidea Eka 15 - [03]
Catch Limits - Cayman Islands Department of Environment
Ofizialadoe.kySarbidea Eka 15 - [04]
Marine Parks - Cayman Islands Department of Environment (National Conservation (Marine Parks) Regulations, 2021)
Ofizialadoe.kySarbidea Eka 15 - [05]
Wildlife Interaction Zones - Cayman Islands Department of Environment
Ofizialadoe.kySarbidea Eka 15 - [06]
Protect The Seas - Cayman Islands Official Tourism Website
Ofizialavisitcaymanislands.comSarbidea Eka 15 - [07]
Conservation Council votes to approve more speargun fishing licences - Cayman Compass (30 Mar 2026)
Bigarren mailakoacaymancompass.comSarbidea Eka 15 - [08]
Recovery of critically endangered Nassau grouper in the Cayman Islands (PNAS) - spawning aggregation locations
Bigarren mailakoapnas.orgSarbidea Eka 15 - [09]
The National Conservation Act - National Conservation Council
Ofizialaconservation.kySarbidea Eka 15
Ikertzailearen oharrak
Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory. Recreational spearfishing is heavily restricted: legal only for licensed Caymanians over 18, breath-hold (no scuba), with a 3-fish/day limit and many area/depth/species exclusions; spearguns and parts may not be imported, so tourists cannot legally spearfish. The historical Marine Conservation Law (2013 Revision) was repealed/replaced by the National Conservation Act, 2013 framework and the National Conservation (Marine Parks) Regulations, 2021 (enhanced marine parks covering ~50% of coastal waters, effective 12 March 2021); the verbatim speargun sections (s.13-17) are quoted from the consolidated Marine Conservation Law text on FAOLEX, with current operational rules confirmed on the DoE website. Some specifics carried by DoE guidance: dive-flag buffer is stated as 200 yards/metres (the older statute referenced a striker definition). The DoE Marine Parks Regulations map PDF and exact 2024 coordinates of each zone were temporarily unavailable at time of research; precise zone polygons should be taken from the official 'Cayman DoE' app / DoE map. Coordinates given for the West End Little Cayman DGSA are approximate (from scientific literature) and should be treated as indicative, not legal boundaries. In March 2026 the National Conservation Council voted to approve new and renewed speargun licences, with issuance expected to ramp up over the following year as education and enforcement are scaled.
Jakinarazi iezadazu Cayman Islandsko arauak aldatzen direnean
Mezu elektroniko bat bidaliko dizugu Cayman Islandsko denboraldiak edo arauak gure datu-multzoan eguneratzen direnean.