Benin
Africa · Western Africa
Benin's fisheries are governed by the Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture. The law does NOT contain any provision that specifically names spearfishing, speargun, harpoon, or underwater fishing (no occurrence of 'pêche sous-marine', 'chasse sous-marine', 'harpon' or 'fusil' in the text). However, recreational/sport fishing is regulated as 'pêche sportive', defined (Art. 2.s) as fishing for recreational, non-profit purposes, excluding only hand-line angling with a hook. Speargun-based recreational fishing therefore falls under 'pêche sportive', which requires a sport-fishing permit (Art. 62); practising sport fishing without authorization is an offence (Art. 113.a) punishable by a fine of 200,000–2,000,000 CFA francs and/or 3–9 months imprisonment. The minister in charge of fisheries may set closed periods/seasons and prohibited zones (Art. 83) and establish protected fishing zones (Art. 84); prohibited gear/methods are fixed by decree (Arts. 73–77). No spearfishing-specific equipment, season, catch or zone rules were found, so the precise practical status for a foreign or local spearfisher is uncertain — hence 'restricted' (permit required) with low confidence.
Huling na-update Hunyo 14, 2026
Namamahalang balangkas
- §Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture en République du Bénin
- Kinakailangan ang lisensya
- Kinakailangan
Ang batas, verbatim
Mga legal na teksto
Ang eksaktong mga estatutoryo at regulatoryong probisyon na namamahala sa spearfishing dito, na-quote ayon sa nailathala, na may link sa bawat opisyal na pinagmulan.
Definition of sport fishing (pêche sportive)
Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture
pêche sportive : pêche pratiquée à des fins récréatives et à but non lucratif, à l'exclusion de la pêche à la ligne munie d'un hameçon
Sport fishing permit required
Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture
Nul ne peut pratiquer la pêche sportive dans les eaux maritimes ou continentales sous juridiction béninoise s'il n'est titulaire d'un permis de pêche sportive obtenu, soit par l'intermédiaire d'un organisateur de pêche sportive public ou privé, soit directement auprès du représentant local de l'administration en charge de la pêche.
Sport fishing permit subject to a fee fixed by joint ministerial order
Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture
La délivrance du permis de pêche sportive est subordonnée au paiement d'une redevance dont le montant est fixé par arrêté conjoint des ministres en charge de la pêche et des finances.
Conditions and procedures of the sport fishing permit set by ministerial order
Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture
Les conditions et modalités de demande, de délivrance, de renouvellement et d'utilisation du permis de pêche sportive sont fixées par arrêté du ministre en charge de la pêche.
Fishing in protected areas
Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture
Dans les aires protégées, les activités de pêche maritime ou continentale s'exercent dans les conditions fixées par décret pris en Conseil des ministres.
Prohibited fishing gear, instruments and methods
Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture
Article 76 : Tout filet, instrument, engin ou méthode de pêche utilisés en violation des conditions fixées par l'article précédent constitue un filet, un instrument ou un engin de pêche prohibé. Article 77 : La fabrication, la détention et l'utilisation de filets, instruments ou engins de pêche non conformes aux spécifications fixées par l'administration en charge de la pêche sont interdites.
Power to set closed periods, seasons and prohibited zones
Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture
Sans préjudice des dispositions contenues dans les plans d'aménagement de la pêche, le ministre en charge de la pêche peut fixer pour l'ensemble des eaux maritimes ou continentales sous juridiction béninoise ou pour une partie de celles-ci seulement, des périodes, saisons et heures pendant lesquelles la pêche de toutes ou certaines espèces est interdite ainsi que les zones dans lesquelles la pêche est interdite à titre temporaire ou de manière permanente.
Establishment of protected fishing zones
Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture
Le ministre en charge de la pêche, après avis de la structure nationale de recherche compétente et des organes de gestion concernés, établit dans les eaux continentales ou maritimes sous juridiction béninoise des zones de pêche protégées destinées à : a) protéger certains écosystèmes aquatiques ou une espèce d'organisme aquatique particulière ; b) protéger les frayères. Les conditions d'accès et d'exploitation de ces zones de pêche protégées sont définies par arrêté conjoint des ministres en charge de la pêche, des eaux et forêts.
Penalties for sport fishing without authorization
Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture
Sont punis d'une amende de deux cent mille (200 000) francs CFA à deux millions (2 000 000) de francs CFA et/ou d'un emprisonnement de trois (03) mois à neuf (09) mois : a) la pratique de la pêche sportive ou de recherche scientifique dans les eaux maritimes ou continentales sous juridiction béninoise sans autorisation
Kung kailan maaaring sumisid
Mga panahon at limitasyon sa oras
Mga sarado, bukas at limitadong panahon sa buong taon. Palaging kumpirmahin ang mga pagsasara na partikular sa isda nang lokal.
- SaradoAll species or specific species, as decided by the minister in charge of fisheriesunknown – unknown
No fixed national closed season for spearfishing/sport fishing was found in the law. Article 83 empowers the minister in charge of fisheries to set, by order, closed periods, seasons and hours during which fishing of all or certain species is prohibited, and zones where fishing is temporarily or permanently prohibited. Specific implementing orders/dates were not retrieved.
Pahintulot na mangisda
Lisensya
Ano ang kailangan mo para maaari sa tubig, magkano ang halaga nito, at kung paano makuha ito.
Via a public or private sport-fishing organizer, or directly from the local representative of the fisheries administration (Art. 62). Conditions and procedures for application, issuance, renewal and use are set by order of the minister in charge of fisheries (Art. 64).
Kunin ang iyong lisensyaNagbubukas ng opisyal na portal · sgg.gouv.bj
- Uri
- Permis de pêche sportive (sport fishing permit)
- Halaga
- Fee (redevance) set by joint order of the ministers in charge of fisheries and finance; exact amount not retrieved
- Bisa
- unknown
- Paano makuha
- Via a public or private sport-fishing organizer, or directly from the local representative of the fisheries administration (Art. 62). Conditions and procedures for application, issuance, renewal and use are set by order of the minister in charge of fisheries (Art. 64).
- Awtoridad
- Administration en charge de la pêche (Ministère de l'Agriculture, de l'Élevage et de la Pêche — MAEP)
Gear at teknik
Mga patakaran sa kagamitan
Anong kagamitan ang pinahintulutan, kung paano ito maaaring gamitin, at ang mga kondisyon na nakakabit dito.
Mga Paghihigpit
- The law does not specifically mention spearguns, harpoons or underwater fishing; no spearfishing-specific equipment rule was found.
- Prohibited gear and methods are fixed by decree of the Council of Ministers / ministerial order (Arts. 73-77); explosives, firearms and toxic substances/baits are prohibited for fishing (Art. 73).
No verbatim text was found permitting or prohibiting spearguns or scuba for spearfishing. General prohibited-gear provisions apply, and a sport-fishing permit is required for recreational fishing other than hand-line angling.
Ano ang maaaring kunin
Mga limitasyon sa huli at mga protektadong isda
Mga araw-araw na quota, pinakamaliit na sukat, at mga isdang hindi dapat kunin.
Araw-araw na limitasyon
unknown
Mga protektadong isda — huwag kunin
- ProtektadoSea turtles (including leatherback) and African manatee are protected within the Bouche du Roy conservation area; species-specific national catch limits for spearfishing were not retrieved.
No spearfishing-specific daily limits or minimum sizes were found in the retrieved sources. Such limits may be set by ministerial order under the framework law but were not located.
Sino ang maaaring mangisda
Mga bisita at residente
Kung paano naiiba ang mga patakaran para sa mga dayuhang bisita at lokal na residente.
Mga dayuhang bisita
Mga Kinakailangan
- A sport-fishing permit (permis de pêche sportive) is required for anyone — including foreigners — practising recreational fishing in Beninese maritime or inland waters (Art. 62).
The law does not distinguish nationals from foreigners for sport fishing; the permit requirement of Article 62 applies to 'nul ne peut' (no one). No spearfishing-specific foreigner rule was found.
Mga residente
Permis de pêche sportive (same sport-fishing permit applies)
No resident-specific spearfishing provisions were found; the general sport-fishing permit regime (Arts. 62-64) applies.
Saan sa baybayin
Mga pinahintulutan at ipinagbabawal na zone
Mga pinangalanang lugar na bukas o sarado para sa spearfishing. Tingnan ang buong larawan sa interactive na mapa.
Mga ipinagbabawal na lugar
- Aire Communautaire de Conservation de la Biodiversité de la Bouche du Roy (Réserve de biosphère du Mono)marine and coastal community conservation area / UNESCO MAB biosphere reserve
Marine and coastal community conservation area (about 9,678 ha) at the estuary where the Mono River, Grand-Popo lagoon and Lake Ahémé meet the Gulf of Guinea. Created in 2016 by separate decrees of the municipalities of Grand-Popo and Comè; UNESCO MAB Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve. Hosts endangered species (African manatee, leatherback and other sea turtles). Fishing activity is regulated/restricted under the protected-area regime; spearfishing-specific rules were not retrieved. Fishing in protected areas is governed by Articles 65, 83 and 84 of Loi-cadre 2014-19.
- Aire Marine Protégée de Donaten (Akpakpa, Cotonou)marine protected area
Coastal/marine protected area officially created by the Benin Council of Ministers on 5 January 2022, located at Donaten beach in the Akpakpa district of Cotonou (Littoral department) on the Gulf of Guinea. It protects mangrove and fishery resources and threatened/endangered species (sea turtles, African manatee, whales, dolphins). Fishing activities are regulated under the protected-area regime (Arts. 65, 83, 84 of Loi-cadre 2014-19); a management plan defines access conditions, temporal exploitation and zoning. Donaten is an active sea-turtle nesting beach where turtles are regularly released. Spearfishing-specific rules were not retrieved, but recreational/sport fishing inside the AMP is restricted.
- Zone marine protégée Bouche du Roy — corridor littoral Togbin à Grand-Popomarine protected area
Delimited marine protection corridor of the Bouche du Roy AMP running along the Beninese coastline from Togbin (commune of Abomey-Calavi) to Grand-Popo. Demarcation began on 1 April 2026 with a first beacon installed at 24 m depth, and a planned total of 76 buoys/beacons marking the seaward limit of the protection zone to Beninese fishermen (AGEREB project, EU-supported, managed by CENAGREF). It is a refuge for aquatic-fauna reproduction; fishing is regulated within the marked limits under the protected-area regime (Arts. 65, 83, 84 of Loi-cadre 2014-19). Distinct from the Bouche du Roy estuarine community conservation area: this is the marine corridor west of the estuary. Center point set off the Fidjrossè/Togbin coast west of Cotonou (eastern end of the corridor; corridor extends ~50 km west to Grand-Popo).
Mga kondisyon sa tubig
Mga live na kondisyon
Live na marine at weather snapshot malapit sa coastal na reference point sa Benin, mula sa Open-Meteo. Nag-iiba ang mga kondisyon sa buong baybayin — ituring bilang indikatibo.
Live na marine at weather malapit sa Aire Communautaire de Conservation de la Biodiversité de la Bouche du Roy (Réserve de biosphère du Mono).
Sino ang dapat tanungin
Mga Awtoridad
Ang mga opisyal na katawan na responsable para sa mga isda at pagpapalisensya.
Ministère de l'Agriculture, de l'Élevage et de la Pêche (MAEP) — Direction de la Production Halieutique
fisheries authority
agriculture.gouv.bjunknownRéserve de biosphère du Mono / Aire Communautaire de Conservation de la Biodiversité de la Bouche du Roy
marine protected area manager
boucheduroy.bjunknown
Saan nagmumula ang impormasyon
Mga Pinagmulan
Bawat pahayag sa pahinang ito ay nagmumula sa isa sa mga sangguniang ito.
- [01]
Loi N° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 relative à la pêche et à l'aquaculture — Secrétariat général du Gouvernement du Bénin (official portal, full PDF)
Opisyalsgg.gouv.bjNa-access Hun 14 - [02]
Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014 — ECOLEX legislation record (FAO/IUCN/UNEP)
Opisyalecolex.orgNa-access Hun 14 - [03]
LOI-CADRE N° 2014-19 — full text reproduction (A.J.A.P.E.)
Pangalawaajape-asso.over-blog.comNa-access Hun 14 - [04]
Pêche au Bénin — Wikipédia (overview of marine and inland fisheries)
Pangalawafr.wikipedia.orgNa-access Hun 14 - [05]
Community Biodiversity Conservation Area of La Bouche du Roy — Wikipedia
Pangalawaen.wikipedia.orgNa-access Hun 14 - [06]
Réserve de biosphère du Mono / Bouche du Roy — official reserve site
Opisyalboucheduroy.bjNa-access Hun 14
Mga tala ng mananaliksik
Benin has a short Gulf of Guinea coastline (~121 km) and its fisheries (predominantly inland: Lake Nokoué, Lake Ahémé, Ouémé River) are governed by Loi-cadre n° 2014-19 du 07 août 2014. CRITICAL FINDING: the law contains NO provision specifically naming spearfishing, speargun, harpoon or underwater fishing — verified by full-text extraction of the official PDF from sgg.gouv.bj (no occurrence of 'pêche sous-marine', 'chasse sous-marine', 'harpon', 'fusil', 'chasse'). Recreational spearfishing is treated as 'pêche sportive', which requires a sport-fishing permit (Art. 62) and is penalized if practised without authorization (Art. 113.a). Status set to 'restricted' on that basis. Confidence is LOW because: (1) no spearfishing-specific equipment, season, catch-limit or zone rules exist or were located; (2) the practical fee, validity and issuing procedure for the sport-fishing permit are set by separate ministerial orders that were not retrieved; (3) verbatim French quotes were taken from the official SGG portal text and a secondary full-text reproduction (AJAPE), cross-checked against an OCR of the official PDF (sgg.gouv.bj/doc/loi-2014-19/download). NOTE: Loi n° 98-32 'portant Code de la pêche maritime' that appears in some searches is SENEGAL's law, not Benin's, and was excluded. Spearfishing is practised recreationally offshore Cotonou per dive/charter operators, but no specific regulatory text governing it was found.
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