Lesotho
Africa · Southern Africa
Lesotho is a landlocked country with no marine waters, so all fishing is freshwater (rivers, the Katse and Mohale reservoirs, and high-altitude streams stocked with introduced rainbow and brown trout). Freshwater fishing is governed by the Protection of Fresh Water Fish Proclamation No. 45 of 1951 and the Fresh Water Fish Regulations No. 112 of 1951, administered by the Ministry of Agriculture (Livestock/Fisheries Division). A permit is required to fish. Permitted methods are restricted to rod, line and artificial non-spinning flies; landing nets, gaffs, gillnets, other nets, electrofishers and explosives are prohibited for non-research purposes. Spearfishing / underwater fishing is not among the authorised methods and there is no provision permitting it, so recreational spearfishing is effectively not allowed. No source confirms that spearfishing is explicitly permitted anywhere in Lesotho.
Seinast dagfest Juni 16, 2026
Stjórnandaslag
- §Protection of Fresh Water Fish Proclamation No. 45 of 1951
- §Fresh Water Fish Regulations No. 112 of 1951
- Leyfi kravt
- Kravt
- Sperrpistol
- Forboðið
- Útlendingar
- Vælkomin
Lógin, orðrætt
Løgligar tekstar
Nøgustu løgligar og reglugerðarligar fyrimæli sum stjórna skotfiskiskap her, tikin sum útgávnar, við tilvísning til hvørja heimlígu keldu.
InforMEA abstract of the Protection of Fresh Water Fish Proclamation (No. 45 of 1951) - scope and powers
Protection of Fresh Water Fish Proclamation No. 45 of 1951
This Proclamation empowers the High Commissioner to prescribe for any district or for any area or waters the periods of close seasons and to make Regulations with respect to the issue of permits and to regulate the capture or destruction of fish, the stocking of waters by fish, the importation of live fresh and the cultivation of fish for food purposes.
FAO review of prohibited fishing gear under the 1951 freshwater fish legislation (not statute verbatim)
Protection of Fresh Water Fish Proclamation No. 45 of 1951 / Fresh Water Fish Regulations No. 112 of 1951 (described in FAO review)
The protection of freshwater fish in Lesotho is governed by Proclamation No. 45 of 1951. The use of gillnets seems to be prohibited except for the purpose of research. Nets, electrofishers, etc, are prohibited for all other purposes except research. This regulation is obviously outdated and in need of reform.
Trout angling tackle, closed season, bag limit and licence (tourism-guide summary of Ministry of Agriculture rules)
Ministry of Agriculture trout-angling rules (presented under the 1951 freshwater fish framework); not statute verbatim
Fishing tackle that you may use for trout is limited to a rod, line and artificial non-spinning flies. Landing nets and gaffs are not permitted. The season for trout fishing is closed between 1st June and 31st August every year. The bag limit for trout is twelve (12) trout over 25 centimeters in length. All the other trout must be returned to the water. The license fee is minimal only M5.00 and the licenses can be obtained from: The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Division in Maseru.
Nær tú kanst kafa
Tíðir & tíðarútilokanir
Lokuðar, opnar og avmarkaðar tíðir um árið. Staðfest alltíð artsligar lokunanir staðbundið.
- LokaðTrout (rainbow and brown trout) in rivers/streamsJun 1 – Aug 31
National trout fishing closed season under the Ministry of Agriculture / Livestock Division rules: the season for trout fishing is closed between 1 June and 31 August every year (winter spawning period). A separate lodge source describes the trout river restriction more broadly as May to August.
- LokaðHighland waters (close season prescribed under regulations made under the 1951 Proclamation)Mai 1 – Jun 30
Per the FAO seminar report on fish production in Lesotho's lowland reservoirs: 'In order to protect breeding seasons, regulations have subsequently been made establishing a closed season for the fishery in the highlands (May - June) and in the lowlands (August - December).' Dates are calendar-month ranges (1 May - 30 June) inferred from the source's 'May - June' wording. Note: these months are NOT stated on the InforMEA/FAOLEX abstract of the Proclamation itself; the abstract only says the High Commissioner may prescribe close seasons.
- LokaðLowland waters (close season prescribed under regulations made under the 1951 Proclamation)Aug 1 – Des 31
Per the FAO seminar report: 'regulations have subsequently been made establishing a closed season for the fishery in the highlands (May - June) and in the lowlands (August - December).' Dates are calendar-month ranges (1 August - 31 December) inferred from the source's 'August - December' wording. These months are NOT stated on the InforMEA/FAOLEX abstract; they come from the FAO seminar report.
- AvmarkaðYellowfish in riversNov 1 – Jan 31
Per a lodge source, river fishing is restricted for yellowfish in November to January, where catch-and-release is recommended; dam fishing remains permitted during this period. Secondary source only.
Loyvi til at fiska
Leyfi
Hvat tú tørvar til at vera loyft í vatninum, hvat tað kostar, og hvussu tú fært tað.
Obtain from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Division in Maseru, or purchase a fishing permit at authorised lodges near the dams (e.g. Katse).
Fá títt leyfiOpnar heimlígu gáttina · lesotho-blanketwrap.com
- Slag
- Freshwater fishing permit / trout angling licence
- Kostnaður
- Trout licence fee M5.00 (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Division). Some lodges issue permits valid country-wide at about M50 per month or M200 per year.
- Gildistíð
- Per the issuing body; monthly or annual permits available from lodges (e.g. Katse), or a low-cost government trout licence.
- Hvussu tú fært tað
- Obtain from the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Division in Maseru, or purchase a fishing permit at authorised lodges near the dams (e.g. Katse).
- Myndugleiki
- Ministry of Agriculture - Livestock / Fisheries Division
Tøki & teknikk
Tøknireglur
Hvat tøki er loyft, hvussu tað má brúkast, og undir hvønum skilyrðum.
Avmarkanir
- Permitted tackle is limited to rod, line and artificial non-spinning flies (for trout).
- Landing nets and gaffs are not permitted.
- Gillnets and other nets are prohibited except for research purposes.
- Electrofishers and explosives are prohibited.
- Spearguns / underwater fishing gear are not among the authorised methods; no source permits spearfishing.
The legal framework (Proclamation No. 45 of 1951 and Fresh Water Fish Regulations No. 112 of 1951) restricts fishing to rod-and-line/fly angling and prohibits nets, gaffs, electrofishing and explosives. The 1951 law predates and does not mention spearfishing specifically; because it is not an authorised method, recreational spearfishing is treated as not permitted.
Hvat tú má taka
Fongstmarkir & friðlýstar artar
Dagligar kvotur, lágmarksstørðir, og artar sum aldri má takast.
Daglig mark
Two distinct limits apply by water type. For river/stream trout angling, Ministry-of-Agriculture trout rules (per a secondary tourism source) set a bag limit of 12 trout over 25 cm, with all other trout released. For the Lesotho Highlands Water Project dams (Katse/Mohale), a lodge source reports a daily limit of 4 fish per angler per day. Commercial fishing is prohibited. Both figures come from secondary sources and are not reconciled in an official instrument.
Lágmarksstørðir
- Trout (rainbow/brown)min 25 cm
Friðlýstar artar — tak ikki
- FriðlýstMaloti Minnow (Pseudobarbus quathlambae) - critically endangered endemic, found in Sehlabathebe National Park
Trout under 25 cm must be returned to the water. Commercial fishing is prohibited under LHDA/Ministry rules; only licensed recreational angling is allowed.
Hvør má fiska
Gæstur & búsetufólk
Hvussu reglurnar eru munandi fyri útlendigar gæstur og heimlígt búsetufólk.
Útlendigar gæstur
LoyftSerstakt leyfi kravt
Krav
- Obtain a fishing permit/licence before fishing (from the Ministry of Agriculture or an authorised lodge).
- Use only permitted tackle (rod, line, artificial non-spinning flies); spearfishing is not permitted.
- Observe closed seasons, bag limits and minimum sizes.
Avmarkanir
- No commercial fishing.
- No spearfishing / underwater fishing.
- Respect protected areas (e.g. Sehlabathebe National Park) and protected endemic species.
Foreign visitors (e.g. fly-fishing tourists) may fish recreationally with the same permit and gear rules as residents. There is no source indicating any spearfishing permit is available to foreigners.
Búsetufólk
Freshwater fishing permit / trout angling licence
Krav
- Hold a valid fishing permit.
- Use only permitted tackle (rod, line, fly); no nets, gaffs, spearguns, electrofishing or explosives.
- Observe closed seasons, size and bag limits.
Fyrimunir
- Low-cost government trout licence (M5.00).
Same method and conservation rules apply to residents as to visitors; spearfishing is not an authorised method.
Hvar á ströndini
Loyft & forboðin søvnir
Nevnd øki sum eru opin fyri ella lokuð fyri skotfiskiskap. Vís heilt mynstrið á gagnvirka kortinum.
Loyft øki
Large reservoir on the Malibamatso River (Lesotho Highlands Water Project) stocked with rainbow and brown trout; legal angling is permitted with a valid permit using rod, line and fly only. Dam fishing is allowed year-round even during river closed seasons, with sustainable catch-and-release encouraged.
Permit required; rod/line/fly only; per a lodge source a daily limit of 4 fish per angler is applied in the dams (distinct from the 12-trout river bag limit cited by Ministry-rule sources); spearfishing not authorised.
Reservoir on the Senqunyane River (Lesotho Highlands Water Project) holding introduced trout; legal recreational angling under permit with rod, line and fly only.
Permit required; rod/line/fly only; spearfishing not authorised.
Forboðin øki
- Sehlabathebe National Parknational park / World Heritage Site
Protected national park and part of the Maloti-Drakensberg Transfrontier / World Heritage Site. Habitat of the critically endangered endemic Maloti Minnow (Pseudobarbus quathlambae). Fishing is highly restricted; trout angling is only done below the Tsoelikane Falls and in nearby dams, and the protected endemic fish must not be taken. Spearfishing is not permitted.
Veðurástand á havinum
Livandi veðurástand
Livandi sjógongdar- og veðursnapshotur nær einum strandlegum tilvísnarstaði í Lesotho, úr Open-Meteo. Veðurástand broytist við ströndina — brúka sum vísingarlig.
Livandi sjógongd & veður nær Katse Dam reservoir.
Hvørjum at spyrja
Myndugleikar
Heimlígu stovnarnar ábyrgar fyri fiskiskap og leyfi.
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security - Livestock / Fisheries Division
fisheries authority / agriculture ministry
lesotho-blanketwrap.comLivestock Division, Maseru, LesothoLesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA)
water resource / reservoir management authority
motebong.comManages fishing rules on Katse and Mohale reservoirs (catch limits, prohibition of commercial fishing).Department of Environment - Protected Areas (Sehlabathebe National Park)
environment ministry / protected area authority
environment.gov.lsDepartment of Environment, Maseru
Hvaðan hetta kemur
Keldar
Hvørt krav á hesum síðu kemur frá einari av hesum tilvísningunum.
- [01]
Protection of Fresh Water Fish Proclamation (No. 45 of 1951) - InforMEA (UNEP/FAO legislative database)
Heimlíginformea.orgFunnið Jun 14 - [02]
FAOLEX Database - Lesotho country profile (national legislation index)
Heimlígfao.orgFunnið Jun 14 - [03]
FAO - Strategies for fish production in lowlands reservoirs, Lesotho (legislation review)
Heimlígfao.orgFunnið Jun 16 - [04]
FAO - Report on the seminar on fish production in lowlands reservoirs, Lesotho (source of the highland May-June / lowland August-December close-season ranges)
Heimlígfao.orgFunnið Jun 16 - [05]
Lesotho Department of Environment - Sehlabathebe National Park (protected area)
Heimlígenvironment.gov.lsFunnið Jun 14 - [06]
Hunting wild Lesotho Trout - trout fishing regulations, licence, closed season, tackle
Undirkeldalesotho-blanketwrap.comFunnið Jun 14 - [07]
Motebong Lodge - Licensed fishing (Katse Dam): permits, seasons, daily limits
Undirkeldamotebong.comFunnið Jun 14
Kannaragreinagerð
Lesotho is landlocked (no sea coastline), so there is no marine spearfishing; all fishing is freshwater. The governing law is the Protection of Fresh Water Fish Proclamation No. 45 of 1951 with the Fresh Water Fish Regulations No. 112 of 1951, widely described by the FAO as outdated and in need of reform. These instruments and the Ministry of Agriculture's trout rules restrict legal angling to rod, line and artificial flies and prohibit nets, gaffs, gillnets, electrofishing and explosives for non-research use. Spearfishing / underwater fishing is NOT listed as a permitted method and no authoritative source indicates it is allowed, so spearfishing_allowed is set to 'no' (effectively prohibited by absence of authorisation rather than by an explicit named ban). SOURCING CAVEATS (confidence LOW): (1) The full verbatim text of the 1951 Proclamation and Regulation No. 112 could not be retrieved (FAOLEX returns HTTP 403; only FAO/InforMEA abstracts and reviews were obtainable). The law_texts entries are therefore verbatim quotes of those FAO/InforMEA abstracts and a tourism-guide summary, NOT the statute's own article wording; titles/instrument fields flag this explicitly. (2) The highland (May-June) and lowland (August-December) close-season ranges are NOT stated in the InforMEA/FAOLEX abstract; they come from the FAO seminar report (ad786e), which is now the cited source for seasons[1] and seasons[2]. These were previously mis-attributed to the InforMEA abstract; that error has been corrected. The month tokens have been normalised to MM-DD calendar-month ranges (highlands 05-01/06-30, lowlands 08-01/12-31, yellowfish 11-01/01-31), with the ordinal/month-range origin noted in each season's description. (3) Closed-season dates differ by source and scope: Ministry trout rules 1 Jun-31 Aug (rivers/streams); FAO seminar regulations highlands May-Jun and lowlands Aug-Dec. (4) Two daily-catch figures coexist and are now reconciled by scope in catch_limits.daily_limit: a 12-trout river bag limit (Ministry/secondary) vs a 4-fish/angler/day dam limit (lodge/secondary); both are secondary, not from an official instrument. (5) The 1951 law does not mention spearfishing by name, so the prohibition is inferred from the closed list of permitted methods. Coordinates for dams and the national park are approximate. The critically endangered endemic Maloti Minnow (Pseudobarbus quathlambae) in Sehlabathebe National Park is a protected species.
Tilkynntu meg nær Lesothos reglur broytast
Vit senda tær teldubræv nær Lesothos tíðir ella reglugerðir eru dagfestur í okkara gagnasetti.