Sri Lanka
Asia · Southern Asia
Spearfishing is illegal throughout Sri Lankan waters. Under the Prohibition of Use of Spears in Fishing Operations Regulations No. 1 of 2017 (Gazette Extraordinary No. 2008/31, 3 March 2017), made under Section 61 read with Section 28 of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996, no person may use or possess a spear gun, carry one on board any local fishing boat, or engage in any fishing operation using spear guns or hand-held spears anywhere in Sri Lanka Waters. The ban was introduced on the recommendation of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) to protect reef fish such as humphead (Napoleon) wrasse and groupers. A 2020 proposal to permit tourist spearfishing was rejected after expert opposition. The ban applies to nationals and foreigners alike, with no recreational exemption. A spear gun is a 'prohibited fishing gear' under Section 28; contravention is an offence punishable under Section 49(2) of the Act.
Dernière mise à jour juin 15, 2026
Cadre réglementaire
- §Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996 (as amended)
- §Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Amendment) Act, No. 4 of 2004
- §Prohibition of Use of Spears in Fishing Operations Regulations No. 1 of 2017 (Gazette Extraordinary No. 2008/31, 3 March 2017)
- Fusil harpon
- Interdit
- Étrangers
- Non autorisé
- Flèches max.
- 0
La loi, verbatim
Textes juridiques
Les dispositions législatives et réglementaires exactes qui régissent la chasse sous-marine ici, citées telles que publiées, avec un lien vers chaque source officielle.
Prohibition of Use of Spears in Fishing Operations Regulations No. 1 of 2017
Gazette Extraordinary No. 2008/31, Regulations made by the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development under Section 61 of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996 read with Section 28 of that Act
1. These regulations may be cited as Prohibition of Use of Spears in Fishing Operations Regulations No. 1 of 2017. 2. No person shall use or possess, or have on board any local fishing boat, any spear gun. 3. No person shall engage in any fishing operation using spear guns or hand held spears within Sri Lanka Waters. 4. In these Regulations - "Spear gun" means a gun used to catch fish by shooting with pointed spike ; "Sri Lanka Waters" shall have the same meaning as in the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996.
Prohibited fishing gear or method (statutory basis for the spear ban)
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996 (Consolidated 2024)
28. No person shall use or possess, or have on board any local fishing boat, any prohibited fishing gear or engage in any prohibited fishing method in any area of Sri Lanka Waters or the High Seas.
Penalty for contravening Section 28 (prohibited fishing gear)
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996 (Consolidated 2024), Part IX Offences and Penalties
(2) Any person who contravenes or fails to comply with the provisions of sections 6, 28, 34 or 35 of this Act shall be guilty of an offence and shall on conviction after summary trial before a Magistrate, be liable to a fine not exceeding twenty five thousand rupees.
Licensing of fishing operations in Sri Lanka Waters
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996 (Consolidated 2024)
6. (1) No person shall engage in, or cause any other person to engage in, any prescribed fishing operation in Sri Lanka Waters except under the authority, and otherwise than in accordance with the terms and conditions, of a licence issued by the Director.
Acts prohibited in fisheries reserves
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996 (Consolidated 2024)
37. No person shall, except upon a permit obtained from the Director or any person authorized by the Director in that behalf in the prescribed form and on payment of the prescribed fee,- (a) engage in any fishing operation in such reserve; (b) mine, collect or otherwise gather or process coral, or any other aquatic resources, dredge, or extract sand or gravel, discharge or deposit waste or any other polluting matter or in any other way disturb, interfere with or destroy, fish or other aquatic resources or their natural breeding grounds or habitat in such reserve ; or (c) construct or erect any building or other structure on or over any land or waters within such reserve.
Power of the Minister to make regulations (basis for the 2017 spear ban)
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996 (Consolidated 2024)
61. (1) The Minister may make regulations for and in respect of all or any of the following matters:- ... (j) the prohibition of the use of any specified equipment, device, method or substance for the purpose of, or in connection with, the taking of fish and other aquatic resources, and the regulation of the time and the manner of the taking of fish and other aquatic resources ;
Quand vous pouvez plonger
Saisons et restrictions temporelles
Périodes de fermeture, d'ouverture et de restriction tout au long de l'année. Confirmez toujours localement les fermetures propres à chaque espèce.
Aucune fermeture saisonnière enregistrée — vérifiez localement avant de plonger.
Autorisation de pêcher
Licence
Ce dont vous avez besoin pour être autorisé dans l'eau, ce que cela coûte et comment l'obtenir.
No spearfishing licence exists. Spear guns are prohibited fishing gear under Section 28 of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act and no licence may authorise their use. General fishing operations otherwise require a licence from the Director / Licensing Officer under Section 6 of the Act.
Obtenez votre licenceOuvre le portail officiel · fisheriesdept.gov.lk
- Type
- Not applicable - spearfishing is prohibited and cannot be licensed
- Comment l'obtenir
- No spearfishing licence exists. Spear guns are prohibited fishing gear under Section 28 of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act and no licence may authorise their use. General fishing operations otherwise require a licence from the Director / Licensing Officer under Section 6 of the Act.
- Autorité
- Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
Matériel et technique
Règles d'équipement
Quel matériel est autorisé, comment il peut être utilisé et les conditions associées.
Restrictions
- Spear guns are prohibited: no person may use, possess, or have a spear gun on board any local fishing boat (Reg. 2 of 2017).
- Hand-held spears are prohibited for fishing: no person may engage in any fishing operation using spear guns or hand-held spears within Sri Lanka Waters (Reg. 3 of 2017).
- A 'spear gun' is legally defined as 'a gun used to catch fish by shooting with pointed spike'.
- Spear guns are classed as 'prohibited fishing gear' under Section 28 of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996.
- Bottom trawl nets are separately prohibited under Section 28A (Act No. 11 of 2017).
All forms of spear-based fishing are banned nationwide. The ban covers both spear guns and hand-held spears.
Ce que vous pouvez prélever
Limites de capture et espèces protégées
Quotas journaliers, tailles minimales et espèces qui ne doivent jamais être prélevées.
Limite journalière
Not applicable - spearfishing is prohibited
Espèces protégées — ne pas prélever
- ProtégéeHumphead / Napoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) - a key species the spearfishing ban was intended to protect
- ProtégéeGroupers (including Thambuwa, Cephalopholis sonnerati, separately protected by 2017 regulation)
The spearfishing ban was driven by concern for reef fish, especially humphead (Napoleon) wrasse and groupers, on the recommendation of NARA. A separate 2017 regulation prohibits catching the grouper species Thambuwa (Cephalopholis sonnerati).
Qui peut pêcher
Visiteurs et résidents
Comment les règles diffèrent pour les visiteurs étrangers et les résidents locaux.
Visiteurs étrangers
Non autoriséeRestrictions
- The 2017 spearfishing ban applies to all persons in Sri Lanka Waters; there is no tourist or foreigner exemption.
- A 2020 proposal to allow tourists to spearfish was rejected following expert opposition, so the total ban remains in force.
Foreign visitors and dive tourists are equally bound by the ban. Spearfishing in Sri Lankan waters is a chargeable offence regardless of nationality.
Résidents
Not applicable - spearfishing prohibited for all
The ban applies uniformly to residents and nationals; no resident category may spearfish.
Où sur la côte
Zones autorisées et interdites
Zones nommées ouvertes ou fermées à la chasse sous-marine. Voir l'image complète sur la carte interactive.
Zones interdites
- All Sri Lanka Watersnational waters - statutory spearfishing ban
Spearfishing (use or possession of spear guns, and fishing with spear guns or hand-held spears) is prohibited throughout Sri Lanka Waters under the Prohibition of Use of Spears in Fishing Operations Regulations No. 1 of 2017. There is no zone where spearfishing is permitted.
- Hikkaduwa National Park (Marine)marine national park
Marine national park on the southwest coast (Southern Province), progressed from sanctuary (1979) to national park (2002). Coral reef of ~44.5 ha. Managed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation; fishing/resource extraction prohibited without a permit. All spearfishing additionally banned nationwide.
- Pigeon Island National Parkmarine national park
Marine national park ~1 km off Nilaveli, Trincomalee district (Eastern Province), area ~471.4 ha including surrounding coral reefs (added 2003). Managed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation; fishing/extraction prohibited. All spearfishing additionally banned nationwide.
- Bar Reef Marine Sanctuarymarine sanctuary
Largest coral reef system in Sri Lanka, off Kalpitiya, North Western Province; established 1992, area ~306.7 km2. Managed by the Department of Wildlife Conservation as a marine sanctuary. All spearfishing banned nationwide.
Conditions sur l'eau
Conditions en direct
Aperçu marin et météo en direct près d'un point de référence côtier en Sri Lanka, fourni par Open-Meteo. Les conditions varient le long de la côte — à considérer comme indicatives.
Conditions marines et météo en direct près de Hikkaduwa National Park (Marine).
À qui s'adresser
Autorités
Les organismes officiels responsables de la pêche et des licences.
Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR)
fisheries authority
fisheriesdept.gov.lkMinistry of Fisheries, Maligawatte Secretariat, Colombo 10, Sri LankaMinistry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development
fisheries ministry
fisheriesdept.gov.lkIssuing authority of the 2017 spearfishing prohibition regulationsNational Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA)
marine research agency
nara.ac.lkCrow Island, Mattakkuliya, Colombo 15, Sri LankaDepartment of Wildlife Conservation (DWC)
wildlife / protected areas authority
dwc.gov.lkManages marine national parks and sanctuaries (Hikkaduwa, Pigeon Island, Bar Reef)
D'où cela provient
Sources
Chaque affirmation sur cette page renvoie à l'une de ces références.
- [01]
Prohibition of Use of Spears in Fishing Operations Regulations No. 1 of 2017 - Gazette Extraordinary No. 2008/31 (official PDF)
Officiellefiles.fisheriesdept.gov.lkConsulté le juin 15 - [02]
Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources - Regulations list (confirms gazette no. and date)
Officiellefisheriesdept.gov.lkConsulté le juin 15 - [03]
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996 - Consolidated 2024 (full statutory text: ss. 6, 28, 28A, 37, 49, 61)
Secondairelankalaw.netConsulté le juin 15 - [04]
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Amendment) Act, No. 4 of 2004 (penalties, ss. 27/49)
Officiellefisheriesdept.gov.lkConsulté le juin 15 - [05]
ECOLEX - Prohibition of Use of Spears in Fishing Operations Regulations No. 1 of 2017 (record: gazette 2008/31, 3 March 2017, parent Act)
Officielleecolex.orgConsulté le juin 15 - [06]
Roar Media - Spearfishing Is Illegal In Sri Lanka (background, NARA recommendation, definitions)
Secondairearchive.roar.mediaConsulté le juin 15 - [07]
Window to Nature - Red light for spearfishing (2017 ban context)
Secondairewindow2nature.wordpress.comConsulté le juin 15 - [08]
UNEP Law and Environment Assistance Platform - Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act 1996, No. 2 of 1996
Officielleleap.unep.orgConsulté le juin 15 - [09]
Wikipedia - Hikkaduwa National Park (marine MPA, coordinates)
Secondaireen.wikipedia.orgConsulté le juin 15 - [10]
Wikipedia - Pigeon Island National Park (marine MPA, coordinates)
Secondaireen.wikipedia.orgConsulté le juin 15 - [11]
Wikipedia - Bar Reef (marine sanctuary, coordinates)
Secondaireen.wikipedia.orgConsulté le juin 15
Notes du chercheur
Spearfishing is comprehensively illegal in Sri Lanka. Primary source is the official Gazette Extraordinary No. 2008/31 (3 March 2017), Prohibition of Use of Spears in Fishing Operations Regulations No. 1 of 2017, retrieved as a text-extractable PDF from the Department of Fisheries; its full verbatim text (Regs. 1-4) is captured above. The regulation was made under s.61 read with s.28 of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act, No. 2 of 1996, and signed by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera (27 Feb 2017). Statutory penalty: spear guns are 'prohibited fishing gear' under s.28; contravention is punishable under s.49(2) by a fine not exceeding LKR 25,000 on summary conviction (consolidated Act text captured verbatim). No closed/open seasons apply to spearfishing because it is banned outright. Marine national parks/sanctuaries (Hikkaduwa, Pigeon Island, Bar Reef) carry additional fishing prohibitions under Department of Wildlife Conservation management; their coordinates come from Wikipedia (secondary) and should be treated as approximate. data_confidence is high for the core legal ban (official primary gazette + statutory text); MPA coordinates are medium reliability.
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