Niue
Oceania · Polynesia
Breath-hold (freediving) spearfishing is legal in Niue's inshore/territorial waters but heavily regulated. Spearfishing with the aid of underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA/hookah) for taking fish is prohibited by section 3(1)(e) of the Domestic Fishing Act 1995. Visitors in practice spearfish only via the small number of licensed charter operators and may not spearfish from shore/reef without authorisation from the relevant village council; spearfishing is banned in traditional fishing (bait/ulihega) areas and around inshore FADs. All fishing, including spearfishing, is banned on Sundays between 4am and 9pm. Offshore, the Domestic Fishing Act and the Maritime Zones Act 2013 marine-park regulations apply: spearfishing is expressly prohibited throughout the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area (the EEZ zone from 24nm to 200nm), and is only permitted in the Beveridge Reef Nukutulueatama Special Management Area if specifically authorised by Cabinet. Size limits, daily catch limits and a list of protected species (turtles, cetaceans, sharks, rays, giant wrasse, the endemic katuali sea snake, live coral, egg-bearing/soft-shell crustaceans) further restrict what may be taken.
Dernière mise à jour juin 15, 2026
Cadre réglementaire
- §Domestic Fishing Act 1995 (1995/199)
- §Domestic Fishing Regulations 1996
- §Maritime Zones Act 2013
- §Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area Regulations 2020 (No. 2020/04)
- Licence requise
- Requise
- Fusil harpon
- Autorisé
- Plongée bouteille
- Interdit
- Étrangers
- Bienvenus
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.
Prohibited use of illegal fishing means (including underwater breathing apparatus)
Domestic Fishing Act 1995 (1995/199)
3 Prohibited use of illegal fishing means (1) No person shall use – (a) Dynamite, gelignite, or any other explosive; (b) Firearms, hand held power heads exempt; (c) The New Guinea creeper, commonly known as "akau Niukini", or any other poison or stupefying agent; (d) A net which has a mesh size less than a 75mm diagonal measurement other than for use as a flying fishing net; (e) Underwater breathing apparatus for the purpose of taking or killing fish other than for the taking of any destructive organism within Niue’s waters. (2) Cabinet may permit the use of underwater breathing apparatus, subject to such terms conditions and restrictions as Cabinet may impose, for the purpose of conducting scientific research or for the gathering of data to assist in the conservation or management of Niue’s fishery resource. (3) Every person who – (a) Acts or attempts to act or encourages or induces any other person to act in contravention of this section; or (b) Grows or fails to take steps to eradicate akau Niukini commonly known to be growing on his property, or has in his or her possession any plant or seed of akau Niukini; shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 5 penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months.
Definition of underwater breathing apparatus
Domestic Fishing Act 1995 (1995/199)
"underwater breathing apparatus" means scuba gear, or hooker unit, made up of an air tank, and requires the use of a mask or mouth regulator;
Marine reserves and fono for fishing
Domestic Fishing Act 1995 (1995/199)
7 Marine reserves and fono for fishing (1) With the concurrence of the village council and or the Director, the Cabinet may by public notice declare a marine reserve, or a fono for fishing over any part of the reef or Niue waters specified in such public notice. ... (4) Village councils must advertise and place signs to the effect of a fono to inform locals and tourists. 8 Effect of a marine reserve or fono for fishing (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section or permitted under any marine reserve or fono for fishing, no person shall, so long as any marine reserve or fono for fishing is in force – (a) Enter the area over which the marine reserve or fono for fishing has been declared, for the purpose of fishing; (b) Take any inorganic substance, living material, or matter from within any such area.
Restriction on taking of certain species (undersized crustaceans and clams)
Domestic Fishing Act 1995 (1995/199)
10 Restriction on taking of certain species (1) No person shall take, sell, trade, or export at any time or be in possession of, or interfere with any crustacean, that – (a) Is carrying external eggs; (b) Has had its external eggs, or the egg bearing appendages removed, by any means; or (c) Is in its soft shell stage. (2) No person shall take, sell, trade, export, or be in possession of, or interfere with, any Uga, crayfish, Tapatapa or clam whose size is less than indicated in the Domestic Fishing Regulations 1996. (3) Every person who acts in contravention of subsection (1) or (2) commits an offence, and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding 5 penalty units or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or to both such fine and imprisonment.
Sunday fishing prohibited
Domestic Fishing Act 1995 (1995/199)
13 Sunday fishing prohibited (1) No person shall be allowed to fish on a Sunday between 4am and 9pm within Niue’s fishery waters (territorial zone). (2) Any person contravening subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence. 15 Penalty Any person offending against section 13 shall be liable to – (a) A fine not exceeding 1 penalty unit; and or (b) Imprisonment for a term not exceeding 3 months; and in addition to any other penalty the court may impose; (c) Forfeiture to the Government of the sea-craft together with its fishing gear and all fish taken.
Prohibited activities in the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area (spearfishing banned)
Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area Regulations 2020 (No. 2020/04), made under the Maritime Zones Act 2013
6 Prohibited activities (1) The following activities are prohibited within the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area: (a) drift-netting: (b) the use of explosives, firearms, poison or chemicals for fishing: (c) extractive scientific research by all methods: (d) deployment of anchored fish aggregation devices: (e) deployment of drifting fish aggregation devices: (f) gillnetting: (g) horizontal multiple hook pelagic and demersal long lining, and vertical long lining: (h) all other hook and line fishing: (j) purse seining: (j) spear fishing: (k) trapping (l) trawling in all forms: (m) trolling: (n) bottom anchoring: (o) fishing of or around anchored fish aggregation devices: (p) fishing of or around drifting fish aggregation devices: ... (w) shellfish harvesting, reef gleaning or dive collecting:
Spearfishing in Beveridge Reef Special Management Area only by Cabinet authorisation
Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area Regulations 2020 (No. 2020/04), made under the Maritime Zones Act 2013
8 Permitted activities 2) The Cabinet may authorise the following activities within the Beveridge Reef Nukutulueatama Special Management Area, subject to specific conditions determined by Cabinet – (d) extractive scientific research by all methods: (e) all other hook and line fishing not referred to in regulation 6(2): (f) spearfishing: (g) trolling: (h) bottom anchoring: (i) installation of moorings: ... (s) shellfish harvesting, reef gleaning or dive collecting:
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.
- FerméeAll fishing including spearfishing in territorial watersSunday 04:00 – Sunday 21:00
Weekly Sunday fishing ban under section 13 of the Domestic Fishing Act 1995: no person may fish on a Sunday between 4am and 9pm within Niue's fishery waters (territorial zone).
Autorisation de pêcher
Licence
Ce dont vous avez besoin pour être autorisé dans l'eau, ce que cela coûte et comment l'obtenir.
Boat licences are issued by the fisheries officer of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on application; visitors typically book one of the small number of licensed charter operators rather than fishing independently.
Obtenez votre licenceOuvre le portail officiel · faolex.fao.org
- Type
- Boat licence under the Domestic Fishing Act 1995; in practice visitors must use a licensed fishing charter and/or obtain village council authorisation to spearfish
- Coût
- unknown
- Validité
- Boat licences run 1 July to 30 June (section 21)
- Comment l'obtenir
- Boat licences are issued by the fisheries officer of the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on application; visitors typically book one of the small number of licensed charter operators rather than fishing independently.
- Autorité
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF)
Matériel et technique
Règles d'équipement
Quel matériel est autorisé, comment il peut être utilisé et les conditions associées.
Restrictions
- Underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA gear or hookah unit with air tank and mask/regulator) may NOT be used to take or kill fish, except for taking declared destructive organisms (Domestic Fishing Act 1995, s.3(1)(e))
- Firearms are prohibited for fishing, but hand-held power heads are expressly exempt (s.3(1)(b))
- Explosives, poisons and stupefying agents (e.g. akau Niukini) prohibited (s.3(1)(a),(c))
- Cabinet may permit SCUBA use only for scientific research/data gathering (s.3(2))
- Spearfishing only with breath-hold/freediving in practice
Spearfishing in Niue is breath-hold (freediving) only; speargun and hand-held power head are the legal capture methods. SCUBA-assisted spearfishing is banned.
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
Per person per day (reef invertebrates): up to 10 clams and up to 10 crayfish (Domestic Fishing Regulations 1996, per Niue Pocket Guide). No published general daily limit for finfish taken by spearfishing.
Tailles minimales
- Uga (coconut crab) - thoracic lengthmin 3.6 cm
- Crayfish (lobster) - tail lengthmin 13 cm
- Clammin 18 cm
- Tapatapamin 8 cm
Espèces protégées — ne pas prélever
- ProtégéeWhales, dolphins and porpoises (all cetaceans)
- ProtégéeSea turtles
- ProtégéeSharks
- ProtégéeRays
- ProtégéeGiant wrasse (humphead/Napoleon wrasse)
- ProtégéeKatuali - Niuean banded sea snake (endemic)
- ProtégéeLive coral
- ProtégéeEgg-bearing crustaceans and crustaceans in soft-shell stage
- ProtégéeFemale and juvenile crayfish
Minimum sizes and protected-species rules derive from the Domestic Fishing Act 1995 (ss.10-12) and Domestic Fishing Regulations 1996. Exact numeric size limits (uga 36mm thoracic, crayfish 130mm tail, clam 180mm, tapatapa 80mm) and the 10/day clam and crayfish limits are reported by the Niue Pocket Guide citing the 1996 Regulations; the full text of the 1996 Regulations was not retrieved directly.
Qui peut pêcher
Visiteurs et résidents
Comment les règles diffèrent pour les visiteurs étrangers et les résidents locaux.
Visiteurs étrangers
AutoriséeLicence spéciale requise
Exigences
- Spearfishing in practice only through a licensed charter operator with a local guide
- No spearfishing without a local guide
- Shore/reef spearfishing requires authorisation from the relevant village council
- Comply with Sunday fishing ban, protected-species list, size and catch limits
Restrictions
- No independent shore/reef spearfishing without village council permission
- No spearfishing in traditional fishing areas (avanui / ulihega bait grounds)
- No spearfishing on inshore FADs
- No SCUBA-assisted spearfishing
Only a small number (around three) of licensed fishing charters operate on Niue; visitor spearfishing is overwhelmingly bluewater/pelagic by freediving with a guide.
Résidents
Boat licence under the Domestic Fishing Act 1995 (for putting to sea in a boat based on Niue)
Exigences
- Boat must be licensed and seaworthy with minimum safety equipment
- Applicant must be at least 16 years of age
- Comply with Sunday fishing ban, fono/marine reserves, protected species and size limits
Avantages
- Customary subsistence access to inshore village-managed waters (Subsistence Special Management Area, coast to 3nm)
Customary village management (fono, tapu) historically governs inshore reef access; canoe (vaka) fishing is exempt from the boat-licensing regime.
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 autorisées
Coastal band from 3nm to 24nm where local and charter fishing is permitted; this is where licensed spearfishing charters operate for pelagic/bluewater targets.
Sunday fishing ban applies in territorial waters; SCUBA-assisted spearfishing prohibited; protected species and size/catch limits apply.
Inshore zone from the coastline out to 3nm, managed by local villages, where seafood collection for local use is permitted. Shore/reef spearfishing here requires authorisation from the relevant village council and is banned in traditional bait-fishing (ulihega/avanui) areas.
Village council authorisation required for shore/reef spearfishing; banned in traditional fishing areas and around inshore FADs; Sunday ban; protected species and size limits apply.
Zones interdites
- Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Areamarine protected area (no-take)
Large no-take marine protected area of approximately 127,000 sq km covering ~40% of Niue's EEZ, extending from the 24nm contiguous zone to the 200nm EEZ limit. Spearfishing and all other fishing are prohibited (Regulation 6(1)).
- Beveridge Reef Nukutulueatama Special Management Areaspecial management area
Special management area centred on Beveridge Reef within the EEZ. Spearfishing is prohibited unless specifically authorised by Cabinet under Regulation 8(2)(f).
- Village fono / marine reserves and traditional fishing areas (avanui / ulihega)marine reserve / customary fono
Areas where a fono (customary fishing prohibition) or marine reserve has been declared by Cabinet with village council concurrence under sections 7-8 of the Domestic Fishing Act 1995, plus traditional bait-fishing grounds where spearfishing is not permitted. Village councils signpost active fono.
Conditions sur l'eau
Conditions en direct
Aperçu marin et météo en direct près d'un point de référence côtier en Niue, fourni par Open-Meteo. Les conditions varient le long de la côte — à considérer comme indicatives.
Conditions marines et météo en direct près de Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area.
À qui s'adresser
Autorités
Les organismes officiels responsables de la pêche et des licences.
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF), Government of Niue
fisheries authority
en.wikipedia.orgPhone +683 4032; part of the Ministry of Natural Resources, Alofi, NiueNiue Village Councils (fono / customary marine management)
customary/local authority
faolex.fao.orgAuthorisation required for shore/reef spearfishing; declare and signpost fonoNiue Tourism
tourism authority
niueisland.comInformation on licensed fishing charters and visitor rules
D'où cela provient
Sources
Chaque affirmation sur cette page renvoie à l'une de ces références.
- [01]
Domestic Fishing Act 1995 (Niue Laws, legislation as at December 2006) - full text
Officiellefaolex.fao.orgConsulté le juin 15 - [02]
Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area Regulations 2020 (No. 2020/04) - full text
Officiellefaolex.fao.orgConsulté le juin 15 - [03]
Domestic Fishing Act 1995 (ECOLEX legislation record)
Officielleecolex.orgConsulté le juin 15 - [04]
Niue Nukutuluea Multiple-Use Marine Park (zones and coordinates)
Secondaireen.wikipedia.orgConsulté le juin 15 - [05]
The Complete Guide to Spearfishing in Niue - Niue Pocket Guide
Secondaireniuepocketguide.comConsulté le juin 15 - [06]
The Guide to Fishing in Niue (size/catch limits, charter rules) - Niue Pocket Guide
Secondaireniuepocketguide.comConsulté le juin 15 - [07]
Fishing in Niue: The Types of Fish in Niue (protected vs target species) - Niue Pocket Guide
Secondaireniuepocketguide.comConsulté le juin 15 - [08]
Niue declares 40% of EEZ as Marine Protected Area - SPC Pacific R2R
Secondairepacific-r2r.orgConsulté le juin 15 - [09]
Small island, big ocean: Niue makes its entire EEZ a marine park - Mongabay
Secondairenews.mongabay.comConsulté le juin 15
Notes du chercheur
Niue is a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand. Verbatim legal text was retrieved for the Domestic Fishing Act 1995 (FAOLEX/USP PacLII full text) and the Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area Regulations 2020 (FAOLEX full text), which directly govern spearfishing: SCUBA-assisted spearfishing is banned nationally (DFA s.3(1)(e)); spearfishing is prohibited throughout the offshore Moana Mahu MPA (Reg 6(1)) and only Cabinet-authorised in the Beveridge Reef SMA (Reg 8(2)(f)). The Domestic Fishing Regulations 1996 (which set exact minimum sizes and the protected-species list) could not be retrieved as primary full text; the numeric size limits (uga 36mm thoracic, crayfish 130mm tail, clam 180mm, tapatapa 80mm), 10/day clam and crayfish limits, and the protected-species list are sourced from the Niue Pocket Guide citing the 1996 Regulations and should be treated as secondary until the primary text is obtained. Coordinates: Moana Mahu MPA centroid ~19.5S 169.5W (Niue island); Beveridge Reef per Reg 3 at 20°0'14"S 167°45'29"W.
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