SpearfishingMap

Papua New Guinea

Oceania · Melanesia

Recreational/sport spearfishing is legal in Papua New Guinea and does not require a national fishing licence. Under the Fisheries Management Act 1998 (s.3(2)), the Act's licensing regime does not apply to fish taken for personal consumption, for sport or pleasure, by customary fishing, or by artisanal fishing - so recreational and subsistence spearfishers need no permit from the National Fisheries Authority. There is no national prohibition on spearguns; only fishing with poisons, chemicals or explosives is banned outright (s.32), and that ban applies to everyone including recreational fishers. The practical restriction is customary marine tenure: roughly 97% of PNG's coastline, reefs and inshore waters are under customary (clan/tribal) ownership, so in practice you must obtain permission from the traditional landowners/village before spearfishing in their waters - this is both customary law and, via reef ownership, effectively binding. The National Fisheries Board may by Gazette notice prohibit specified gear, methods, species, sizes or areas (s.30), and protected species (turtles, dugong, sharks/rays in declared MPAs) must not be taken. New marine protected areas (e.g. the Lovongai and Murat MPAs in New Ireland Province, declared 2023) impose species and area protections.

Restricted
Fiabilité des donnéesFiabilité moyenne

Dernière mise à jour juin 15, 2026

Cadre réglementaire

  • §Fisheries Management Act 1998 (No. 48 of 1998)
  • §Fisheries Management Regulation 2000
  • §Customary marine tenure (customary law over reefs and inshore waters)
  • §International Trade (Fauna and Flora) Act 1979 (protected species, e.g. turtles, dugong)
Licence requise
Non requise
Fusil harpon
Autorisé
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.

01Section 3(2)-(4)Papua New Guinea · national

Application of the Act - exemption for sport, personal, customary and artisanal fishing

Fisheries Management Act 1998 (No. 48 of 1998)

ENOriginal

(2) Unless otherwise specified by or under this Act, the provisions of this Act do not apply to or in relation to the taking of fish- (a) for personal consumption, and not for sale or trading or for manufacturing purposes; or (b) for sport or pleasure; or (c) by customary fishing; or (d) by artisanal fishing. (3) For the purposes of fisheries management under this Act, where a question arises as to whether the fish were taken for the purposes or in the manner described in Subsection (2), the Minister's decision, taking into account the recommendation of the Managing Director, is final. (4) In any proceedings under this Act, the burden of proof of a matter referred to in Subsection (2) is on the defendant.

02Section 2 (Interpretation) - definition of "fishing"Papua New Guinea · national

Definition of "fishing" (includes searching for or taking fish)

Fisheries Management Act 1998 (No. 48 of 1998)

ENOriginal

"fishing" means- (a) searching for or taking fish; or (b) the attempted searching for or taking of fish; or (c) engaging in any activity which can reasonably be expected to result in the locating or taking of fish; or (d) placing, searching for or recovering any fish aggregating device or associated equipment including radio beacons; or (e) any operation at sea in support of or in preparation for any activity in relation to a fishing vessel described in Paragraphs (a), (b), (c) or (d) except any related activity as defined in this subsection; or (f) any use of an aircraft which is related to any activity described in Paragraphs (a), (b), (c) or (d), except for flights in emergencies involving the health or safety of a crew member or the safety of a vessel; or (g) aquaculture.

03Section 2 (Interpretation) - definition of "customary fishing"Papua New Guinea · national

Definition of "customary fishing"

Fisheries Management Act 1998 (No. 48 of 1998)

ENOriginal

"customary fishing" means fishing by indigenous inhabitants, in waters where they are entitled by custom to fish, where- (a) the fish are taken in a manner that, as regards the boat, the equipment and the method used, is substantially in accordance with their customary traditions; and (b) the fish are taken for household consumption, barter or customary social or ceremonial purposes;

04Section 30(2)-(3)Papua New Guinea · national

Fishing and related activities subject to prohibition (gear, method, species, size, area)

Fisheries Management Act 1998 (No. 48 of 1998)

ENOriginal

(2) Notwithstanding Section 3(2), this section applies to all persons, all vessels and all fishing and related activities. (3) Subject to this Act, the Board may by notice in the National Gazette, following a recommendation by the Managing Director- ... (b) prohibit at all times, or during a specified period, the taking, from any specified area of fisheries waters of- (i) fish or fish included in a specified class of fish; ... (c) prohibit the taking, from any fisheries waters, of fish included in a specified class of fish that- (i) are less or greater than a specified size; ... (d) prohibit the taking, from any fisheries waters, of fish, or of fish included in a specified class of fish- (i) by a specified method or gear; or (ii) by persons other than a specified class of persons; ... (j) prohibit the taking of protected or endangered species of fish; and (k) prohibit such other activities as may be prescribed from time to time.

05Section 32(1)Papua New Guinea · national

Fishing with poisons or explosives prohibited (applies to all, including recreational)

Fisheries Management Act 1998 (No. 48 of 1998)

ENOriginal

(1) No person shall- (a) use, permit to be used or attempt to use any- (i) chemical, poison or noxious substance or material whether of manufactured or natural origin; or (ii) dynamite or explosive substance or device, for the purpose of killing, taking, stunning, stupefying or disabling fish or in any way rendering fish more easily caught; or (b) carry, permit to be carried, possess or control any- (i) chemical, poison or noxious substance or material whether of manufactured or natural origin; or (ii) dynamite or explosive substance or device, in circumstances which indicate the intention of its use for any of the purposes referred to in Paragraph (a); or (c) place in the water or assist in placing in the water any- (i) chemical, poison or noxious substance or material whether of manufactured or natural origin ...

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.

Aucune licence requisevia National Fisheries Authority (NFA)
Aucune licence requise
Type
No licence required for recreational/sport/subsistence spearfishing; only commercial fishing requires a National Fisheries Authority licence.
Coût
N/A for recreational spearfishing
Validité
N/A
Comment l'obtenir
No fishing licence is needed for sport, personal consumption, customary or artisanal fishing (Fisheries Management Act 1998 s.3(2)). In practice, obtain permission from the traditional landowners/village whose reef you intend to fish; charter operators or lodges normally arrange this.
Autorité
National Fisheries Authority (NFA)

Matériel et technique

Règles d'équipement

Quel matériel est autorisé, comment il peut être utilisé et les conditions associées.

Fusil harponAutorisée

Restrictions

  • No national prohibition on spearguns or hand spears for recreational/subsistence use.
  • Use of poisons, chemicals, noxious substances or explosives to take fish is prohibited for everyone (Fisheries Management Act 1998 s.32).
  • The National Fisheries Board may by Gazette notice prohibit specified gear or methods in specified areas (s.30(3)(d)); local communities may impose gear restrictions within LMMAs/tambu areas.

No specific national rule found regulating SCUBA-assisted spearfishing; many community and customary management areas restrict gear. Confirm locally.

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

No national recreational bag limit set in statute; local/customary closures and any Gazette notices under s.30 may impose limits.

Espèces protégées — ne pas prélever

  • ProtégéeMarine turtles
  • ProtégéeDugong
  • ProtégéeWhales (excluded from the definition of 'fish' under the Act) and dolphins
  • ProtégéeSharks and rays (protected within the Murat MPA - five of six wards)
  • ProtégéeSawfish and rhino rays (critically endangered; protected in the new New Ireland MPAs)

Protected/endangered species protections derive from Fisheries Management Act 1998 s.30(3)(j), the International Trade (Fauna and Flora) Act 1979, and area-specific MPA rules. Whales are expressly excluded from the Act's definition of 'fish'. No statutory national minimum sizes for reef fish were located; size limits may be imposed by Gazette notice or local management.

Qui peut pêcher

Visiteurs et résidents

Comment les règles diffèrent pour les visiteurs étrangers et les résidents locaux.

Visiteurs étrangers

Autorisée

Exigences

  • Obtain permission from traditional landowners before fishing/spearfishing in customary coastal waters or reefs (usually arranged by the lodge or charter operator).
  • Comply with the poison/explosives ban and any protected-species and MPA restrictions.

Restrictions

  • Customary marine tenure means foreigners cannot freely fish any reef without local consent.
  • Avoid declared MPAs and community tambu/no-take closures.

No special recreational fishing/spearfishing licence exists for foreign visitors; the same s.3(2) exemption applies. Visitors should note PNG customs rules may restrict importing certain dive/spearfishing equipment - verify with PNG Customs before travel.

Résidents

No licence required for recreational, subsistence, customary or artisanal spearfishing.

Exigences

  • Customary fishing must be by indigenous inhabitants in waters where entitled by custom, using customary methods, for household consumption, barter or ceremonial purposes (s.2 definition).

Avantages

  • Customary and artisanal fishers are exempt from the Act's licensing regime (s.3(2)).

Indigenous communities exercise customary ownership and management over their reefs, including establishing tambu closures and LMMAs.

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

  • Roughly 97% of PNG's land and inshore waters are under customary clan/tribal ownership. Recreational and subsistence spearfishing is generally permitted in these waters but, in practice and by customary law, requires permission from the traditional landowners/village. Dive lodges and charter operators usually arrange this consent.

    Obtain permission from traditional landowners before spearfishing; respect any local tambu (taboo/no-take) closures; do not take protected species.

Zones interdites

  • Murat Marine Protected Areamarine protected area

    MPA in New Ireland Province declared 12-13 November 2023 (part of >1.5 million hectares / >16,000 km2 of new protection with the Lovongai MPA). Provides full protection for marine turtles, dugongs, whales and dolphins, and (in five of the six wards) all other shark and ray species, plus first-ever rules protecting sawfish and rhino rays. Taking these protected species - including by spearfishing - is prohibited.

  • Lovongai Marine Protected Areamarine protected area

    MPA covering the Lovongai (New Hanover) Local Level Government area in New Ireland Province, declared November 2023 alongside the Murat MPA. Imposes species and area protections; taking of protected species is prohibited.

  • Customary tambu (no-take) closures / Locally Managed Marine Areascommunity no-take reserve (LMMA / tambu area)

    Coastal communities establish customary 'tambu' no-take closures and Locally Managed Marine Areas (LMMAs), e.g. with WCS support in New Ireland Province and via local government declarations in West New Britain. These carry size, permanence and gear restrictions and may prohibit fishing/spearfishing entirely within the closure.

  • Fisheries (Torres Strait Protected Zone) areatreaty-regulated protected zone

    The Fisheries Management Act 1998 does not apply in respect of the area to which the Fisheries (Torres Strait Protected Zone) Act 1984 applies (s.3(5)); fishing in that border zone is governed separately under the PNG-Australia Torres Strait Treaty regime.

Conditions sur l'eau

Conditions en direct

Aperçu marin et météo en direct près d'un point de référence côtier en Papua New Guinea, fourni par Open-Meteo. Les conditions varient le long de la côte — à considérer comme indicatives.

Conditions marines et météo en direct près de Murat Marine Protected Area.

Conditions

À qui s'adresser

Autorités

Les organismes officiels responsables de la pêche et des licences.

  • National Fisheries Authority (NFA)

    fisheries authority

    fisheries.gov.pgDeloitte Tower, Port Moresby, National Capital District, Papua New Guinea
  • Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (CEPA)

    environment authority

    pngcepa.comPort Moresby, Papua New Guinea

D'où cela provient

Sources

Chaque affirmation sur cette page renvoie à l'une de ces références.

  1. [01]

    Fisheries Management Act 1998 (No. 48 of 1998) - full text PDF

    Officielle
    faolex.fao.orgConsulté le juin 15
  2. [02]

    Fisheries Management Act 1998 - FAO ECOLEX record

    Officielle
    ecolex.orgConsulté le juin 15
  3. [03]

    National Fisheries Authority of Papua New Guinea - official site

    Officielle
    fisheries.gov.pgConsulté le juin 15
  4. [04]

    NFA - Legislation page

    Officielle
    fisheries.gov.pgConsulté le juin 15
  5. [05]

    WCS - Papua New Guinea triples ocean protection, announcing two new Marine Protected Areas (Lovongai & Murat MPAs, New Ireland, 2023)

    Secondaire
    png.wcs.orgConsulté le juin 15
  6. [06]

    WCS Newsroom - PNG Triples Ocean Protection (MPA details)

    Secondaire
    newsroom.wcs.orgConsulté le juin 15
  7. [07]

    Reef Resilience Network - Papua New Guinea Fisheries Management (LMMAs, tambu closures)

    Secondaire
    reefresilience.orgConsulté le juin 15
  8. [08]

    Fishing World Guide - Fishing in Papua New Guinea (licence not required; landowner permission)

    Secondaire
    fishingworldguide.comConsulté le juin 15
  9. [09]

    Wikipedia - Fisheries in Papua New Guinea

    community
    en.wikipedia.orgConsulté le juin 15

Notes du chercheur

Spearfishing is lawful in PNG as recreational/sport/subsistence/customary activity and needs no national licence (Fisheries Management Act 1998 s.3(2)). There is no national speargun ban; only poisons/explosives are banned (s.32). The dominant real-world constraint is customary marine tenure: about 97% of coastline and reefs are clan-owned, so landowner permission is required in practice - this is why the top-level status is 'restricted' rather than 'yes'. The National Fisheries Board can impose gear/method/species/size/area prohibitions by National Gazette notice (s.30); we did not retrieve the current Gazette notices, so any active species size limits or area closures should be verified with the NFA. Marine protected areas (Lovongai and Murat MPAs, New Ireland, 2023) and community tambu/LMMA closures protect turtles, dugong, whales, dolphins, sharks, rays and sawfish - these must not be speared. The Fisheries Management Regulation 2000 was reviewed (via the Outlaw Ocean toolkit summary) and concerns mainly commercial vessels, FADs and licensing; it adds no recreational spearfishing rules. PACLII (full statute and regulation) was inaccessible (Cloudflare bot protection), so verbatim statutory text was taken from the official FAO LEX PDF of the Act. Confidence is 'medium': the national legal framework is well established and verbatim-sourced, but PNG has no centralized recreational spearfishing rulebook and the binding details are decentralized to customary owners and local management areas, which are not comprehensively documented online. Coordinates for the MPAs are approximate centroids for the New Hanover/Murat (New Ireland) area, not official boundary points.

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