SpearfishingMapa

Jamaica

Americas · Caribbean

Recreational spearfishing is legal in Jamaica but heavily restricted. A valid fishing licence/registration from the National Fisheries Authority is required (the Fisheries Act, 2018 mandates licences for recreational fishing). Spearfishing with impaling devices (spearguns, Hawaiian slings) is prohibited at night, between 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Mechanical spearguns were officially phased out from 31 March 2010 (government-funded replacement with Hawaiian slings) and night diving for spearfishing was banned from the same date; a special permit is required for compressors and other mechanical underwater-breathing devices used for fishing. All fishing, including spearfishing, is prohibited inside designated Special Fishery Conservation Areas (fish sanctuaries) and marine parks (e.g. Montego Bay Marine Park) except under licence/permission. Closed seasons apply to spiny lobster (Apr 1 – Jun 30) and queen conch (declared annually). Spearfishing is widely cited as the single greatest threat to Jamaica's marine biodiversity.

Restricted
Muinín sonraíMuinín mheánach

Nuashonraithe go deireanach Aibreán 22, 2026

Creat rialaitheach

  • §The Fisheries Act, 2018 (No. 18 of 2018)
  • §The Fishing Industry Act, 1975 (largely repealed/replaced by the 2018 Act)
  • §The Fishing Industry (Special Fishery Conservation Area) Regulations, 2012
  • §The Fisheries (Spiny Lobster) Regulations and amendments (2009, 2014, 2020, 2021, 2026)
  • §The Fisheries (Conservation of Queen Conch) (Family Strombidae) Regulations, 2023
Ceadúnas riachtanach
Riachtanach
Gunna spéire
Ceadaithe

An dlí, focal ar fhocal

Téacsanna dlíthiúla

Na forálacha reachtúla agus rialála beachta a rialaíonn spearfishing anseo, luaite mar a foilsíodh, le nasc le gach foinse oifigiúil.

01Regulation 4(1)Jamaica · national

Fishing prohibited in Special Fishery Conservation Areas except under licence

The Fishing Industry (Special Fishery Conservation Area) Regulations, 2012

ENBunaidh

No person shall fish in a special fishery conservation area except in accordance with a license issued by the Licensing Authority.

02Amendment provision on impaling devicesJamaica · national

Ban on use of impaling devices (speargun, Hawaiian sling) at night

Fishing Industry Act amendment (2011) / Fishing Industry Regulations

ENBunaidh

A person shall not, between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. use for the purpose of harvesting fish, any impaling device - including Hawaiian sling, speargun or any other impaling device.

Cathain is féidir leat tumadh

Séasúir & srianta ama

Tréimhsí dúnta, oscailte agus srianta ar fud na bliana. Deimhnigh i gcónaí dúnta speicis-shonraithe go háitiúil.

Ean
Feabh
Már
Aib
Beal
Mei
Iúil
Lún
MFóm
Deit
Sam
Nol
DúntaSriantaOscailte
  • DúntaSpiny lobster (Panulirus argus) - all species of spiny lobsterAib 1 – Mei 30

    Annual closed season for spiny lobster. Fishing for any species of spiny lobster during the closed season is illegal; possession without special permission is also illegal during this period.

    jis.gov.jm
  • DúntaQueen conch (Strombus / Aliger gigas, Family Strombidae)Lún 30 – Feabh 28

    Annual queen conch closed season (dates as cited for the 2023 regulations; declared/varied annually by the National Fisheries Authority). During the closed season it is illegal to possess, sell, process or trade any conch products or by-products, under the Fisheries (Conservation of Queen Conch) (Family Strombidae) Regulations, 2023.

    jis.gov.jm

Cead iascaireachta

Ceadúnas

Cad atá de dhíth ort le bheith ceadaithe san uisce, cad a chosnaíonn sé, agus conas é a fháil.

Ceadúnas riachtanachtrí National Fisheries Authority (NFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining

Apply and register online via the National Fisheries Authority IrieFINS online licensing and registration system, or contact the NFA directly. The Fisheries Act, 2018 requires licences for recreational fishing; persons fishing without a valid licence are liable to penalties.

Faigh do cheadúnas

Osclaíonn an tairseach oifigiúil · fisheries.gov.jm

Ceadúnas riachtanach
Cineál
Fishing licence / fisher registration (recreational fishing licence under the Fisheries Act, 2018; spearfishers must hold a valid fishing licence)
Costas
unknown
Bailíocht
Renewed annually
Conas a fháil
Apply and register online via the National Fisheries Authority IrieFINS online licensing and registration system, or contact the NFA directly. The Fisheries Act, 2018 requires licences for recreational fishing; persons fishing without a valid licence are liable to penalties.
Údarás
National Fisheries Authority (NFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining
Tairseach ceadúnaithe oifigiúil · fisheries.gov.jm

Trealamh & teicníc

Rialacha trealamh

Cén trealamh atá ceadaithe, conas is féidir é a úsáid, agus na coinníollacha ceangailte.

Gunna spéireCeadaithe

Srianta

  • Impaling devices (speargun, Hawaiian sling or any other impaling device) may not be used to harvest fish between 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. (night spearfishing ban).
  • Mechanical spearguns were officially phased out from 31 March 2010, with a government programme replacing them with Hawaiian slings.
  • Night diving for spearfishing was banned effective 31 March 2010.
  • A special permit is required for compressors and other mechanical devices used for underwater-breathing purposes for fishing (effective 31 March 2010).
  • Zero tolerance for fishing with dynamite, bleach or other toxic substances.

Spearfishing remains legal by day under licence using permitted gear (notably Hawaiian slings). The legal status of mechanical/band spearguns is restrictive: the government ran a buy-back/replacement programme favouring Hawaiian slings, and night use of any impaling device is prohibited.

Cad is féidir leat a ghlacadh

Teorainneacha gabháil & speicis chosanta

Cuótaí laethúla, méideanna íosta, agus speicis nach féidir a thógáil go deo.

Teorainn laethúil

unknown

Speicis chosanta — ná tóg

  • CosantaSpiny lobster (closed season Apr 1 - Jun 30; minimum size and no berried/egg-bearing females under lobster regulations)
  • CosantaQueen conch (Family Strombidae - annual closed season; possession/sale/processing restricted)
  • CosantaMarine turtles and corals are protected under wildlife/environmental law

Parrotfish are heavily advocated for protection and are key reef grazers, but as of the cited reporting they are not nationally banned. Targeting lobster or conch out of season, or undersized, is illegal regardless of method.

Cé is féidir iascaireacht

Cuairteoirí & cónaitheoirí

Conas a dhéanann na rialacha difear do chuairteoirí coigríche agus do chónaitheoirí áitiúla.

Cuairteoirí coigríche

Riachtanais

  • Same licensing/registration framework applies; a valid fishing licence from the National Fisheries Authority is required to spearfish.
  • Permission/letter required to fish within marine parks such as Montego Bay Marine Park.

Srianta

  • All national restrictions apply equally: no night spearfishing with impaling devices, no fishing in Special Fishery Conservation Areas/marine parks without a licence, closed seasons for lobster and conch.

No specific foreigner/tourist spearfishing regime was confirmed in authoritative sources. Tourists are generally expected to fish via licensed charters and are barred from sanctuaries and marine parks; independent confirmation from the NFA is recommended before spearfishing as a visitor.

Cónaitheoirí

Fishing licence / fisher registration (recreational or commercial) via the National Fisheries Authority

Riachtanais

  • Register as a fisher and licence the vessel (commercial or recreational) with the Fisheries Division / NFA.
  • Hold a valid annually-renewed fishing licence to spearfish.

The Fisheries Act, 2018 exempts persons fishing from a pond on private property and persons using a fishing line from the seashore from licensing - this exemption does not cover spearfishing.

Cá háit ar an gcósta

Criosanna ceadaithe & toirmiscthe

Ceantair ainmnithe atá oscailte nó dúnta do spearfishing. Féach an pictiúr iomlán ar an mapa idirghníomhach.

Ceantair thoirmiscthe

Féach ar mhapa

Coinníollacha ar an uisce

Coinníollacha beo

Grianghraf muirí agus aimsire beo in aice le pointe tagartha cósta in Jamaica, ó Open-Meteo. Athraíonn coinníollacha feadh an chósta — caith leis mar tháscaire.

Muirí beo & aimsir in aice le Bluefields Bay Special Fishery Conservation Area.

Coinníollacha

Cé le fiafraí

Údaráis

Na comhlachtaí oifigiúla atá freagrach as iascach agus ceadúnú.

  • National Fisheries Authority (NFA)

    fisheries authority

    fisheries.gov.jm+1 876 948 9014; fisheries@nfa.gov.jm

  • Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining

    government ministry

    new.moa.gov.jm

  • Maritime Authority of Jamaica

    maritime authority

    jeijamaica.gov.jm

Cá as a dtagann sé seo

Foinsí

Rianaíonn gach éileamh ar an leathanach seo ar ais go ceann de na tagairtí seo.

  1. [01]

    The Fisheries Act, 2018 (No. 18 of 2018) - full text PDF (scanned)

    Oifigiúil
    fisheries.gov.jmRochtain Mei 14
  2. [02]

    The Fishing Industry (Special Fishery Conservation Area) Regulations, 2012 - Jamaica Trade Information Portal

    Oifigiúil
    jamaicatradeportal.gov.jmRochtain Mei 14
  3. [03]

    Legislation - National Fisheries Authority

    Oifigiúil
    fisheries.gov.jmRochtain Mei 14
  4. [04]

    Ban on Mechanical Guns Used for Fishing - Jamaica Information Service

    Oifigiúil
    jis.gov.jmRochtain Mei 14
  5. [05]

    Jamaica passes new Fisheries Act - FAO

    Oifigiúil
    fao.orgRochtain Mei 14
  6. [06]

    Annual Lobster Closed Season April 1 - June 30 - Jamaica Information Service

    Oifigiúil
    jis.gov.jmRochtain Mei 14
  7. [07]

    No Changes to Existing Conch Close Season Regulations - Jamaica Information Service

    Oifigiúil
    jis.gov.jmRochtain Mei 14
  8. [08]

    Online Licensing and Registration (IrieFINS) - National Fisheries Authority

    Oifigiúil
    fisheries.gov.jmRochtain Mei 14
  9. [09]

    Hold the spear - Government pushed to implement new Fisheries Act - Jamaica Gleaner (2013-07-14)

    Tánaisteach
    jamaica-gleaner.comRochtain Mei 14

Nótaí taighdeora

Spearfishing in Jamaica is legal but restricted, governed primarily by the Fisheries Act, 2018 (which replaced the Fishing Industry Act, 1975 in October 2018) and subsidiary regulations. Confidence is MEDIUM rather than high because the official Fisheries Act 2018 PDF on the NFA site is a scanned/image-only document (JBIG2) that could not be machine-read to extract verbatim spearfishing/equipment sections; the verbatim night-impaling-device clause ('between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. ... any impaling device - including Hawaiian sling, speargun or any other impaling device') is sourced from the Jamaica Gleaner (2013-07-14) which reported the Fishing Industry Act amendment, and the direct article URL returned HTTP 404 on access (text retrieved via search index); it should be re-verified against the consolidated statute. The verbatim Special Fishery Conservation Area Regulations 2012 Reg. 4(1) text and the 14 named conservation areas were retrieved from the official Jamaica Trade Information Portal. Coordinates for sanctuaries are approximate (town/bay level) and should be treated as indicative. The 2012 regulations list 14 Special Fishery Conservation Areas; media report a higher figure (18) including later additions - 13 named prohibited zones are listed here from the official regulation (Galleon appears twice in the source - as St. Elizabeth and as Galleon Harbour). License cost and daily/size catch limits specific to spearfishing were not confirmed in authoritative sources and are marked unknown.

Fan cothrom le dátaRochtain luath

Cuir in iúl dom nuair a athraíonn rialacha Jamaica

Seolfaimid ríomhphost chugat nuair a nuashonraítear séasúir nó rialacháin Jamaica inár dtacar sonraí.

Cuir in iúl dom faoi

Gan turscar — foláirimh athraithe amháin. Díscríobh am ar bith. Ní dhíolaimid do ríomhphost go deo.