Czechia
Europe · Eastern Europe
Czechia is a landlocked country with no marine coastline, so all spearfishing would be freshwater (rivers, ponds, reservoirs). Recreational spearfishing / underwater fishing (podvodní lov) is prohibited under the national Fisheries Act No. 99/2004 Coll. (zákon o rybářství). Section 13(2)(b) of the Act explicitly bans the use of spears/points of any kind (bodce jakéhokoliv druhu) and shooting fish (střílet ryby) when fishing in any fishing district (rybářský revír) or in pond aquaculture. Legal recreational fishing is generally limited to rod-and-line angling (lov na udici). Harpoons/spearguns are therefore not a lawful fishing method anywhere in Czech public waters.
Air ùrachadh mu dheireadh An t-Ògmhios 14, 2026
Frèam riaghladh
- §Act No. 99/2004 Coll. on pond aquaculture, the exercise of fishing rights, the fishing guard, the protection of marine fishery resources and amending certain acts (Fisheries Act) - 2004
- §Decree No. 197/2004 Coll. implementing the Fisheries Act - 2004
- Gunna-sleagha
- Toirmisgte
- Coigrich
- Chan eil ceadaichte
An lagh, verbatim
Teacsaichean laghail
Na foillseachaidhean reachdail agus riaghailteach mionaideach a tha a' riaghladh slighe-biasd an seo, air an luaidh mar a chaidh am foillseachadh, le ceangal ri gach stòras oifigeil.
Prohibited methods of fishing - ban on spears and shooting fish
Act No. 99/2004 Coll. (zákon o rybářství)
(2) Při lovu v rybářském revíru a v rybníkářství se zakazuje a) používat prostředků výbušných, otravných nebo omamných látek, b) používat bodců jakéhokoliv druhu, lapaček, udic bez prutů, dále vidlic a rozsošek, jakož i střílet ryby, tlouci ryby, chytat je na šňůry, do rukou a do ok, c) užívat k lovu ryb elektrického proudu, lovit ryby pod ledem, d) vrátit po ulovení zpět do vody invazní nepůvodní druh na unijním seznamu, e) za nástražní rybu použít invazní nepůvodní druh na unijním seznamu.
Prohibited methods of fishing - ban on spears and shooting fish (English translation)
Act No. 99/2004 Coll. (Fisheries Act)
(2) When fishing in a fishing district and in pond aquaculture it is prohibited to: a) use explosive, poisonous or narcotic substances, b) use spears/points of any kind, traps, lines without rods, as well as forks and prongs, and likewise to shoot fish, strike fish, or catch them on cords, by hand or in nooses, c) use electric current to catch fish, or fish under the ice, d) return an invasive alien species on the Union list back to the water after catching it, e) use an invasive alien species on the Union list as bait fish.
Permitted fishing methods - rod and line only
Act No. 99/2004 Coll. (zákon o rybářství)
(1) Lov ryb a vodních organizmů smí být prováděn v rybníkářství pouze způsobem uvedeným v § 3 odst. 2 a v rybářském revíru zpravidla lovem na udici nebo jiným způsobem lovu, který stanoví příslušný rybářský orgán; v rybářském revíru může jednotlivá oprávněná osoba provádět lov nejvýše na 2 udice.
Cuin a ghabhas tu tumadh
Ràithean & cuingeachaidhean ùine
Ùineachan dùinte, fosgailte agus cuingichte tron bhliadhna. Daingneach an-còmhnaidh dùnaidhean gnè-sònraichte gu h-ionadail.
- DùinteSelected fish species during their protected spawning period (doba hájení)unknown – unknown
§ 13(3)(a) of Act No. 99/2004 Coll. prohibits catching selected fish species during their protected period to safeguard reproduction. Specific dates per species are set by the implementing Decree No. 197/2004 Coll. and the local fishing rules (rybářský řád). Not applicable in practice to spearfishing, which is wholly prohibited regardless of season.
Cead iasgaich
Cead
Dè a dh'fheumas tu gus a bhith ceadaichte anns an uisge, dè a chosgas e, agus mar a gheibhear e.
No license exists that permits spearfishing. Recreational angling requires a state fishing licence (rybářský lístek) issued by the municipal authority plus an angling permit (povolenka) from the fishing district holder, but neither authorises spearfishing, which is a prohibited method.
Faigh do cheadFosgailte am portal oifigeil · mze.gov.cz
- Seòrsa
- Not applicable to spearfishing
- Cosgais
- unknown
- Dligheachd
- unknown
- Mar a gheibhear e
- No license exists that permits spearfishing. Recreational angling requires a state fishing licence (rybářský lístek) issued by the municipal authority plus an angling permit (povolenka) from the fishing district holder, but neither authorises spearfishing, which is a prohibited method.
- Ùghdarras
- Ministry of Agriculture (Ministerstvo zemědělství) / municipal authorities; angling permits via Czech Fishing Union (Český rybářský svaz)
Uidheam & dòigh
Riaghailtean uidheamachd
Dè an uidheam a tha ceadaichte, mar a ghabhas a cleachdadh, agus na cumhaichean ceangailte.
Cuingeachaidhean
- Spears/points of any kind (bodce jakéhokoliv druhu) are prohibited - § 13(2)(b)
- Shooting fish (střílet ryby) is prohibited - § 13(2)(b)
- Harpoons and spearguns (harpuna, kuše) are therefore not lawful fishing implements
- Permitted recreational method is rod-and-line angling only, max 2 rods per person in a fishing district - § 13(1)
Because spearguns/harpoons fall under the statutory ban on 'bodce jakéhokoliv druhu' and 'střílet ryby', no underwater fishing equipment is permitted for taking fish in Czech waters.
Dè ghabhas tu
Crìochan glacaidh & gnèithean dìonta
Cuòtathan làitheil, meudachdan as lugha, agus gnèithean nach gabhar a-chaoidh.
Crìoch làitheil
Daily limit of number and weight of fish set by local fishing rules under § 13(4); not applicable to spearfishing, which is wholly prohibited.
Catch and size limits apply to lawful rod-and-line angling and are specified in Decree No. 197/2004 Coll. and the local rybářský řád. They are not relevant to spearfishing because spearfishing is banned outright.
Cò a dh'fhaodar iasgach
Luchd-tadhail & luchd-còmhnaidh
Mar a tha na riaghailtean eadar-dhealaichte airson luchd-tadhail cèin agus luchd-còmhnaidh ionadail.
Luchd-tadhail cèin
Chan eil ceadaichteCuingeachaidhean
- Spearfishing is prohibited for everyone, including foreign visitors, under § 13(2)(b) of Act No. 99/2004 Coll. No special permit can authorise it.
Foreign anglers may fish by rod and line with the appropriate state fishing licence and angling permit, but spearfishing remains illegal regardless of nationality or residency.
Luchd-còmhnaidh
Not applicable to spearfishing
Czech residents are subject to the same statutory ban on spearfishing as foreigners. Residents may obtain a state fishing licence (rybářský lístek) and angling permit for lawful rod-and-line fishing only.
Càite air a' chladach
Sgìrean ceadaichte & toirmisgte
Sgìrean ainmichte a tha fosgailte no dùinte airson slighe-biasd. Faic an dealbh-iomlan air a' mhapa eadar-ghnìomhach.
Sgìrean toirmisgte
- All fishing districts (rybářské revíry) and aquaculture ponds (rybníkářství) nationwidenational statutory prohibition
Spearfishing (use of spears of any kind and shooting fish) is prohibited in all Czech fishing districts and aquaculture ponds under § 13(2)(b) of Act No. 99/2004 Coll. There is no zone within Czech public or managed waters where spearfishing is lawful.
Cò ri fhaighneachd
Ùghdarrasan
Na buidhnean oifigeil a tha an urra ri iasgach agus ceadachadh.
Ministry of Agriculture of the Czech Republic (Ministerstvo zemědělství)
fisheries authority / agriculture ministry
mze.gov.czTěšnov 65/17, 110 00 Praha 1, Czech RepublicCzech Fishing Union (Český rybářský svaz, z. s.)
national angling federation / fishing rights holder
On a thàinig seo
Stòrasan
Bidh gach tagradh air an duilleag seo a' dol air ais gu aon de na h-iomraidhean sin.
- [01]
Act No. 99/2004 Coll. (Fisheries Act) - full Czech text (FAOLEX repository)
Oifigeilfaolex.fao.orgAir faighinn Ògm 14 - [02]
Zákon č. 99/2004 Sb., o rybářství - consolidated text (Ministry of Agriculture, eAGRI/mze.gov.cz)
Oifigeilmze.gov.czAir faighinn Ògm 14 - [03]
Zákon o rybářství, HLAVA III - LOV, § 13 (Podnikatel.cz legal database)
Dàrnapodnikatel.czAir faighinn Ògm 14 - [04]
Vyhláška č. 197/2004 Sb. k provedení zákona o rybářství (Zákony pro lidi)
Oifigeilzakonyprolidi.czAir faighinn Ògm 14 - [05]
Potápění a harpuny - co Vy na to? (Adrex.com diving article confirming harpoon ban under Act 99/2004)
communityadrex.comAir faighinn Ògm 14
Notaichean rannsachaidh
Czechia is landlocked (no sea coastline); any spearfishing would be freshwater. Recreational spearfishing is illegal nationwide. The decisive provision is § 13(2)(b) of Act No. 99/2004 Coll., which bans using 'bodce jakéhokoliv druhu' (spears/points of any kind) and 'střílet ryby' (shooting fish). § 13(1) confines lawful recreational fishing in fishing districts to rod-and-line angling (max 2 rods). Spearguns and harpoons are thus not permitted fishing implements anywhere in Czech waters, and this applies equally to residents and foreigners. Verbatim Czech law text was extracted from the official FAOLEX PDF copy of the Act (cross-checked against the Podnikatel.cz reproduction of § 13). The primary legal database zakonyprolidi.cz returned HTTP 403 to automated fetching but is cited as the canonical reference for Decree 197/2004. Confidence is high for the core legality finding; species-specific closed seasons and size limits were not enumerated because they are irrelevant to a prohibited activity. Inland/freshwater spearfishing: Prohibited in all inland waters nationwide — Act No. 99/2004 Coll. (Fisheries Act) § 13(2)(b) explicitly bans the use of spears/points of any kind ("bodců jakéhokoliv druhu") and shooting fish ("střílet ryby") when fishing in any fishing district and in aquaculture, with no exceptions for any named lake, river, or reservoir. Verified against the statute text (krajta.slv.cz/2004/99/par_13): "používat bodců jakéhokoliv druhu, lapaček, udic bez prutů, dále vidlic a rozsošek, jakož i střílet ryby". Source: https://krajta.slv.cz/2004/99/par_13
Thoir fios dhomh nuair a dh'atharraicheas riaghailtean Czechia
Cuiridh sinn post-d thugad nuair a thèid ràithean no riaghailtean Czechia ùrachadh nar cruinneachadh dàta.