Guyana
Americas · South America
Guyana has no published recreational spearfishing licensing regime and no explicit ban. The Fisheries Act 2002 (Act 12 of 2002, consolidated as Cap. 71:08) governs all fishing in Guyana's fisheries waters. It does not outlaw spearfishing as such, but Section 79(2)(g) and (h) empower the Minister to make regulations regulating the use of underwater breathing apparatus and regulating or prohibiting the use of spear guns or other similar devices, and Section 79(2)(f) covers the organisation and regulation of sport fishing. Section 14(1) requires a valid commercial fisher's licence to fish in the fisheries waters (with no separate recreational licence published), so any spearfishing is in principle subject to licensing. Fishing is prohibited inside marine reserves (Section 27) and the Shell Beach Protected Area (Protected Areas Act 2011) without permission, and explosives/poisons are banned (Section 29). Sea turtles are protected. In practice, marine recreational spearfishing is essentially non-existent because Guyana's Atlantic coast is extremely turbid from Amazon/Orinoco sediment mud banks, giving near-zero underwater visibility; the country is a freshwater/river sport-fishing destination (e.g. arapaima) rather than a spearfishing one. Status is best treated as restricted/uncertain pending confirmation that no spear-gun regulation has been issued under Section 79.
Air ùrachadh mu dheireadh An t-Ògmhios 14, 2026
Frèam riaghladh
- §Fisheries Act 2002 (Act 12 of 2002), consolidated as Laws of Guyana Cap. 71:08
- §Protected Areas Act 2011
- §Maritime Boundaries Act 1977 (No. 10 of 1977) - definitions of fishing and fisheries waters
- Cead riatanach
- Riatanach
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.
Commercial fisher's licences
Fisheries Act 2002 (Act 12 of 2002), Cap. 71:08
14. (1) No person shall fish in the fisheries waters without a valid commercial fisher's licence issued under this section. ... (6) Any person who fishes in contravention of subsection (1) or of any condition of a commercial fisher's licence commits an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars.
Regulations - sport fishing, underwater breathing apparatus and spear guns
Fisheries Act 2002 (Act 12 of 2002), Cap. 71:08
79. (1) The Minister may make regulations generally for the management and development of fisheries in the fisheries waters. (2) In particular, without limiting the generality of subsection (1), the Minister may make regulations for all or any of the following purposes- ... (f) organising and regulating sport fishing in the fisheries waters; (g) regulating the use of underwater breathing apparatus; (h) regulating or prohibiting the use of spear guns or other similar device;
Prohibited fishing methods (explosives, poison, noxious substances)
Fisheries Act 2002 (Act 12 of 2002), Cap. 71:08
29. (1) Any person who in any part of the fisheries waters or elsewhere in Guyana- (a) uses or permits to be used, or attempts to use any explosive, poison or other noxious substance for the purpose of killing, stunning, disabling or catching fish, or in any way rendering fish more easily caught; or (b) carries or has in his possession or control any explosive, poison or other noxious substance in circumstances indicating an intention of using such explosive, poison or other noxious substance for any of the purposes referred to in the preceding paragraph; commits an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand dollars
Marine reserves
Fisheries Act 2002 (Act 12 of 2002), Cap. 71:08
27. (1) The Minister may, by Order, declare any area of the fisheries waters and, as appropriate, any adjacent or surrounding land, to be a marine reserve where he considers that special measures are necessary- (a) to afford special protection to the flora and fauna of such areas and to protect and preserve the natural breeding grounds and habitats of aquatic life, with particular regard to flora and fauna in danger of extinction: (b) to allow for the natural regeneration of aquatic life in areas where such life has been depleted; (c) to promote scientific study and research in respect of such areas; or (d) to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of such areas. (2) Any person who, without permission granted under subsection (3)- (a) fishes or attempts to fish; (b) takes or destroys any flora or fauna other than fish; ... in any marine reserve, commits an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Controls over sale of fish taken in the course of sport fishing
Fisheries Act 2002 (Act 12 of 2002), Cap. 71:08
23. (1) No fish taken in the course of sport fishing or fisheries related research or survey operations shall be sold except with the prior authorization of the Chief Fisheries Officer and in accordance with such conditions as he may impose.
Definition of fish (Laws of Guyana consolidated Fisheries Act)
Fisheries Act, Laws of Guyana Cap. 71:08 (Act 30 of 1956, as amended)
"fish" includes all or any of the varieties of marine, estuarine or fresh water fishes, crustacea, whales, porpoises, manatees, mollusca or other marine animal and plant life or fresh water animal and plant life;
Cuin a ghabhas tu tumadh
Ràithean & cuingeachaidhean ùine
Ùineachan dùinte, fosgailte agus cuingichte tron bhliadhna. Daingneach an-còmhnaidh dùnaidhean gnè-sònraichte gu h-ionadail.
Chan eil dùnaidhean ràitheil air an clàradh — dearbhaich gu h-ionadail mus tum thu.
Cead iasgaich
Cead
Dè a dh'fheumas tu gus a bhith ceadaichte anns an uisge, dè a chosgas e, agus mar a gheibhear e.
Application for a commercial fisher's licence is made to the Chief Fisheries Officer in the prescribed form (Fisheries Act 2002, Section 14(3)). No published recreational or sport-fishing licence procedure was found.
Faigh do cheadFosgailte am portal oifigeil · agriculture.gov.gy
- Seòrsa
- Commercial fisher's licence (no separate recreational/spearfishing licence published)
- Cosgais
- unknown
- Dligheachd
- unknown
- Mar a gheibhear e
- Application for a commercial fisher's licence is made to the Chief Fisheries Officer in the prescribed form (Fisheries Act 2002, Section 14(3)). No published recreational or sport-fishing licence procedure was found.
- Ùghdarras
- Fisheries Department, Ministry of Agriculture (Chief Fisheries Officer)
Uidheam & dòigh
Riaghailtean uidheamachd
Dè an uidheam a tha ceadaichte, mar a ghabhas a cleachdadh, agus na cumhaichean ceangailte.
Cuingeachaidhean
- Spear guns and similar devices may be regulated or prohibited by ministerial regulation under Section 79(2)(h) of the Fisheries Act 2002; no published regulation confirming current spear-gun rules was retrievable.
- Use of underwater breathing apparatus may be regulated by ministerial regulation under Section 79(2)(g).
- Explosives, poisons and other noxious substances are prohibited for taking fish (Section 29).
Whether a spear gun is currently allowed, restricted, or prohibited in practice depends on subsidiary regulations made under Section 79, which were not retrievable during this research. The primary Act itself neither bans nor expressly permits spear guns.
Dè ghabhas tu
Crìochan glacaidh & gnèithean dìonta
Cuòtathan làitheil, meudachdan as lugha, agus gnèithean nach gabhar a-chaoidh.
Crìoch làitheil
unknown
Gnèithean dìonta — na gabh
- DìontaLeatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
- DìontaGreen turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- DìontaHawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)
- DìontaOlive Ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea)
Sea turtles are protected under the Fisheries Act 2002 and the Protected Areas Act 2011 (Section 79(2)(p) of the Fisheries Act provides for prescribing measures for the protection of turtles). No general spearfishing daily-bag or minimum-size limits were retrievable; the Act empowers the Minister to set minimum species sizes and closed seasons by regulation (Section 79(2)(b)).
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
Cuingeachaidhean
- Foreign fishing vessels require a foreign fishing vessel licence and an access agreement (Sections 17-18). No recreational foreigner spearfishing regime was found.
No specific rules for foreign recreational spearfishers were retrievable. General fishing in the fisheries waters requires a licence (Section 14).
Luchd-còmhnaidh
Commercial fisher's licence (no published recreational category)
Indigenous and local coastal communities (e.g. around Shell Beach) traditionally engage in fishing and crabbing for livelihood, but no codified resident recreational spearfishing rules were found.
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
- Shell Beach Protected Areanational protected area / marine and coastal turtle nesting reserve
National protected area declared under the Protected Areas Act 2011, in Region 1 (Barima-Waini), northwest Guyana, stretching over ~120 km of beach and mudflats and covering approximately 123,055 hectares. Major nesting site for four endangered sea turtle species (Leatherback, Green, Hawksbill, Olive Ridley), which are protected under the Fisheries Act 2002 and the Protected Areas Act 2011. Managed by the Protected Areas Commission; resource use (including fishing) is regulated and subject to permission.
Any area of the fisheries waters (and adjacent land) the Minister declares a marine reserve by Order. Within a marine reserve, fishing or attempting to fish, and taking or destroying flora or fauna, are offences unless written permission is granted (Section 27(2)-(3)). No specific marine-reserve Orders were retrievable during this research; treat as a legal mechanism rather than a confirmed named zone.
Suidheachaidhean air an uisge
Suidheachaidhean beò
Snapshot mara agus sìde beò faisg air àite iomraidh cladaich ann an Guyana, o Open-Meteo. Bidh suidheachaidhean ag atharrachadh air feadh a' chladaich — làimhsich mar chomharra.
Mara & sìde beò faisg air Shell Beach Protected Area.
Cò ri fhaighneachd
Ùghdarrasan
Na buidhnean oifigeil a tha an urra ri iasgach agus ceadachadh.
Fisheries Department, Ministry of Agriculture
fisheries authority
agriculture.gov.gyChief Fisheries Officer (Denzil Roberts), Regent & Shiv Chanderpaul Drive, Georgetown; tel 225-9559/9552; fisheriesguyana@gmail.comProtected Areas Commission
protected areas authority
pac.gov.gyManages the National System of Protected Areas including Shell Beach Protected Area
On a thàinig seo
Stòrasan
Bidh gach tagradh air an duilleag seo a' dol air ais gu aon de na h-iomraidhean sin.
- [01]
Fisheries Act 2002 (Act 12 of 2002) - full text PDF (Guyana Seabob Fishery)
Oifigeilguyanaseabobfishery.comAir faighinn Ògm 14 - [02]
Fisheries Act, Laws of Guyana Cap. 71:08 (consolidated) - FAOLEX
Oifigeilfaolex.fao.orgAir faighinn Ògm 14 - [03]
Fisheries - Ministry of Agriculture (Guyana) - Fisheries Department
Oifigeilagriculture.gov.gyAir faighinn Ògm 14 - [04]
Shell Beach Protected Area - Protected Areas Commission, Guyana
Oifigeilpac.gov.gyAir faighinn Ògm 14 - [05]
Fisheries Act (Cap 71:08) - ECOLEX legislation record
Dàrnaecolex.orgAir faighinn Ògm 14 - [06]
Fisheries Act - Guyana (The Outlaw Ocean global fishing legislation toolkit)
Dàrnatheoutlawocean.comAir faighinn Ògm 14 - [07]
The Mud That Makes Us (Guyana Chronicle) - Amazon/Orinoco mud banks on Guyana's coast
Dàrnaguyanachronicle.comAir faighinn Ògm 14
Notaichean rannsachaidh
Guyana is a coastal South American country, but its Atlantic shelf is dominated by fluid mud banks of Amazon/Orinoco sediment, producing extremely turbid water with near-zero underwater visibility; marine recreational spearfishing is therefore effectively impractical and not an established activity. Guyana's recreational fishing reputation is built on freshwater river angling (notably arapaima catch-and-release). The Fisheries Act 2002 (Act 12 of 2002, Cap. 71:08) is the controlling national statute and was located in full; verbatim provisions on spear guns/underwater breathing apparatus (Section 79), sport-fishing controls (Section 23), licensing (Section 14), marine reserves (Section 27) and prohibited methods (Section 29) are captured above from the official full-text PDF. CRITICAL LIMITATION: the Act delegates the actual treatment of spear guns and sport fishing to subsidiary regulations under Section 79; no such regulation specifically addressing recreational spearfishing was retrievable, so the practical legal status (allowed vs restricted vs prohibited) could not be definitively confirmed - hence data_confidence=low and spearfishing_allowed=restricted. No closed seasons, catch limits, license fees, or named marine reserves specific to spearfishing were retrievable; these are marked unknown/empty rather than guessed. To confirm, contact the Fisheries Department (fisheriesguyana@gmail.com) for any regulations issued under Section 79.
Thoir fios dhomh nuair a dh'atharraicheas riaghailtean Guyana
Cuiridh sinn post-d thugad nuair a thèid ràithean no riaghailtean Guyana ùrachadh nar cruinneachadh dàta.