SpearfishingMap

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
Earbsa dàtaEarbsa meadhanach

Air ùrachadh mu dheireadh An Giblean 22, 2026

Frèam riaghladh

  • §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  • §The Fishing Industry Act, 1975 (largely repealed/replaced by the 2018 Act)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
Cead riatanach
Riatanach
Gunna-sleagha
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.

01Regulation 4(1)Jamaica · national

Fishing prohibited in Special Fishery Conservation Areas except under licence

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

ENTùsail

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

ENTùsail

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.

Cuin a ghabhas tu tumadh

Ràithean & cuingeachaidhean ùine

Ùineachan dùinte, fosgailte agus cuingichte tron bhliadhna. Daingneach an-còmhnaidh dùnaidhean gnè-sònraichte gu h-ionadail.

Fao
Gea
Màr
Gib
Cèi
Ògm
Iuc
Lùn
Sul
Dàm
Sam
Dùb
DùinteCuingichteFosgailte
  • DùinteSpiny lobster (Panulirus argus) - all species of spiny lobsterGib 1 – Ògm 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
  • DùinteQueen conch (Strombus / Aliger gigas, Family Strombidae)Lùn 30 – Gea 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 iasgaich

Cead

Dè a dh'fheumas tu gus a bhith ceadaichte anns an uisge, dè a chosgas e, agus mar a gheibhear e.

Cead riatanachtro 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 chead

Fosgailte am portal oifigeil · fisheries.gov.jm

Cead riatanach
Seòrsa
Fishing licence / fisher registration (recreational fishing licence under the Fisheries Act, 2018; spearfishers must hold a valid fishing licence)
Cosgais
unknown
Dligheachd
Renewed annually
Mar a gheibhear e
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.
Ùghdarras
National Fisheries Authority (NFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining
Portal ceadachais oifigeil · fisheries.gov.jm

Uidheam & dòigh

Riaghailtean uidheamachd

Dè an uidheam a tha ceadaichte, mar a ghabhas a cleachdadh, agus na cumhaichean ceangailte.

Gunna-sleaghaCeadaichte

Cuingeachaidhean

  • 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.

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

  • DìontaSpiny lobster (closed season Apr 1 - Jun 30; minimum size and no berried/egg-bearing females under lobster regulations)
  • DìontaQueen conch (Family Strombidae - annual closed season; possession/sale/processing restricted)
  • DìontaMarine 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.

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

Riatanasan

  • 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.

Cuingeachaidhean

  • 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.

Luchd-còmhnaidh

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

Riatanasan

  • 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.

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

Seall air mapa

Suidheachaidhean air an uisge

Suidheachaidhean beò

Snapshot mara agus sìde beò faisg air àite iomraidh cladaich ann an Jamaica, o Open-Meteo. Bidh suidheachaidhean ag atharrachadh air feadh a' chladaich — làimhsich mar chomharra.

Mara & sìde beò faisg air Bluefields Bay Special Fishery Conservation Area.

Suidheachaidhean

Cò ri fhaighneachd

Ùghdarrasan

Na buidhnean oifigeil a tha an urra ri iasgach agus ceadachadh.

  • 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

On a thàinig seo

Stòrasan

Bidh gach tagradh air an duilleag seo a' dol air ais gu aon de na h-iomraidhean sin.

  1. [01]

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

    Oifigeil
    fisheries.gov.jmAir faighinn Ògm 14
  2. [02]

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

    Oifigeil
    jamaicatradeportal.gov.jmAir faighinn Ògm 14
  3. [03]

    Legislation - National Fisheries Authority

    Oifigeil
    fisheries.gov.jmAir faighinn Ògm 14
  4. [04]

    Ban on Mechanical Guns Used for Fishing - Jamaica Information Service

    Oifigeil
    jis.gov.jmAir faighinn Ògm 14
  5. [05]

    Jamaica passes new Fisheries Act - FAO

    Oifigeil
    fao.orgAir faighinn Ògm 14
  6. [06]

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

    Oifigeil
    jis.gov.jmAir faighinn Ògm 14
  7. [07]

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

    Oifigeil
    jis.gov.jmAir faighinn Ògm 14
  8. [08]

    Online Licensing and Registration (IrieFINS) - National Fisheries Authority

    Oifigeil
    fisheries.gov.jmAir faighinn Ògm 14
  9. [09]

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

    Dàrna
    jamaica-gleaner.comAir faighinn Ògm 14

Notaichean rannsachaidh

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.

Fuirich ùrachadhInntrigeadh tràth

Thoir fios dhomh nuair a dh'atharraicheas riaghailtean Jamaica

Cuiridh sinn post-d thugad nuair a thèid ràithean no riaghailtean Jamaica ùrachadh nar cruinneachadh dàta.

Thoir fios dhomh mu

Gun spama — rabhaidhean atharrachaidh a-mhàin. Dì-chlàraich uair sam bith. Chan eil sinn a-riamh a' reic do phost-d.