Moldova
Europe · Eastern Europe
Moldova is landlocked; all spearfishing is freshwater (rivers, lakes, reservoirs). Underwater hunting ('vânătoarea subacvatică') is explicitly prohibited under the national sport/amateur/recreational fishing rules published by the Environment Agency (Agenția de Mediu). The primary law, Law No. 149/2006 on fish stocks, fishing and aquaculture, restricts amateur fishing to a closed list of permitted gear (rods, casting rods, crayfish traps, landing nets) and, in Art. 38(1)(p), prohibits the use of piercing implements ('unelte înţepătoare'), firearms and pneumatic weapons, which covers harpoons and spearguns. Recreational fishing is only allowed during daylight hours with a personal, non-transferable permit issued by the Environment Agency. Therefore recreational spearfishing is not legal anywhere in Moldova.
Air ùrachadh mu dheireadh An t-Ògmhios 15, 2026
Frèam riaghladh
- §Legea nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura (Law No. 149/2006 on fish stocks, fishing and aquaculture), Monitorul Oficial Nr. 126-130, art. 597
- §Reguli privind practicarea pescuitului sportiv, amator și de agrement în obiectivele acvatice piscicole naturale (Rules on the practice of sport, amateur and recreational fishing in natural fishery water bodies), Agenția de Mediu
- §Codul Contravențional al Republicii Moldova, art. 114 (penalties for fishing/poaching offences)
- §Codul Penal al Republicii Moldova, art. 234 (illegal fishing / poaching)
- §Legea regnului animal nr. 439-XIII din 27.04.1995 (Law on the animal kingdom)
- Cead riatanach
- Riatanach
- 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.
Prohibition of underwater hunting (spearfishing) in recreational fishing
Reguli privind practicarea pescuitului sportiv, amator și de agrement în obiectivele acvatice piscicole naturale
h) vânătoarea subacvatică;
Prohibition of night fishing for recreational/amateur fishers
Reguli privind practicarea pescuitului sportiv, amator și de agrement în obiectivele acvatice piscicole naturale
g) pescuitul sportiv, amator și de agrement în timpul nopții;
Prohibited fishing methods and gear (piercing implements, firearms, pneumatic weapons, electricity, explosives)
Legea nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura
p) pescuitul cu utilizarea substanțelor stupefiante şi toxice, materialelor explozibile, curentului electric, uneltelor înţepătoare, armelor de foc sau pneumatice, pescuitul prin gonire, lovire cu prăjina, cu ostia, cu jupuitorul, pescuitul cu ajutorul aparatelor de iluminat, cu producerea zgomotului;
Permitted recreational fishing gear (closed list - no spearguns/harpoons)
Legea nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura
(4) Pescuitul sportiv, amator şi de agrement se efectuează cu următoarele unelte: a) undiţe de toate formele şi sistemele; b) lansete; c) racile; d) mincioguri.
Recreational fishing allowed only by permit and only in daylight
Legea nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura
(1) Pescuitul sportiv, amator şi de agrement se permite în baza permisului de pescuit sportiv, amator şi de agrement în obiectivele acvatice piscicole naturale, cu excepţia celor din perimetrul ariilor naturale protejate de stat şi zonelor prohibite pentru orice pescuit, şi se efectuează numai în cursul zilei de la răsăritul şi pînă la asfinţitul soarelui, în bază de permis eliberat de Serviciul Piscicol.
Daily catch limit and maximum number of hooks for amateur fishers
Legea nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura
(5) Numărul de cîrlige pentru un pescar amator nu trebuie să fie mai mare de 5 la toate uneltele folosite, iar captura de peşte, mai mare de 5 kg pe zi (cu excepţia cazurilor cînd greutatea unui peşte depăşeşte norma stabilită). Pentru pescuitul racilor, un pescar amator nu poate utiliza mai mult de trei racile, iar captura zilnică nu poate fi mai mare de 30 de raci.
Cuin a ghabhas tu tumadh
Ràithean & cuingeachaidhean ùine
Ùineachan dùinte, fosgailte agus cuingichte tron bhliadhna. Daingneach an-còmhnaidh dùnaidhean gnè-sònraichte gu h-ionadail.
- DùinteNistru (Dniester) River sectors, Dubăsari reservoir, Turunciuc branch, Lake CahulGib 1 – Ògm 15
Annual fishing prohibition period (prohibiție) - all sport, amateur and recreational fishing prohibited (76 days). Dates set yearly by Environment Agency order.
- DùintePrut River segments and Costești-Stânca reservoirGib 9 – Ògm 7
Annual fishing prohibition period (60 days) for sport, amateur and recreational fishing. Dates set yearly by Environment Agency order.
- DùinteInterior rivers of the Nistru and Prut basins (Răut, Bîc, Botna, Lăpușna, Ciuhur, etc.), Manta marshes and other natural watersGib 1 – Ògm 30
Annual fishing prohibition period (91 days) for sport, amateur and recreational fishing. Dates set yearly by Environment Agency order.
Cead iasgaich
Cead
Dè a dh'fheumas tu gus a bhith ceadaichte anns an uisge, dè a chosgas e, agus mar a gheibhear e.
Issued by the Environment Agency (Agenția de Mediu) / Piscicol Service; online permits available. Note: this permit is for permitted gear only (rods etc.); spearfishing is prohibited and not licensable.
Faigh do cheadFosgailte am portal oifigeil · am.gov.md
- Seòrsa
- Permis de pescuit sportiv, amator şi de agrement (sport/amateur/recreational fishing permit) - personal and non-transferable; available online via e-Pescuit / pescar.md
- Cosgais
- unknown
- Dligheachd
- Issued for the period for which it is granted; valid only during daylight hours (sunrise to sunset)
- Mar a gheibhear e
- Issued by the Environment Agency (Agenția de Mediu) / Piscicol Service; online permits available. Note: this permit is for permitted gear only (rods etc.); spearfishing is prohibited and not licensable.
- Ùghdarras
- Agenția de Mediu (Environment Agency)
Uidheam & dòigh
Riaghailtean uidheamachd
Dè an uidheam a tha ceadaichte, mar a ghabhas a cleachdadh, agus na cumhaichean ceangailte.
Cuingeachaidhean
- Underwater hunting (vânătoarea subacvatică) is explicitly prohibited (Environment Agency fishing rules, lit. h).
- Piercing implements (unelte înţepătoare), firearms and pneumatic weapons are prohibited for fishing (Law 149/2006 Art. 38(1)(p)) - this covers harpoons and spearguns.
- Permitted recreational gear is a closed list: rods (undiţe), casting rods (lansete), crayfish traps (racile), landing nets (mincioguri) (Art. 16(4)).
- Maximum 5 hooks per amateur fisher across all gear (Art. 16(5)).
- Night fishing prohibited; fishing only from sunrise to sunset (Art. 16(1), rules lit. g).
Spearfishing equipment (spearguns/harpoons) is not among the permitted gear and underwater hunting is expressly banned, so spearfishing is illegal regardless of equipment.
Dè ghabhas tu
Crìochan glacaidh & gnèithean dìonta
Cuòtathan làitheil, meudachdan as lugha, agus gnèithean nach gabhar a-chaoidh.
Crìoch làitheil
5 kg of fish per day per amateur fisher (except when a single fish exceeds the established norm); for crayfish, max 30 per day using no more than 3 crayfish traps; up to 50 small fish per day for bait (Art. 16(5) and 16(7), Law 149/2006).
Gnèithean dìonta — na gabh
- DìontaSpecies listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Moldova (Cartea Roșie) are strictly protected and may not be caught.
Minimum legal sizes for fish that may be caught are set under Art. 15 of Law 149/2006; specific per-species figures were not retrieved verbatim. Size limits therefore left empty rather than guessed.
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 in Moldova; the underwater-hunting ban and the gear restrictions apply to residents and foreigners alike.
- Foreigners may engage in permitted recreational (rod) fishing under the standard permit, but not in spearfishing.
No foreigner-specific spearfishing provisions exist because spearfishing is banned nationwide. 'allowed: false' refers to spearfishing specifically.
Luchd-còmhnaidh
Permis de pescuit sportiv, amator şi de agrement (sport/amateur/recreational fishing permit)
Riatanasan
- Hold a valid personal, non-transferable fishing permit from the Environment Agency.
- Fish only with permitted gear (rods, casting rods, crayfish traps, landing nets) and only in daylight.
Buannachdan
- Reduced/zero permit fee may apply for certain categories (e.g. pensioners) per the Environment Agency rules.
Spearfishing is prohibited for residents as well as foreigners. No spearfishing-specific resident regime exists.
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
- State natural protected areas (arii naturale protejate de stat) and zones prohibited for any fishingprotected area / no-fishing zone
Per Art. 16(1) of Law 149/2006, recreational fishing is excluded from state protected natural areas and zones prohibited for any fishing. Spearfishing is in any case prohibited nationwide.
- Spawning grounds and wintering holes (locuri de depunere a icrelor, gropi de iernat) and 100 m around themecological no-fishing zone
Fishing prohibited at spawning sites, wintering holes and within 100 m of their boundaries (Art. 38(1)(n) of Law 149/2006).
- Iagorlîc Scientific Reservescientific reserve / aquatic protected area
State scientific reserve at the mouth of the Iagorlîc river on the left bank of the Dniester, within the Dubăsari reservoir. Covers 863 ha including 223 ha of waters, established 1988 to protect estuarine aquatic and coastal ecosystems. As a state protected natural area it is excluded from recreational fishing under Art. 16(1) of Law 149/2006; spearfishing is in any case banned nationwide.
- Prutul de Jos Scientific Reserve (Lower Prut Lakes / Lake Beleu, Ramsar No. 1029)scientific reserve / Ramsar wetland
State scientific reserve (1,691 ha, established 1991) in Cahul District covering the floodplain lakes of the lower Prut, centred on Lake Beleu. It forms Ramsar Zone No. 1029 'Lakes of the Lower Prut' (designated 20.06.2000) and part of the Emerald Network. As a state protected natural area it is excluded from recreational fishing under Art. 16(1) of Law 149/2006; spearfishing is banned nationwide.
- Pădurea Domnească Scientific Reservescientific reserve / river floodplain
Largest state scientific reserve (6,032 ha, established 1993) in Glodeni District, running parallel to the Prut River and comprising one of Europe's oldest and largest wooded floodplain meadows with riverine wetlands. As a state protected natural area it is excluded from recreational fishing under Art. 16(1) of Law 149/2006; spearfishing is banned nationwide.
Suidheachaidhean air an uisge
Suidheachaidhean beò
Snapshot mara agus sìde beò faisg air àite iomraidh cladaich ann an Moldova, o Open-Meteo. Bidh suidheachaidhean ag atharrachadh air feadh a' chladaich — làimhsich mar chomharra.
Mara & sìde beò faisg air Iagorlîc Scientific Reserve.
Cò ri fhaighneachd
Ùghdarrasan
Na buidhnean oifigeil a tha an urra ri iasgach agus ceadachadh.
Agenția de Mediu (Environment Agency of the Republic of Moldova)
environment / fisheries authority (issues fishing permits and prohibition orders)
am.gov.mdRepublic of Moldova, ChișinăuInspectoratul pentru Protecția Mediului (Environmental Protection Inspectorate)
enforcement / environmental inspection
ipm.gov.mdRepublic of Moldova, ChișinăuMinisterul Mediului (Ministry of Environment)
environment ministry
mediu.gov.mdRepublic of Moldova, Chișinău
On a thàinig seo
Stòrasan
Bidh gach tagradh air an duilleag seo a' dol air ais gu aon de na h-iomraidhean sin.
- [01]
Reguli privind practicarea pescuitului sportiv, amator și de agrement în obiectivele acvatice piscicole naturale - Agenția de Mediu (official rules; explicitly prohibits vânătoarea subacvatică)
Oifigeilam.gov.mdAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [02]
LEGE Nr. 149 din 08.06.2006 privind fondul piscicol, pescuitul şi piscicultura (full text, FAOLEX/Parlament)
Oifigeilfaolex.fao.orgAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [03]
Prohibiția pescuitului în 2026: restricții pentru protejarea resurselor acvatice - Poliția de Frontieră (2026 seasonal prohibition dates)
Oifigeilborder.gov.mdAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [04]
Pescuitul și interzicerea pescuitului - Agenția de Mediu (legal framework references)
Oifigeilam.gov.mdAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [05]
Перейти / Когда в Молдове введут запрет на рыбалку в 2026 году - nokta.md (secondary; confirms underwater hunting prohibition and seasons)
Dàrnanokta.mdAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [06]
Regulamentul de pescuit la Nistru și Prut - pescar.md (community reproduction of prohibition list)
communitypescar.mdAir faighinn Ògm 15
Notaichean rannsachaidh
Moldova is landlocked (no sea coastline); spearfishing can only be relevant in freshwater (Nistru/Dniester, Prut, internal rivers, lakes and reservoirs). Underwater hunting ('vânătoarea subacvatică') is expressly prohibited by the official Environment Agency recreational fishing rules (item h of the 'Se interzice' list). The primary statute, Law 149/2006, reinforces this: amateur fishing gear is a closed list (rods, casting rods, crayfish traps, landing nets - Art. 16(4)) that excludes spearguns/harpoons, and Art. 38(1)(p) bans piercing implements ('unelte înţepătoare') and firearms/pneumatic weapons for fishing. Recreational fishing is permitted only in daylight, under a personal non-transferable permit. Conclusion: recreational spearfishing is illegal in Moldova. Verbatim Romanian law text for the underwater-hunting ban (am.gov.md) and for the prohibited-methods/permitted-gear articles (FAOLEX full text of Law 149/2006) was retrieved from the actual fetched pages. Per-species minimum sizes (Art. 15) were not captured verbatim and were left empty rather than guessed. Confidence is high: the core prohibition is corroborated by the official Environment Agency rules and the primary statute. Inland/freshwater spearfishing: Spearfishing (vânătoarea subacvatică) is explicitly prohibited in all inland/freshwater bodies nationwide. Law No. 149/2006 on fish stocks, fishing and fish farming, Article 38(1) lists prohibited activities: letter z) bans "vînătoarea subacvatică" (underwater hunting) outright, and letter p) bans fishing with piercing implements ("unelte înţepătoare") and firearms or pneumatic weapons ("arme de foc sau pneumatice"). No named lake, river, or reservoir has an exception. (Verified against the official law text via FAOLEX: https://faolex.fao.org/docs/pdf/mol74844.pdf)
Thoir fios dhomh nuair a dh'atharraicheas riaghailtean Moldova
Cuiridh sinn post-d thugad nuair a thèid ràithean no riaghailtean Moldova ùrachadh nar cruinneachadh dàta.