Netherlands
Europe · Western Europe
Recreational spearfishing (speervissen / onderwaterjacht met de harpoen) is effectively prohibited throughout the Netherlands, in both marine and inland waters. In the sea area and coastal waters (zeegebied en kustwateren), the Uitvoeringsregeling visserij (Article 14, paragraph 1, sub a) explicitly forbids fishing with 'de harpoen' (the harpoon) and any other gear suitable for wounding fish. In inland waters (binnenwateren), the Reglement voor de binnenvisserij 1985 (Article 2) only permits a closed list of fishing gear (rod/hengel, peur, traps, nets, etc.) and the harpoon is not on that list, so its use is unlawful. Separately, under the Wet wapens en munitie a spear gun/harpoon is classified as a category IV weapon, which an adult may possess at home but may not carry in public or use; combined with the fisheries prohibition this leaves no lawful way to practise spearfishing. No license exists for spearfishing because the activity itself is not permitted.
Air ùrachadh mu dheireadh An t-Ògmhios 15, 2026
Frèam riaghladh
- §Visserijwet 1963 (Fisheries Act 1963), BWBR0002416
- §Uitvoeringsregeling visserij (Fisheries Implementation Regulation), BWBR0024539 - Article 14
- §Reglement voor de binnenvisserij 1985 (Regulation on inland fisheries 1985), BWBR0009027 - Article 2
- §Wet wapens en munitie (Weapons and Ammunition Act), category IV - harpoon
- 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 on fishing with the harpoon in sea area and coastal waters
Uitvoeringsregeling visserij (BWBR0024539)
Het is verboden in het zeegebied en de kustwateren te vissen met: a. de harpoen, de elger, de aalschaar, of enig ander vistuig, hetwelk geeigend is de vis te verwonden, met uitzondering van het hoekwant, de reep, de dobber, de zetangel of fleur, de hengel of spieringtuig, en b. een visnet waarvan het netwerk van metaalgaas is vervaardigd, met uitzondering van de kreeftenkorf en enig ander net, bestemd of mede bestemd tot het vangen van schaal- en schelpdieren, zeesterren en zee- of koraalmos.
Closed list of permitted fishing gear in inland waters (harpoon not included)
Reglement voor de binnenvisserij 1985 (BWBR0009027)
Het is verboden te vissen met andere vistuigen dan de volgende: de hengel, de peur, de kreeftenkorf, de visfuik, de aalfuik, de ankerkuil, het aalkistje, het aalhoekwant, de aaldogger, de zegen, de aalzegen, de aaskuil, het staand net, de gebbe, het kruisnet, het electrovisapparaat en het schepnet. (De harpoen komt niet voor op deze limitatieve lijst van toegestane vistuigen, zodat het vissen met de harpoen in de binnenwateren verboden is.)
Definition of 'fishing' (vissen) under the Fisheries Act 1963
Visserijwet 1963 (BWBR0002416)
het te water brengen, te water hebben, lichten of ophalen van vistuigen alsmede het op enigerlei andere wijze pogen om vis uit het water te bemachtigen
Harpoon classified as a category IV weapon under the Weapons and Ammunition Act
Wet wapens en munitie
Wapens uit categorie IV zijn onder meer: zwaarden, degens, wapenstokken, bepaalde luchtdrukwapens, harpoenen en kruisbogen. Dergelijke wapens mogen door personen vanaf 18 jaar in bezit worden gehouden, maar mogen niet op de openbare weg of in voor het publiek toegankelijke plaatsen worden gedragen.
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.
There is no spearfishing license because spearfishing with a harpoon is prohibited in both marine and inland waters. The general recreational angling permit (VISpas, issued by Sportvisserij Nederland) covers rod fishing only and does not authorise the use of a harpoon.
Faigh do cheadFosgailte am portal oifigeil · sportvisserijnederland.nl
- Seòrsa
- Not applicable - no spearfishing license exists
- Mar a gheibhear e
- There is no spearfishing license because spearfishing with a harpoon is prohibited in both marine and inland waters. The general recreational angling permit (VISpas, issued by Sportvisserij Nederland) covers rod fishing only and does not authorise the use of a harpoon.
- Ùghdarras
- Sportvisserij Nederland (recreational angling); Ministerie van Landbouw, Visserij, Voedselzekerheid en Natuur (fisheries policy)
Uidheam & dòigh
Riaghailtean uidheamachd
Dè an uidheam a tha ceadaichte, mar a ghabhas a cleachdadh, agus na cumhaichean ceangailte.
Cuingeachaidhean
- The harpoon and any other gear suitable for wounding fish is prohibited in the sea area and coastal waters (Uitvoeringsregeling visserij, Art. 14(1)(a)).
- In inland waters only the gear listed in Art. 2 of the Reglement voor de binnenvisserij 1985 is allowed; the harpoon is not listed.
- A spear gun/harpoon is a category IV weapon under the Wet wapens en munitie: it may be possessed at home by adults but may not be carried in public, which in practice prevents its use for spearfishing.
Because the harpoon is forbidden both as fishing gear and as a weapon carried in public, no form of spearfishing equipment can be lawfully used to take fish in Dutch waters. Standard rod-and-line recreational fishing remains legal with the appropriate permit (VISpas).
Dè ghabhas tu
Crìochan glacaidh & gnèithean dìonta
Cuòtathan làitheil, meudachdan as lugha, agus gnèithean nach gabhar a-chaoidh.
Crìoch làitheil
Not applicable to spearfishing (prohibited). General recreational angling rules with bag/size limits and closed seasons apply to rod fishing only.
Spearfishing is prohibited, so spearfishing-specific catch limits do not exist. Minimum sizes and closed seasons exist for rod-caught species under the Uitvoeringsregeling visserij and the Reglement voor de binnenvisserij 1985 but are outside the scope of spearfishing.
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
- The prohibition on fishing with the harpoon applies to everyone regardless of nationality; foreign visitors may not spearfish in Dutch marine or inland waters.
- Bringing and using a spear gun is subject to the Wet wapens en munitie (category IV weapon) in addition to the fisheries prohibition.
There is no exemption for tourists or foreign divers. The same fisheries and weapons rules apply to residents and non-residents alike.
Luchd-còmhnaidh
Not applicable - no spearfishing license; rod fishing requires a VISpas
Residents are subject to the same prohibition. For ordinary rod fishing they need a VISpas; there is no comparable permit that would authorise 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
- Entire Dutch sea area and coastal waters (zeegebied en kustwateren), including the North Sea coast, Wadden Sea and the Zeeland delta (Oosterschelde, Westerschelde)national marine waters (fisheries prohibition)
Spearfishing with the harpoon is prohibited in all Dutch marine and coastal waters under Article 14(1)(a) of the Uitvoeringsregeling visserij. There is no marine zone in the Netherlands where harpoon/spear fishing is permitted.
- All Dutch inland waters (binnenwateren)national inland waters (fisheries prohibition)
In inland waters fishing is only allowed with the closed list of gear in Article 2 of the Reglement voor de binnenvisserij 1985; the harpoon is not on the list, so spearfishing is prohibited.
Cò ri fhaighneachd
Ùghdarrasan
Na buidhnean oifigeil a tha an urra ri iasgach agus ceadachadh.
Ministerie van Landbouw, Visserij, Voedselzekerheid en Natuur (Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature)
fisheries authority / environment ministry
Sportvisserij Nederland (Dutch Sport Fishing Federation)
recreational fishing federation / permit issuer (VISpas)
Nederlandse Voedsel- en Warenautoriteit (NVWA)
fisheries enforcement authority
Justis (Screeningsautoriteit) - Wet wapens en munitie
weapons licensing / classification authority
On a thàinig seo
Stòrasan
Bidh gach tagradh air an duilleag seo a' dol air ais gu aon de na h-iomraidhean sin.
- [01]
Uitvoeringsregeling visserij (BWBR0024539) - official consolidated text, valid from 01-04-2026, Article 14
Oifigeilwetten.overheid.nlAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [02]
Uitvoeringsregeling visserij - FAOLEX archived copy (BWBR0024539), full Dutch text including Article 14
Oifigeilfaolex.fao.orgAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [03]
Visserijwet 1963 (BWBR0002416) - official consolidated text
Oifigeilwetten.overheid.nlAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [04]
Reglement voor de binnenvisserij 1985, Artikel 2 (permitted inland fishing gear list)
Dàrnamaxius.nlAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [05]
Reglement voor de binnenvisserij 1985 (BWBR0009027) - official text
Oifigeilwetten.overheid.nlAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [06]
Justis - Welke soorten wapens zijn verboden (Wet wapens en munitie, category IV including harpoon)
Oifigeiljustis.nlAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [07]
Sportvisserij Nederland - Visserijwet en regels (binnenwater)
Oifigeilsportvisserijnederland.nlAir faighinn Ògm 15 - [08]
harpune.info - Spearfishing in Europe: Law, Rules and Restrictions (Netherlands: prohibited)
communityharpune.infoAir faighinn Ògm 15
Notaichean rannsachaidh
Spearfishing is not lawful anywhere in the Netherlands. The decisive verbatim provision is Article 14(1)(a) of the Uitvoeringsregeling visserij, which expressly forbids fishing with 'de harpoen' (and any other gear suitable for wounding fish) in the sea area and coastal waters. For inland waters, Article 2 of the Reglement voor de binnenvisserij 1985 sets out a closed (limitative) list of permitted gear that does not include the harpoon, so its use there is equally unlawful. Independently, the harpoon/spear gun is a category IV weapon under the Wet wapens en munitie. There are therefore no permitted spearfishing zones and no spearfishing license. Confidence is high for the prohibition itself (two official consolidated legal texts plus the weapons classification). The inland Article 2 verbatim text was captured from a secondary legal aggregator (maxius.nl) cross-checked against the official register; the parenthetical note clarifying that the harpoon is absent from the list is editorial, not part of the statutory text. No closed/open seasons are recorded because spearfishing is banned outright rather than seasonally regulated. Inland/freshwater spearfishing: Prohibited in all inland waters — the Reglement voor de binnenvisserij 1985 (Article 2) permits only a closed list of fishing gear that does not include the harpoon, making spearfishing unlawful in every Dutch lake, river, reservoir, and canal; no exceptions or named water bodies exist where it is permitted.
Thoir fios dhomh nuair a dh'atharraicheas riaghailtean Netherlands
Cuiridh sinn post-d thugad nuair a thèid ràithean no riaghailtean Netherlands ùrachadh nar cruinneachadh dàta.