Tonga
Oceania · Polynesia
Recreational and subsistence spearfishing (free-diving, breath-hold) is a long-established, legal and common fishing method in Tonga and is expressly recognised in national fisheries policy as a small-scale fishing technique. However it is restricted: the Fisheries Management Act 2002 empowers the Minister to regulate spear guns, underwater breathing apparatus and underwater torches; the use of SCUBA (underwater breathing apparatus) for fishing is prohibited unless an exemption is granted by the Ministry of Fisheries. Spearfishing, like all fishing, is banned inside community Special Management Areas (SMAs) for non-members and entirely banned inside Fish Habitat Reserves (no-take zones within SMAs); these laws apply to all visitors including tourists and boaters. National species size limits and conservation rules (protected/no-take species, a sea-urchin closed season) apply to whatever is speared. Marine mammals (whales, dolphins) and several reef species are fully protected and may not be taken. Foreign visitors fish under the same rules as residents; recreational/sport fishing licence powers exist under the Act but are administered chiefly through commercial sport-fishing vessel (charter) licences rather than individual recreational permits.
Última actualización Xuño 15, 2026
Marco normativo
- §Fisheries Management Act 2002 (Act No. 26 of 2002; CAP. 42.06, 2016 Revised Edition)
- §Fisheries Management (Conservation) Regulations 2008
- §Fisheries (Coastal Communities) Regulations 2009 (Special Management Areas)
- §Fisheries (Local Fishing) Regulations 2009
- §Tonga National Coastal Fisheries Management and Development Plan 2023-2026
- §Whale Watching and Swimming Regulations 2013
- Arpón
- Permitido
- Escafandra
- Prohibido
- Estranxeiros
- Benvido
A lei, literalmente
Textos legais
As disposicións estatutarias e regulamentarias exactas que rexen a pesca submarina aquí, citadas tal como se publicaron, con ligazón a cada fonte oficial.
Regulation-making power over spear guns, underwater breathing apparatus and night fishing
Fisheries Management Act 2002 (CAP. 42.06, 2016 Revised Edition)
101 Regulations (1) The Minister may make regulations for the implementation of this Act. (2) Without limiting the generality of subsection (1) the Minister may in such regulations provide for all or any of the following — ... (f) the use of underwater breathing apparatus and under water torches for night fishing and regulating the use of spear guns and other similar devices;
Regulation-making power over recreational/sport fishing and Special Management Areas
Fisheries Management Act 2002 (CAP. 42.06, 2016 Revised Edition)
(b) the organisation and administration of Coastal Communities and the conservation and management measures that may be applied in Special Management Areas designated to such coastal communities; (c) prescribing fisheries management and conservation measures, gear standards, minimum and a maximum species sizes, closed seasons, closed areas, prohibited methods of fishing gear and schemes for limiting entry into all or any specified fisheries; ... (e) sport or recreational fishing in the fisheries waters and requiring the holding of licences for persons engaging in sport or recreational fishing;
Exemption of non-commercial sport and subsistence vessels from registration
Fisheries Management Act 2002 (CAP. 42.06, 2016 Revised Edition)
(3) The Minister may, by Notice in the Gazette, exempt any local fishing vessel used only for sport fishing other than for reward or profit, or any local fishing vessel or non-motorised canoe used only for subsistence fishing, or a foreign fishing vessel registered on the Regional Register or any other regional register of fishing vessels maintained under a regional fisheries management agreement or arrangement, from the requirements of subsection (2).
Commercial sport (charter) fishing vessel licence requirement
Fisheries Management Act 2002 (CAP. 42.06, 2016 Revised Edition)
30 Commercial sport fishing Licences (1) No fishing vessel shall be used for reward or hire for sport fishing in the fisheries waters without a commercial sport fishing vessel licence issued by the Chief Executive Officer.
Spearfishing recognised as a small-scale fishing technique
Tonga National Coastal Fisheries Management and Development Plan 2023-2026
Fishing techniques may involve diving (including spearfishing), hand lining, netting or gleaning (often by women), octopus fishing (a'afeke), drop lining and trolling. ... This Plan applies to ... any fishing activities within that area that include, but are not limited to: i) net fishing ii) trolling, line and reef fishing iii) spear fishing.
Restrictions on protected marine species (turtles, giant clam, mud crab, pearl oyster)
Tonga National Coastal Fisheries Management and Development Plan 2023-2026
5.1 No person shall take, possess, sell or purchase any mud crab (Scylla serrata) carrying eggs. 5.2 No person shall sell giant clam (Tridacna spp) and turtle meat locally without inspection and authorization by the Ministry. ... 5.4 No person shall take, possess, sell or purchase any loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green turtle (Chelonia mydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricate) meat locally, during the open season, without inspection and authorization by the Ministry. ... 5.6 No person can harvest wing pearl oyster from the wild without the authorization from the CEO, Ministry of Fisheries.
Cando podes mergullarte
Tempadas e restricións horarias
Períodos pechados, abertos e restrinxidos ao longo do ano. Confirma sempre localmente os peches específicos por especie.
- PechadoSea urchin (Tukumisi)Out 1 – Nov 30
Sea urchin harvest is prohibited from October to November under the National Coastal Fisheries Management and Development Plan 2023-2026 (section 7.1, Closed Season).
Permiso para pescar
Licenza
O que necesitas para poder estar na auga, o seu custo e como obtela.
Subsistence and small-scale fishers register with the Ministry of Fisheries (vessel, gear and fisher registration). Net licences and export licences/permits are issued by the Ministry. Commercial sport (charter) fishing vessel licences are issued by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Fisheries.
Obtén a túa licenzaAbre o portal oficial · tongafish.gov.to
- Tipo
- No dedicated individual recreational spearfishing licence. Subsistence fishers must register with the Ministry of Fisheries; charter/guided sport-fishing operations require a commercial sport fishing vessel licence.
- Custo
- unknown
- Validez
- unknown
- Como obter
- Subsistence and small-scale fishers register with the Ministry of Fisheries (vessel, gear and fisher registration). Net licences and export licences/permits are issued by the Ministry. Commercial sport (charter) fishing vessel licences are issued by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Fisheries.
- Autoridade
- Ministry of Fisheries (Tonga)
Equipamento e técnica
Normas de equipamento
Que equipamento está permitido, como se pode usar e as condicións aplicables.
Restricións
- Use of spear guns and similar devices is subject to regulation by the Minister under the Fisheries Management Act 2002, s.101(2)(f).
- Use of underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) for fishing is prohibited; an exemption can be obtained from the Ministry of Fisheries.
- Use of underwater breathing apparatus and underwater torches for night fishing is subject to ministerial regulation.
- Spearfishing is generally conducted by breath-hold (free) diving.
The Fisheries Management Act enables the Minister to regulate spear guns, SCUBA and underwater torches; secondary sources indicate SCUBA fishing is banned absent a Ministry exemption. Spearguns themselves remain a recognised, legal small-scale fishing tool when used by free-diving.
O que podes capturar
Límites de captura e especies protexidas
Cotas diarias, tamaños mínimos e especies que nunca se poden capturar.
Límite diario
No general national daily bag limit for subsistence spearfishing identified. Home-consumption export limit for finfish is 20 kg per person; commercial export limits apply per species (e.g. sea urchin/sea hares 50 kg/quarter, arch clams 20 kg/quarter).
Tamaños mínimos
- Acanthurus triostegus (Manini, convict surgeonfish)mín. 17 cm
- Ctenochaetus striatus (Pone 'uli)mín. 17 cm
- Naso hexacanthus (Ume atu)mín. 54 cm
- Naso lituratus (Ume lei)mín. 22 cm
- Naso lopezi (Ume atu)mín. 32 cm
- Naso unicornis (Ume / 'Ume kaki)mín. 32 cm
- Lethrinus xanthochilus (Ngungutoa)mín. 43 cm
- Lethrinus obsoletus (Tanutanu)mín. 24 cm
- Lethrinus nebulosus (Koango / 'Ika hina)mín. 41 cm
- Lethrinus harak (Tanutanu)mín. 22 cm
- Lethrinus olivaceus (Ngutukao / Ngutuloloa)mín. 43 cm
- Hipposcarus longiceps (Olomea)mín. 32 cm
- Leptoscarus vaigiensis (Ufu)mín. 21 cm
- Scarus ghobban (Hohomo)mín. 41 cm
- Scarus globiceps (Hohomo)mín. 29 cm
- Scarus schlegeli (Hohomo)mín. 26 cm
- Bolbometopon muricatum (Sikatoki, bumphead parrotfish)mín. 69 cm
- Chlorurus microrhinos (Sikatoki)mín. 45 cm
- Siganus argenteus (Ma'ava)mín. 20 cm
- Siganus fuscescens (Ma'ava)mín. 20 cm
- Siganus vermiculatus (Pongongo)mín. 25 cm
- Siganus spinus (oo)mín. 14 cm
- Octopus (Feke)mín. 60 cm
Especies protexidas — non capturar
- ProtexidaAll whales and dolphins (cetaceans) — fully protected from hunting/killing (royal ban since 1978; reaffirmed in fisheries legislation)
- ProtexidaGiant grouper (prohibited to harvest or export — Fisheries Management (Conservation) Regulations 2008)
- ProtexidaBumphead / humphead parrotfish (prohibited to harvest or export — Conservation Regulations 2008)
- ProtexidaHumphead (Napoleon) wrasse (prohibited to harvest or export — Conservation Regulations 2008)
- ProtexidaRays (prohibited to harvest or export — Conservation Regulations 2008)
- ProtexidaLeatherback turtle — no take
- ProtexidaSea turtles (loggerhead, green, hawksbill, olive ridley) — take restricted; closed/open seasons and ministry authorization required; size limits apply
- ProtexidaGiant clam (Tridacna spp.) — commercial and home-consumption export prohibited; local sale requires ministry inspection
- ProtexidaMud crab carrying eggs — no take
- ProtexidaWing/winged pearl oyster — no wild harvest without CEO authorization
Size limits and protected-species rules are set out in the National Coastal Fisheries Management and Development Plan 2023-2026 (Tongan vernacular names retained). The Fisheries Management (Conservation) Regulations 2008 additionally prohibit harvest/export of giant grouper, bumphead parrotfish, humphead wrasse and rays (per secondary sources). Turtle minimum sizes listed in the Plan: olive ridley 66 cm, green 108 cm, loggerhead 100 cm, hawksbill 76 cm; leatherback = no take.
Quen pode pescar
Visitantes e residentes
Como difiren as normas para os visitantes estranxeiros e os residentes locais.
Visitantes estranxeiros
PermitidoRequisitos
- Follow all Tongan fisheries and conservation laws, which expressly apply to all visitors including tourists and boaters.
- Do not fish or spearfish inside any Special Management Area (reserved for registered community members) or any Fish Habitat Reserve (no-take).
- Observe national size limits, the SCUBA fishing prohibition and protected-species rules.
Restricións
- No spearfishing/fishing in SMAs or Fish Habitat Reserves.
- No taking of protected species (whales, dolphins, listed reef fish, turtles, giant clam).
- Charter/guided sport-fishing operators must hold a commercial sport fishing vessel licence.
No specific evidence of a dedicated tourist spearfishing permit was found; visitors fish recreationally under the same national rules as residents. Where there is doubt over local SMA boundaries, boaters are advised to use the Ministry/community SMA chart overlays and to pay community anchorage fees where applicable.
Residentes
Subsistence/small-scale fisher registration with the Ministry of Fisheries; SMA membership for community-managed areas.
Requisitos
- Small-scale fishers undertaking subsistence or commercial fishing must register with the Ministry of Fisheries.
- Small-scale fishing vessels must be on the Ministry's Fishing Vessel Register; cast nets must be on the Cast Net Register.
- Only registered members of a coastal community may fish within that community's Special Management Area.
Beneficios
- Registered SMA community members hold preferential/exclusive access to fish within their community's Special Management Area.
- Non-motorised subsistence canoes can be exempted from vessel registration by Gazette notice.
The Special Management Area (SMA) programme grants coastal communities stewardship and preferential access to adjacent marine areas under the Fisheries Management Act 2002 and the Fisheries (Coastal Communities) Regulations 2009.
Onde na costa
Zonas permitidas e prohibidas
Áreas nomeadas que están abertas ou pechadas para a pesca submarina. Ve o panorama completo no mapa interactivo.
Áreas permitidas
Spearfishing (free-diving) is permitted as a small-scale/subsistence fishing method throughout Tonga's coastal waters (out to roughly the fringing reefs and the 12 nautical mile territorial sea), subject to national size limits, protected-species rules, the SCUBA prohibition, and exclusion from Special Management Areas where the diver is not a registered community member.
Free-diving only (no SCUBA without Ministry exemption); national species size limits apply; protected/no-take species may not be taken; must not enter another community's SMA or any Fish Habitat Reserve.
Áreas prohibidas
- Special Management Areas (SMAs) — nationwide networkcommunity fishery management area (no fishing for non-members)
Community-managed Special Management Areas exist around most coastal communities across Tongatapu, Ha'apai and Vava'u. Within an SMA only registered members of the host community may fish; non-members, including tourists and visiting boaters, may not fish or spearfish. Tonga's fisheries and conservation laws apply to all visitors.
- Fish Habitat Reserves (FHRs) within SMAsno-take marine reserve
Each Special Management Area contains a permanent no-take Fish Habitat Reserve where all fishing, spearfishing and collection of marine life is strictly prohibited for everyone, including community members and visitors.
- Vava'u Special Management Areascommunity fishery management area / no-take zone
SMAs are scattered throughout the Vava'u island group, often near key islands and traditional fishing grounds, with designated 'No Anchoring, No Fishing or Fish Habitat' zones. Fishing and spearfishing by non-members is prohibited. Exact boundaries are published via OpenCPN chart overlays for boaters.
- Hakaumama'o Reef Reservereef reserve / no-take marine reserve
Statutory marine/reef reserve on the outer barrier reef north of Tongatapu, declared in 1979 under the Parks and Reserves Act 1976; collection of shells and marine life (including spearfishing) is prohibited. Largest of the Tongatapu reef reserves (~126-159 ha). Located on the outer reef approximately 14 km north of Nuku'alofa, in the same northern lagoon/reef system as Pangaimotu and Malinoa. Center point approximate (no exact boundary table published).
- Pangaimotu Reef Reservereef reserve / marine reserve
Reef reserve around Pangaimotu Island just north of Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu, declared a national marine reserve (originally 1979/1989) under Tonga's reserves legislation. Collection of marine life is prohibited. Approx. 35 ha.
- Malinoa Island Park and Reef Reserveisland park & reef reserve
Island park and reef reserve around Malinoa Island, an uninhabited islet north of Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu. Designated 1979 (IUCN Category IV per SPREP/PIPAP). All collection of marine life is prohibited; ~0.88 km² (≈91 ha). Coordinates from the Malinoa Range lighthouses on the island.
- Monuafe Island Park and Reef Reserveisland park & reef reserve
Island park and reef reserve around the (now eroded/submerged) Monuafe islet north of Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu, declared 1979. Collection of marine life prohibited; ~50 ha. The islet itself eroded away by ~2014 but the gazetted reef reserve area remains.
- Ha'atafu Beach Reservebeach / lagoon marine reserve
Marine reserve over the lagoon and reef at Ha'atafu Beach (Kanokupolu / Hihifo peninsula) on the north-western tip of Tongatapu, ~21 km west of Nuku'alofa; declared 1979. Collection of shells and marine life (and spearfishing) is prohibited; ~71 ha (Protected Planet reports 5.03 km² designated area).
- Muihopohoponga Coastal Reservecoastal reserve
Coastal reserve on the north-eastern coast of Tongatapu near Niutoua (close to the Ha'amonga 'a Maui trilithon), declared as part of Tonga's reserves; ~89 ha. Collection of marine life is restricted.
- Fanga'uta and Fanga Kakau Lagoons Marine Reservelagoon marine reserve
Marine reserve covering the enclosed double-lagoon system (Fanga'uta and Fanga Kakau) in the interior/north of Tongatapu, declared a marine reserve in 1974. A shallow, almost-enclosed embayment; fishing and harvesting of marine life are regulated/restricted.
- Coral Gardens Marine Reserve (Vaka'eitu / Nuapapu, Vava'u)reef snorkeling reserve
Designated marine reserve on the reef extending between Nuapapu and Vaka'eitu islands in the Vava'u group, a popular snorkeling site where collection of marine life (and spearfishing) is prohibited.
Condicións na auga
Condicións en directo
Instantánea mariña e meteorolóxica en directo preto dun punto de referencia costeiro en Tonga, de Open-Meteo. As condicións varían ao longo da costa — úsaas como indicativas.
Condicións mariñas e meteorolóxicas en directo preto de Vava'u Special Management Areas.
A quen preguntar
Autoridades
Os organismos oficiais responsables da pesca e das licenzas.
Ministry of Fisheries (Kingdom of Tonga)
fisheries authority
tongafish.gov.toNuku'alofa, TongaForum Fisheries Agency (FFA) — regional
regional fisheries body
ffa.intHoniara, Solomon IslandsPacific Community (SPC) — Coastal Fisheries & Aquaculture
regional technical agency
cbfm.spc.intNoumea, New Caledonia
De onde vén esta información
Fontes
Cada afirmación desta páxina remite a unha destas referencias.
- [01]
Fisheries Management Act 2002 (CAP. 42.06, 2016 Revised Edition) — official text (Tonga Trade Portal)
Oficialtonga.tradeportal.orgConsultado o Xuñ 15 - [02]
Tonga National Coastal Fisheries Management and Development Plan 2023-2026 (FAOLEX)
Oficialfaolex.fao.orgConsultado o Xuñ 15 - [03]
Tonga Ministry of Fisheries — official website (regulations & legislation)
Oficialtongafish.gov.toConsultado o Xuñ 15 - [04]
Fisheries Management Act 2002 — Global Fishing Legislative Database (The Outlaw Ocean Project)
Secundariatheoutlawocean.comConsultado o Xuñ 15 - [05]
Fisheries Management Act 2002 (No. 26 of 2002) — ECOLEX record
Secundariaecolex.orgConsultado o Xuñ 15 - [06]
Navigating Vava'u Special Management Areas: A Guide for International Boaters in Tonga
communityblog.noforeignland.comConsultado o Xuñ 15 - [07]
Tonga | SPC Coastal Fisheries and Aquaculture (CBFM) — Special Management Areas
Secundariacbfm.spc.intConsultado o Xuñ 15 - [08]
Whale Watching and Swimming Regulations 2013 — Tonga (Tonga Trade Portal)
Oficialtonga.tradeportal.orgConsultado o Xuñ 15
Notas do investigador
Spearfishing in Tonga is legal but conditional. Key load-bearing findings, all source-backed: (1) The Fisheries Management Act 2002 (CAP. 42.06) gives the Minister power to regulate spear guns, SCUBA and underwater torches (s.101(2)(f)) and to require recreational/sport-fishing licences (s.101(2)(e)) — verbatim text captured from the official PDF. (2) SCUBA fishing is prohibited unless exempted by the Ministry (per secondary sources, consistent with the Act's enabling power); free-diving spearfishing is the norm and is recognised as a small-scale technique in the 2023-2026 Coastal Fisheries Plan. (3) Nationwide community Special Management Areas (SMAs) reserve fishing to registered community members, and Fish Habitat Reserves within them are full no-take zones — these apply to all visitors. (4) Detailed minimum size limits and protected-species/turtle/giant-clam rules and a sea-urchin closed season (Oct-Nov) come verbatim from the official Coastal Fisheries Plan. (5) The Fisheries Management (Conservation) Regulations 2008 additionally protect giant grouper, bumphead parrotfish, humphead wrasse and rays (confirmed via secondary sources; the primary regulation text was not directly retrieved). Confidence is MEDIUM: the Act and the Coastal Fisheries Plan were read verbatim from official PDFs, but the precise wording of the SCUBA-spearfishing prohibition and the 2008 Conservation Regulations was corroborated through secondary sources rather than fetched primary text. No per-individual recreational spearfishing licence regime was found; visitors fish under national rules. Coordinates for individual SMAs are not publicly itemised (boundaries are distributed via OpenCPN overlays); only an approximate Vava'u group centroid is given.
Notifícame cando cambien as normas de Tonga
Enviarémosche un correo cando as tempadas ou regulacións de Tonga se actualicen no noso conxunto de datos.