SpearfishingMap

Costa Rica

Americas · Central America

Recreational spearfishing (pesca deportiva subacuatica / pesca submarina) is legal in Costa Rica and is recognized as a form of sport fishing that may be carried out underwater (Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436, Art. 70.c). It is restricted: a valid sport-fishing card (carne de pesca deportiva) issued by INCOPESCA is required for anyone fishing underwater (Art. 75), the fisher must be at least 16 years old (Reglamento Decreto 36782, Art. 69), and the catch is for self-consumption or taxidermy only (no commercial sale). Practice is widely understood (national authorities and the dive community) to require freediving (breath-hold/'a pulmon') only, with the use of SCUBA / autonomous diving (breathing) equipment for spearfishing prohibited. Spearfishing, like all sport and commercial fishing, is absolutely prohibited inside national parks, natural monuments and biological reserves (Ley 8436, Art. 9), and restricted in other protected areas per their management plans. INCOPESCA sets minimum sizes, catch limits, closed seasons (vedas) and zones (Art. 73 of the Law).

Restricted
Affidabilità dei datiAffidabilità media

Ultimo aggiornamento Giugno 14, 2026

Quadro normativo di riferimento

  • §Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436 (Fisheries and Aquaculture Law), enacted 1 March 2005
  • §Reglamento a la Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436 - Decreto Ejecutivo No. 36782-MINAET-MAG-MOPT-TUR-SP-S-MTSS (2011)
  • §Ley de Creacion del Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura (INCOPESCA) No. 7384 (1994)
Licenza obbligatoria
Obbligatoria
Fucile subacqueo
Consentito
Autorespiratore
Vietato
Stranieri
Ammessi

La legge, integrale

Testi legali

Le esatte disposizioni di legge e regolamentari che disciplinano la pesca subacquea qui, citate come pubblicate, con un link a ogni fonte ufficiale.

01Articulo 70Costa Rica · national

Sport fishing may be carried out underwater (subaquatic)

Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436

ESOriginale

Articulo 70.-La pesca deportiva podra efectuarse: a) Desde tierra. b) A bordo de alguna embarcacion. c) De manera subacuatica.

02Articulo 75Costa Rica · national

Sport-fishing card required for underwater fishers

Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436

ESOriginale

Articulo 75.-Tanto la tripulacion como quienes practiquen la pesca deportiva a bordo de una embarcacion o de manera subacuatica, deberan portar el respectivo carne de pesca deportiva extendido por el INCOPESCA.

03Articulo 68Costa Rica · national

Definition of sport fishing

Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436

ESOriginale

Articulo 68.-La pesca deportiva es la actividad pesquera que realizan personas fisicas, nacionales o extranjeras, con el fin de capturar, con un aparejo de pesca personal apropiado para el efecto, recursos acuaticos pesqueros en aguas continentales, jurisdiccionales o en zona economica exclusiva, sin fines de lucro y con proposito de deporte, recreo, turismo o pasatiempo.

04Articulo 73Costa Rica · national

INCOPESCA sets fees, seasons, zones, minimum sizes and maximum catch for sport fishers

Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436

ESOriginale

Articulo 73.-El INCOPESCA establecera los canones, las epocas, las zonas y las tallas minimas, asi como el numero maximo de ejemplares que pueda capturar un pescador deportista, de acuerdo con las condiciones del recurso de que se trate y las caracteristicas particulares del lugar donde se desarrolle la actividad.

05Articulo 74Costa Rica · national

Sport-fishing catch destined for taxidermy or self-consumption

Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436

ESOriginale

Articulo 74.-Las capturas obtenidas de la pesca deportiva, segun la cantidad autorizada de ejemplares, se destinaran a la taxidermia o al consumo de quienes las realicen, bajo los terminos y las condiciones que determine el INCOPESCA.

06Articulo 9Costa Rica · national

Commercial and sport fishing prohibited in national parks, natural monuments and biological reserves

Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436

ESOriginale

Articulo 9.-Prohibense el ejercicio de la actividad pesquera con fines comerciales y la pesca deportiva en parques nacionales, monumentos naturales y reservas biologicas. El ejercicio de la actividad pesquera en la parte continental e insular, en las reservas forestales, zonas protectoras, refugios nacionales de vida silvestre y humedales, estara restringido de conformidad con los planes de manejo, que determine para cada zona el Ministerio de Ambiente y Energia (MINAE), en el ambito de sus atribuciones.

07Articulo 153Costa Rica · national

Penalty for fishing in protected wildlife areas

Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436

ESOriginale

Articulo 153.-Quien autorice o ejerza la actividad de pesca comercial o de pesca deportiva en las areas silvestres protegidas indicadas en el primer parrafo del articulo 9 de esta Ley, se sancionara con multa de veinte a sesenta salarios base y la cancelacion de la respectiva licencia.

08Articulo 2 (Definiciones)Costa Rica · national

Definition of harpoon/speargun (arpon)

Reglamento a la Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436 - Decreto Ejecutivo No. 36782

ESOriginale

Arpon: Arte de pesca utilizado para capturar especies acuaticas, que consiste en una varilla con punta o lanza que podra ser empleada en forma manual o mecanica, tambien conocido como arbaleta.

09Articulo 69Costa Rica · national

Sport fishing authorized only to persons over 16 with INCOPESCA card

Reglamento a la Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436 - Decreto Ejecutivo No. 36782

ESOriginale

Articulo 69. La pesca deportiva se autorizara unicamente a las personas fisicas, mayores de 16 anos, para lo cual deberan contar con el respectivo carne emitido por la Autoridad Ejecutora de la LPA.

10Anexo de requisitos (carne de pesca deportiva)Costa Rica · national

Requirements to obtain or renew a sport-fishing card (national or foreign tourists)

Reglamento a la Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436 - Decreto Ejecutivo No. 36782

ESOriginale

Requisitos para obtener o renovar un carne de pesca deportiva (turistas nacionales o extranjeros): 1. Presentar copia de la cedula de identidad, cedula de residencia o pasaporte vigente, junto con el original para verificar su autenticidad. 2. Aportar una fotografia tamano pasaporte reciente. 3. Presentar solicitud de carne de pesca deportiva, segun formulario (F.S.P.D), para grupos de turistas, la cual esta disponible en la Pagina Web de INCOPESCA. 4. Presentar recibo de cancelacion del canon respectivo.

Quando puoi immergerti

Stagioni e restrizioni temporali

Periodi di chiusura, apertura e restrizione nel corso dell'anno. Conferma sempre localmente le chiusure specifiche per specie.

  • LimitataAll sport/underwater fishers - closed seasons (vedas), minimum sizes and maximum catch numbers set administratively by INCOPESCA per species and zone

    There is no single fixed national closed season for spearfishing. Under Articulo 73 of Law 8436, INCOPESCA establishes the seasons (epocas), zones, minimum sizes and maximum number of specimens by species and area. Specific vedas (e.g. for snapper, shrimp, lobster and seasonal/spatial closures) are issued by separate INCOPESCA resolutions and must be checked before fishing.

    faolex.fao.org

Permesso di pescare

Licenza

Cosa ti serve per poter entrare in acqua, quanto costa e come ottenerla.

Licenza obbligatoriatramite INCOPESCA (Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura)

Apply online via the INCOPESCA website (www.incopesca.go.cr) or at one of the regional INCOPESCA offices (Cuajiniquil, Playas del Coco, Nicoya, Quepos, Golfito, Limon, Puntarenas, Herradura, San Jose, Heredia). Present a valid ID/residency card/passport, a recent passport-size photo, the F.S.P.D application form, and proof of payment of the canon.

Ottieni la tua licenza

Apre il portale ufficiale · incopesca.go.cr

Licenza obbligatoria
Tipo
Carne de pesca deportiva (sport-fishing card) issued by INCOPESCA; required for underwater/subaquatic sport fishers (Ley 8436 Art. 75). A dedicated 'underwater fishing' (pesca submarina) annual licence category exists.
Costo
Approx. USD 16.95 (8 days), USD 28.25 (1 month), USD 56.50 (1 year); an annual underwater-fishing licence is reported at ~USD 56.50. Fees set in colones by INCOPESCA canon.
Validità
8 days, 1 month, or 1 year
Come ottenerla
Apply online via the INCOPESCA website (www.incopesca.go.cr) or at one of the regional INCOPESCA offices (Cuajiniquil, Playas del Coco, Nicoya, Quepos, Golfito, Limon, Puntarenas, Herradura, San Jose, Heredia). Present a valid ID/residency card/passport, a recent passport-size photo, the F.S.P.D application form, and proof of payment of the canon.
Autorità
INCOPESCA (Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura)
Portale ufficiale per le licenze · incopesca.go.cr

Attrezzatura e tecnica

Regole sull'attrezzatura

Quale attrezzatura è consentita, come può essere usata e le condizioni associate.

Fucile subacqueoConsentito
AutorespiratoreVietato

Restrizioni

  • Spearguns/harpoons (arpon/arbaleta, manual or mechanical) are an accepted fishing gear (Reglamento, definition of 'Arpon').
  • SCUBA / autonomous underwater breathing equipment (tanks) is prohibited for spearfishing; only freediving / breath-hold ('a pulmon') is permitted per national authorities and the dive community.
  • Use of artificial lights to attract fish is reported as prohibited.
  • Some secondary/dive sources report a practical limit of a maximum of two spearguns carried, but this could not be confirmed against the verbatim Law/Reglamento text.

The general fishing-method prohibitions in Ley 8436 Art. 38 (explosives, toxic/acoustic devices, undersized capture, unauthorized gear, gill/pelagic trawl nets, etc.) apply to all fishing. The Law/Reglamento provisions retrieved verbatim do not themselves spell out the SCUBA ban or a 2-speargun cap; those appear in INCOPESCA practice and secondary sources.

Cosa puoi prelevare

Limiti di cattura e specie protette

Quote giornaliere, taglie minime e specie che non devono mai essere prelevate.

Limite giornaliero

Catch is for self-consumption or taxidermy only; no commercial sale. INCOPESCA sets the maximum number of specimens per species/zone (Ley 8436 Art. 73/74). For sport fishing of large pelagics the Reglamento allows landing up to five specimens per fishing trip (Art. 68); a general 5-fish-per-trip limit for spearfishing is reported by secondary/dive sources but is not stated verbatim for spearfishing in the retrieved law text.

Specie protette — non prelevare

  • ProtettaPez vela / sailfish (Istiophorus albidus/albicans) - declared species of tourist-sport interest, catch-and-release
  • ProtettaMarlin azul / blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) - catch-and-release
  • ProtettaMarlin negro / black marlin (Makaira indica) - catch-and-release
  • ProtettaMarlin rayado / striped marlin (Tetrapturus audax) - catch-and-release
  • ProtettaSabalo / tarpon (Megalops atlanticus) - species of tourist-sport interest
  • ProtettaCetaceans, pinnipeds and sea turtles (quelonios) - capture prohibited (Ley 8436 Art. 39)

Minimum sizes ('tallas minimas') are set administratively by INCOPESCA per species (Ley 8436 Art. 73; capture below authorized size prohibited under Art. 38.h). Sport-interest billfish (sailfish, marlins) and roosterfish are managed under catch-and-release. Specific minimum-size figures were not retrieved verbatim and are left empty rather than guessed.

Chi può pescare

Visitatori e residenti

Come le regole differiscono per i visitatori stranieri e i residenti locali.

Visitatori stranieri

Consentito

Licenza speciale obbligatoria

Requisiti

  • Obtain an INCOPESCA carne/licencia de pesca deportiva (available to national and foreign tourists).
  • Present a valid passport (original plus copy).
  • Provide a recent passport-size photograph.
  • Submit the F.S.P.D application form (available on the INCOPESCA website) and pay the canon.

Restrizioni

  • Same equipment, area and catch restrictions as residents (freediving only, no fishing in national parks/reserves, self-consumption only).
  • Minimum age 16.

Foreign tourists are explicitly contemplated in the sport-fishing definition (Art. 68: 'personas fisicas, nacionales o extranjeras') and in the carne requirements, and licences can be obtained online.

Residenti

Carne de pesca deportiva (same sport-fishing card; nationals present cedula de identidad or cedula de residencia instead of passport)

Requisiti

  • Present cedula de identidad or cedula de residencia (original plus copy).
  • Provide a recent passport-size photograph.
  • Submit the sport-fishing card application form and pay the canon.
  • Be at least 16 years old.

Requirements for residents and foreign tourists are largely the same except for the accepted identity document.

Dove sulla costa

Zone consentite e vietate

Aree denominate aperte o chiuse alla pesca subacquea. Vedi il quadro completo sulla mappa interattiva.

Aree consentite

  • Jurisdictional and inland waters outside protected areas

    Recreational/underwater sport fishing is permitted in continental, jurisdictional and exclusive economic zone waters, and in inland waters reserved for subsistence, small-scale artisanal, tourism, sport and recreational fishing (Reglamento Art. 73), provided the area is not a national park, natural monument, biological reserve or otherwise restricted protected area, and the fisher holds a valid INCOPESCA sport-fishing card.

    Valid carne de pesca deportiva required; minimum age 16; freediving only (no SCUBA/autonomous breathing equipment); catch for self-consumption/taxidermy; respect INCOPESCA minimum sizes, catch limits and vedas.

    redpescaindnr.org

Aree vietate

Vedi sulla mappa

Condizioni in acqua

Condizioni in tempo reale

Istantanea marina e meteo in tempo reale vicino a un punto di riferimento costiero in Costa Rica, da Open-Meteo. Le condizioni variano lungo la costa — considerale indicative.

Condizioni marine e meteo in tempo reale vicino a Isla del Coco (Cocos Island) National Park / Marine Conservation Area.

Condizioni

A chi rivolgersi

Autorità

Gli enti ufficiali responsabili della pesca e delle licenze.

  • INCOPESCA - Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura

    fisheries authority (executing authority of the Fisheries Law)

    incopesca.go.crRegional offices: Puntarenas (HQ), Cuajiniquil, Playas del Coco, Nicoya, Quepos, Golfito, Limon, Herradura, San Jose, Heredia

  • MINAE / SINAC - Ministerio de Ambiente y Energia / Sistema Nacional de Areas de Conservacion

    environment ministry (manages protected areas / marine parks)

    sinac.go.cr

  • Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas (Costa Rican Coast Guard)

    maritime enforcement authority

    seguridadpublica.go.cr

Da dove provengono

Fonti

Ogni affermazione su questa pagina risale a uno di questi riferimenti.

  1. [01]

    Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436 (full text PDF, FAOLEX)

    Ufficiale
    faolex.fao.orgConsultato il Giu 14
  2. [02]

    Reglamento a la Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura No. 8436 - Decreto Ejecutivo No. 36782 (full text PDF)

    Ufficiale
    redpescaindnr.orgConsultato il Giu 14
  3. [03]

    Ley No. 8436 - Ley de pesca y acuicultura (FAOLEX / ECOLEX record)

    Ufficiale
    fao.orgConsultato il Giu 14
  4. [04]

    INCOPESCA - official fisheries authority website

    Ufficiale
    incopesca.go.crConsultato il Giu 14
  5. [05]

    FECOP - Licencia de Pesca en Costa Rica (license validity and process)

    Secondaria
    es.fishcostarica.orgConsultato il Giu 14
  6. [06]

    Pura Vida Traveling - Fishing License in Costa Rica: Regulations, Cost & Best Practices (license fees in USD)

    Secondaria
    puravidatraveling.comConsultato il Giu 14
  7. [07]

    Lancaster Scuba - Can You Spearfish in Costa Rica? (practical rules: license, freediving only, 2 spearguns, 5-fish limit, MPAs)

    Secondaria
    lancasterscuba.comConsultato il Giu 14
  8. [08]

    Alvarado et al. - Costa Rica's Marine Protected Areas: status and perspectives (Revista de Biologia Tropical / SciELO)

    Secondaria
    scielo.sa.crConsultato il Giu 14

Note dei ricercatori

Verbatim legal text was extracted from the official Ley 8436 (FAOLEX PDF, cos60829.pdf) and the official Reglamento Decreto 36782 PDF, both fetched and text-extracted locally; Spanish accents/special characters were normalized to ASCII in the JSON for portability but otherwise the wording is verbatim. The Law and Reglamento establish that sport fishing may be conducted underwater (subaquatic) and require an INCOPESCA sport-fishing card for underwater fishers, with all fishing prohibited in national parks/monuments/biological reserves. The widely-cited practical specifics for spearfishing - SCUBA prohibited (freediving only), a maximum of two spearguns, and a 5-fish-per-trip self-consumption limit - are reported by national authorities and the dive/fishing community (secondary sources) and by INCOPESCA practice, but the exact SCUBA ban and 2-speargun cap were NOT located verbatim in the retrieved Law/Reglamento text; the 5-specimen-per-trip figure appears verbatim only for large pelagic sport fishing (Reglamento Art. 68). These items are flagged as reported rather than verbatim, and minimum-size figures were left empty rather than guessed. Confidence is 'medium': the core legal framework and licensing are strongly sourced from official law, while some operational spearfishing limits rest on secondary sources. MPA coordinates are approximate park centroids from general references, not from the legal instruments. INCOPESCA's own carne and licencias web pages were under maintenance at time of access.

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