SpearfishingMap

United Kingdom

Europe · Northern Europe

Recreational sea spearfishing is legal in the UK without a national licence or permit, but only in tidal/marine waters - it is illegal in fresh water (rivers, lakes, canals). Divers must freedive or snorkel; using scuba or surface-supplied air to spearfish is not permitted. Salmon, sea trout, eels and a list of protected/endangered species may not be taken; sea bass is subject to a 42 cm minimum size, a daily bag limit, and a February-March catch-and-release (closed) period that effectively bars spearing of bass in those months. Marine protected areas (MCZs/SACs), many harbours, estuaries, marine infrastructure and bathing beaches restrict or prohibit spearfishing. Rules differ between the four UK nations and between local Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA) districts in England, so local bylaws must always be checked.

Restricted
Affidabilità dei datiAffidabilità media

Ultimo aggiornamento Giugno 15, 2026

Quadro normativo di riferimento

  • §Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 (c. 51)
  • §Theft Act 1968 (c. 60), Schedule 1 (Offences of taking or destroying fish)
  • §Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 (c. 23) - Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities and Marine Conservation Zones
  • §Sea Fisheries (Shellfish) Act 1967 (c. 83)
  • §Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (c. 69) - protected species
  • §MMO/Defra Bass Fishing Guidance (annual; 2025)
Licenza obbligatoria
Non 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.

01Section 1(1)(a)(iv) and Section 1(3A)England and Wales · national

Prohibited modes of taking or destroying fish (spear prohibition in fresh water and inshore waters)

Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 (c. 51)

ENOriginale

Section 1(1)(a): a person shall not use ... any of the following instruments, that is to say— (i) a firearm ...; (ii) an otter lath or jack, wire or snare; (iii) a crossline or setline; (iv) a spear, gaff, tailer, stroke-haul, snatch or other like instrument; (v) a light ... for the purpose of taking or killing salmon, trout, eels, lampreys, smelt, shad, freshwater fish [and any specified fish] in any waters. Section 1(3A): References in this section to any waters include waters adjoining the coast of England and Wales to a distance of six nautical miles measured from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.

02Schedule 1, paragraph 2 (Taking or destroying fish)England and Wales · national

Offence of unlawfully taking or destroying fish in private waters

Theft Act 1968 (c. 60)

ENOriginale

Schedule 1, para 2(1): A person who unlawfully takes or destroys, or attempts to take or destroy, any fish in water which is private property or in which there is any private right of fishery shall on summary conviction be liable to a fine ... Para 2(2): Subparagraph (1) above shall not apply to taking or destroying fish by angling in the daytime (that is to say, in the period beginning one hour before sunrise and ending one hour after sunset); but a person who by angling in the daytime unlawfully takes or destroys, or attempts to take or destroy, any fish in water which is private property or in which there is any private right of fishery shall on summary conviction be liable to a fine ...

03Recreational fishing sectionUnited Kingdom · national

Recreational fishing for European sea bass (closed period, bag limit, minimum size)

MMO/Defra Bass Fishing Guidance 2025

ENOriginale

Recreational fisheries, including from shore, in ICES divisions 4b, 4c, 6a, 7a and 7d to 7j are limited to catch-and-release using rod and handline only during 1 February to 31 March. Outside of this period, recreational fishers are limited to ... fish per day bag limits as agreed in annual negotiations with the EU. The minimum size of European seabass is 42 cm. All specimens below this size must be released.

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.

Gen
Feb
Mar
Apr
Mag
Giu
Lug
Ago
Set
Ott
Nov
Dic
ChiusaLimitataAperta
  • ChiusaEuropean sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)Feb 1 – Mar 31

    1 February to 31 March: recreational fishing for sea bass is catch-and-release only (rod and handline), so no bass may be retained or taken by spearfishing in this period.

    gov.uk
  • ApertaEuropean sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)Apr 1 – Gen 31

    1 April to 31 January: a daily bag limit applies (2 fish per fisher per day under the 2025 guidance; increased to 3 per day for 2026 following UK-EU negotiations), minimum size 42 cm.

    gov.uk

Permesso di pescare

Licenza

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

Nessuna licenza richiestatramite Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs) / Marine Management Organisation (MMO)
Nessuna licenza richiesta
Tipo
No national spearfishing licence for sea fish; a free Inshore Permit/Shellfish Permit may be required from the local IFCA to take certain shellfish.
Costo
Free for IFCA shellfish/inshore permits where applicable; no charge for recreational sea spearfishing of finfish.
Validità
unknown
Come ottenerla
No licence needed for sea spearfishing of finfish. For shellfish, check and apply to the relevant local IFCA. A freshwater rod licence (Environment Agency) does not authorise spearfishing - spearing freshwater fish is prohibited regardless.
Autorità
Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs) / Marine Management Organisation (MMO)
Portale ufficiale per le licenze · spearfishing.co.uk

Attrezzatura e tecnica

Regole sull'attrezzatura

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

Fucile subacqueoConsentito
AutorespiratoreVietato

Restrizioni

  • Must freedive or snorkel; spearfishing while using scuba (aqualung) or surface-supplied air is not permitted
  • Spearguns are legal to own and use for fishing in the sea, but carrying a loaded/assembled speargun in a public place on land may constitute an offensive weapon
  • Spear/gaff and similar instruments are prohibited for taking salmon, trout, eels and freshwater fish (Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 s.1)

Recreational spearfishing is by breath-hold diving only. Daytime is the practical/safe norm; under Theft Act 1968 Sch.1 reduced penalties apply only to daytime angling in private waters (one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset). Secondary spearfishing guidance commonly states daylight (dawn-to-dusk) only.

Cosa puoi prelevare

Limiti di cattura e specie protette

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

Limite giornaliero

Sea bass: limited bag per day (2/day under 2025 MMO guidance; 3/day for 2026), catch-and-release only 1 Feb-31 Mar. Shellfish without an IFCA permit: max 5 per day combined from lobster, crawfish, edible crab and spider crab, of which no more than 2 may be lobster/crawfish combined (limits vary by IFCA).

Taglie minime

  • European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)min 42 cm
  • European lobster (Homarus gammarus) - carapace lengthmin 9 cm

Specie protette — non prelevare

  • ProtettaAtlantic salmon
  • ProtettaSea trout (migratory trout)
  • ProtettaEuropean eel / silver eel
  • ProtettaAllis shad and Twaite shad
  • ProtettaSturgeon
  • ProtettaAngel shark
  • ProtettaBasking shark
  • ProtettaTope (may be targeted as sport fish but must not be landed)
  • ProtettaCommon skate / White skate
  • ProtettaSunfish
  • ProtettaBluefin tuna
  • ProtettaGiant goby and Couch's goby
  • ProtettaLamprey, smelt

Spearing of salmon, sea trout, eels, shad, lampreys and smelt is prohibited as a method/species combination under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975. Sharks, skates, sunfish, gobies and bluefin tuna are protected under national/European conservation legislation and must not be taken; accidental catches returned to the sea. V-notched and egg-bearing (berried) lobsters must be returned; lobsters must be taken by hand, not speared. Minimum sizes and species lists vary by IFCA district - check local bylaws.

Chi può pescare

Visitatori e residenti

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

Visitatori stranieri

Consentito

Restrizioni

  • Same rules as residents: sea/tidal waters only, freediving only, species/size/bag limits, MPA and local IFCA bylaw compliance
  • Spearguns must be transported in checked baggage (not hand luggage) per airline and customs rules

No nationality-based restriction for recreational sea spearfishing. Visitors must comply with the same fisheries and conservation rules as residents and check local IFCA bylaws.

Residenti

No spearfishing-specific licence; free IFCA shellfish/inshore permit where applicable

Requisiti

  • Comply with marine fisheries rules, minimum sizes, bag limits and MPA restrictions
  • Obtain relevant IFCA shellfish permit if required for the target shellfish/area

Rules are broadly the same for residents and visitors. Note Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate fisheries regimes; in Scotland no recreational sea licence is required but targeting migratory species (salmon/sea trout) needs the legal right or written permission, and freshwater spearfishing is prohibited.

Dove sulla costa

Zone consentite e vietate

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

Aree consentite

  • UK tidal/marine coastal waters (general)

    Recreational spearfishing is permitted in tidal sea waters around the UK coast, by freediving or snorkelling, subject to species rules, size and bag limits, MPA exclusions and local IFCA bylaws. No national spearfishing licence is required for sea fish.

    Sea/tidal water only (freshwater banned); no scuba or surface-supplied air; protected species and minimum sizes apply; avoid MCZs/SACs, harbours, estuaries, marine infrastructure and designated bathing beaches; check local IFCA bylaws.

    spearfishing.co.uk

Aree vietate

Vedi sulla mappa

A chi rivolgersi

Autorità

Gli enti ufficiali responsabili della pesca e delle licenze.

  • Marine Management Organisation (MMO)

    marine/fisheries authority (England)

    gov.uk

  • Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities (IFCAs)

    regional fisheries and conservation authorities (England, 0-6 nm)

    association-ifca.org.uk

  • Environment Agency

    freshwater fisheries authority (England)

    gov.uk

  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

    environment / fisheries ministry

    gov.uk

  • Marine Scotland (Scottish Government - Salmon and Recreational Fisheries)

    fisheries authority (Scotland)

    gov.scot

Da dove provengono

Fonti

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

  1. [01]

    Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, Section 1 - Prohibited modes of taking or destroying fish

    Ufficiale
    legislation.gov.ukConsultato il Giu 15
  2. [02]

    Theft Act 1968, Schedule 1 - Taking or destroying fish

    Ufficiale
    legislation.gov.ukConsultato il Giu 15
  3. [03]

    Bass Fishing Guidance 2025 - GOV.UK (MMO/Defra)

    Ufficiale
    gov.ukConsultato il Giu 15
  4. [04]

    Recreational fishing - Salmon and recreational fisheries - gov.scot

    Ufficiale
    gov.scotConsultato il Giu 15
  5. [05]

    Legal FAQs - Spearfishing UK

    community
    spearfishing.co.ukConsultato il Giu 15
  6. [06]

    IFCA Rules for Recreational Fishing, Spearfishing & Foraging 2026 - Spearfishing UK

    community
    spearfishing.co.ukConsultato il Giu 15
  7. [07]

    Spearfishing & Foraging Licensing in the UK - Rules, Permissions & Legal Awareness

    community
    spearfishingstore.co.ukConsultato il Giu 15

Note dei ricercatori

Spearfishing is treated under several overlapping legal regimes rather than one dedicated statute. The Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 makes a spear a prohibited instrument for salmon/trout/eels/freshwater fish and (s.1(3A)) extends to inshore waters out to 6 nm, which is the basis for the 'no spearing salmon/sea trout/eels' and 'no freshwater spearfishing' rules. Sea bass figures are from the official MMO 2025 guidance (2 fish/day in 2025; 3 fish/day announced for 2026; 42 cm minimum; Feb-Mar catch-and-release). The 2026 IFCA species list and shellfish limits are from a reputable community source (Spearfishing UK / British Spearfishing Association); two BSA regulation PDFs could not be parsed as text, so exact verbatim wording for some IFCA bylaws and the protected-species list was taken from official legislation where possible and otherwise from these secondary sources - confidence set to medium accordingly. Rules vary significantly by IFCA district and between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; divers must verify current local bylaws. Coordinates for specific MPAs were not captured because the prohibited 'zones' here are categories rather than single named sites.

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