Niger
Africa · Western Africa
Niger is landlocked, so there is no marine spearfishing and no specific legal category for recreational underwater (scuba/freedive) spearfishing. Fishing is freshwater-only (Niger River and tributaries, Lake Chad, ponds/mares, dam reservoirs). Harpoon fishing (la peche au harpon) is a traditional, widely used and lawful fishing method in Niger's inland waters: FAO/Government sources list 'harpons' among the most common artisanal gears used in 'active fishing'. The national fishing law (Loi N98-042 du 07 decembre 1998 portant Regime de la Peche, since modernised by Loi N2021-003 of 16 March 2021 and amended by Loi N2023-17 of 15 May 2023) requires a fishing permit for anyone fishing in public-domain waters and prohibits specific destructive methods (explosives, poisons/intoxicants, electric fishing, fine-mesh nets, certain seines, unauthorised barriers), but does NOT list harpoons among prohibited gear. Thus harpoon/spear fishing is permitted but 'restricted' in the sense that it requires a permit, is subject to fishing reserves, closed seasons and gear rules, and there is no dedicated recreational underwater-hunting regime.
Ultimo aggiornamento Giugno 15, 2026
Quadro normativo di riferimento
- §Loi N98-042 du 07 decembre 1998 portant Regime de la Peche
- §Loi N2021-003 du 16 mars 2021 portant regime de la peche et de l'aquaculture au Niger
- §Loi N2023-17 du 15 mai 2023 modifiant et completant la Loi N2021-003
- §Ordonnance N93-014 du 02 mars 1993 portant Regime de l'eau
- Licenza obbligatoria
- Obbligatoria
- 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.
Definition of fishing
Loi N98-042 du 07 decembre 1998 portant Regime de la Peche
Article Premier : La peche consiste soit a rechercher, a poursuivre, a pieger, a capturer ou a detruire des poissons, des crustacees, des mollusques ou des algues vivant en etat de liberte dans les eaux du domaine public, d'origine naturelle ou artificielle, telles que definies par l'Ordonnance N93-014 du 02 Mars 1993, portant Regime de l'eau.
Types of fishing permit (including sport-fishing permit)
Loi N98-042 du 07 decembre 1998 portant Regime de la Peche
Article 4 : Conformement a l'alinea 2 de l'article 3 ci-dessus, il est institue trois (3) types de permis de peche : - le permis de peche sportive ; - le permis de peche scientifique ; - le permis de peche commerciale. Article 5 : Le permis de peche sportive, dont les produits sont exclusivement destines a la consommation du pecheur et de sa famille, est gratuit.
Permit is mandatory to fish
Loi N98-042 du 07 decembre 1998 portant Regime de la Peche
Article 12 : Le permis de peche est un titre strictement personnel. Il ne peut etre ni prete, ni cede a autrui. La duree de sa validite est d'un (1) an. Il est delivre par le Directeur charge de la peche ou son representant. Article 13 : Nul ne peut pecher s'il n'est titulaire d'un permis de peche ou beneficiaire d'un droit d'usage coutumier.
Commercial permit fees for nationals and foreigners
Loi N98-042 du 07 decembre 1998 portant Regime de la Peche
Article 3 : ... L'exercice du droit de peche peut etre accorde par l'Etat, a titre onereux ou gratuit, a ses nationaux ou des etrangers. Article 7 : Le permis de la peche commerciale est toujours subordonne au paiement prealable de redevances dont les montants sont fixes comme suit : Fleuve et Affluents - Nationaux = 20.000 FCFA - Non nationaux = 40.000 FCFA ; Mares et Retenues de Barrages - Nationaux = 10.000 FCFA - Non nationaux = 20.000 FCFA.
Prohibited fishing methods (harpoon not listed)
Loi N98-042 du 07 decembre 1998 portant Regime de la Peche
Article 16 : Sont interdits : la peche en temps prohibe ; la peche a la senne et aux filets raclant localement denommes 'kindi-kindi' et 'taroun Dourou' ; la peche aux filets dont la maille est inferieure a trois (3) doigts, soit six (6) centimetres maille tiree ; l'usage des explosifs ; l'usage de toutes substances susceptibles d'intoxiquer, d'enivrer ou de presenter un danger quelconque pour l'aquifaune en general et pour les poissons, crustaces, mollusques et algues en particulier ; la peche electrique, sauf autorisation speciale pour le cas de la capture scientifique ; l'usage, sauf autorisation speciale, des engins eclairants autres que la torche traditionnelle ; la pratique, pendant le frai, de tous barrages non autorises par le Service de la Peche susceptibles d'empecher le libre passage du poisson, crustace, mollusque ou algue ; la capture et la commercialisation des poissons immatures ; la destruction de l'habitat et des frayeres des poissons et des autres animaux de l'aquifaune ; le deversement, sauf autorisation des Ministres charges de la Peche, de l'Hydraulique ou de l'Environnement, des effluents industriels dans les zones frequentees par les poissons, mollusques et crustaces ; la propagation ou la culture de toutes plantes aquatiques dont le developpement constitue un danger pour les poissons, les crustaces et les mollusques.
Fishing reserves where all fishing is banned
Loi N98-042 du 07 decembre 1998 portant Regime de la Peche
Article 14 : La peche sous toutes ses formes est interdite dans les 'Reserves de peche' sauf, autorisation speciale delivree par le Ministre charge de la peche. Article 15 : Aux termes de la presente loi, il faut entendre par 'Reserves de peche', des aires d'eau placees sous le controle de l'Etat, sur l'etendue desquelles toute forme de peche, toute introduction d'especes animales et/ou vegetales exotiques, d'une maniere generale, tout acte de nature a nuire ou a apporter des perturbations a la faune et/ou a la flore aquatiques locales, sont strictement interdits, et ou les autres activites humaines sont reglementees. Le classement et le declassement, des reserves de peche sont prononces par decret pris en conseil des ministres.
Closed seasons and fishing limitations set by decree
Loi N98-042 du 07 decembre 1998 portant Regime de la Peche
Article 17 : Seront fixees par decret pris en Conseil des Ministres toutes mesures de fermeture ou de limitation de la peche pouvant varier selon les especes et les regions considerees. Les periodes de fermeture ne peuvent s'etendre sur plus d'une annee qu'a titre exceptionnel.
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.
- ChiusaSet by decree per species and region; no fixed nationwide dates published in the law itselfunknown – unknown
Article 17 of Loi N98-042 empowers the Council of Ministers to set closed/limitation periods ('mesures de fermeture') that vary by species and region; closed periods may not exceed one year except exceptionally. Specific dates are fixed by implementing decrees, not in the framework law. Fishing 'en temps prohibe' (during a prohibited/closed period) is an offence under Article 16.
Permesso di pescare
Licenza
Cosa ti serve per poter entrare in acqua, quanto costa e come ottenerla.
Issued by the Directeur charge de la peche (Director of Fisheries) or a representative (Art. 12).
Ottieni la tua licenzaApre il portale ufficiale · faolex.fao.org
- Tipo
- Permis de peche sportive (recreational/sport), Permis de peche scientifique (scientific), or Permis de peche commerciale (commercial). Customary-use rights holders may fish without a permit for ritual purposes within their terroir (Art. 11).
- Costo
- Sport-fishing permit: free (gratuit), products restricted to consumption by the fisher and family (Art. 5). Commercial permit fees (Art. 7): river/tributaries 20,000 FCFA nationals / 40,000 FCFA non-nationals; ponds and dam reservoirs 10,000 FCFA nationals / 20,000 FCFA non-nationals.
- Validità
- One (1) year; strictly personal, non-transferable (Art. 12).
- Come ottenerla
- Issued by the Directeur charge de la peche (Director of Fisheries) or a representative (Art. 12).
- Autorità
- Direction de la Peche et de l'Aquaculture (Director of Fisheries), under the ministry responsible for fishing/hydraulics-environment.
Attrezzatura e tecnica
Regole sull'attrezzatura
Quale attrezzatura è consentita, come può essere usata e le condizioni associate.
Restrizioni
- Explosives prohibited (Art. 16).
- Any substance liable to intoxicate, stupefy or endanger aquatic fauna (poisons) prohibited (Art. 16).
- Electric fishing prohibited except by special scientific authorisation (Art. 16).
- Nets with mesh smaller than three fingers (~6 cm stretched mesh) prohibited (Art. 16).
- Seines and scraping nets locally called 'kindi-kindi' and 'taroun Dourou' prohibited (Art. 16).
- Light-emitting gear other than the traditional torch prohibited without special authorisation (Art. 16).
- Unauthorised barriers blocking fish passage during spawning prohibited (Art. 16).
Harpoons (harpons) are NOT in the Article 16 list of prohibited gear and are documented by FAO/Government sources as one of the most common traditional/artisanal fishing gears in Niger, used in 'active fishing' (peche active). There is no dedicated legal category for recreational underwater (scuba/freedive) speargun spearfishing, and Niger has no sea coast. No information was found on regulation of pneumatic/rubber-powered spearguns or diving; speargun_allowed and scuba_allowed are left null (unknown) rather than guessed.
Cosa puoi prelevare
Limiti di cattura e specie protette
Quote giornaliere, taglie minime e specie che non devono mai essere prelevate.
Limite giornaliero
unknown
The framework law prohibits the capture and sale of immature fish ('la capture et la commercialisation des poissons immatures', Art. 16) but does not set numeric daily bag limits or species-specific minimum sizes in the text retrieved. Specific size/quota measures, if any, are set by implementing decree (Art. 17) and were not located. Sport-permit catch is limited by purpose to consumption by the fisher and family (Art. 5).
Chi può pescare
Visitatori e residenti
Come le regole differiscono per i visitatori stranieri e i residenti locali.
Visitatori stranieri
ConsentitoLicenza speciale obbligatoria
Requisiti
- Must hold a Niger fishing permit (Art. 13); fishing rights may be granted by the State to nationals or foreigners (Art. 3).
- Commercial permit fees are doubled for non-nationals: 40,000 FCFA (river/tributaries) and 20,000 FCFA (ponds/reservoirs) vs half those amounts for nationals (Art. 7).
Restrizioni
- Under the modernised framework (Loi 2021-003), access to fishery resources in public-domain waters is granted on equal conditions to nationals of WAEMU/UEMOA member states.
Loi N98-042 explicitly contemplates granting fishing rights to foreigners (Art. 3) but at higher commercial fees (Art. 7). The 2021 law adds equal-access provisions for WAEMU/UEMOA nationals. No foreigner-specific underwater/spear rules exist.
Residenti
Permis de peche sportive (free) for own/family consumption, or permis de peche commerciale at national-rate fees; customary-use rights for ritual fishing within one's terroir (Art. 11).
Requisiti
- Permit issued by the Director of Fisheries, valid one year, personal and non-transferable (Art. 12).
- Customary-use ritual fishing requires special authorisation from the administrative authority on the advice of the local technical fisheries officer (Art. 11).
Vantaggi
- Lower commercial permit fees for nationals (20,000/10,000 FCFA vs 40,000/20,000 FCFA for non-nationals, Art. 7).
- Recognised customary fishing-use rights for ritual purposes (Art. 11).
There is no separate residency-versus-citizenship distinction in the law beyond 'nationals' (nationaux) vs 'non-nationals' for fee purposes.
Dove sulla costa
Zone consentite e vietate
Aree denominate aperte o chiuse alla pesca subacquea. Vedi il quadro completo sulla mappa interattiva.
Aree consentite
Public-domain inland waters where fishing (including with harpoon) is permitted under permit. The Niger River runs about 550 km through Niger with six tributaries, covering over 70,000 ha of fishing area.
Permit required (Art. 13). Prohibited methods of Art. 16 apply (explosives, poisons, electric fishing, fine-mesh nets, prohibited seines). Subject to any closed seasons fixed by decree (Art. 17).
Approximately 310,000 ha of fishing waters in Niger's share of Lake Chad; major artisanal fishery. Fishing permitted under permit subject to general law.
Permit required; Art. 16 prohibited methods apply; decree-based closed seasons may apply.
Around a thousand natural inland ponds plus roughly 69 artificial reservoirs (~50,000 ha). Fishing permitted under permit; lower commercial fee category than the river.
Permit required; Art. 16 prohibited methods apply. Note Art. 2 excludes purely private-domain artificial water bodies from the law.
Aree vietate
- Reserves de peche (designated fishing reserves)fishing reserve (reserve de peche)
Areas of water placed under State control where all forms of fishing, introduction of exotic species and any act harmful to local aquatic fauna/flora are strictly prohibited (Art. 14-15 of Loi N98-042), except by special authorisation of the Minister responsible for fishing. Individual reserves are created/removed by decree of the Council of Ministers; specific named/geocoded reserves are not enumerated in the framework law.
A chi rivolgersi
Autorità
Gli enti ufficiali responsabili della pesca e delle licenze.
Direction de la Peche et de l'Aquaculture (Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture)
fisheries authority
hydraulique.gouv.neOperates under the ministry responsible for water/environment (Ministere de l'Hydraulique, de l'Assainissement et de l'Environnement); issues fishing permits and enforces fisheries law.Agents des Eaux et Forets (Water and Forests officers)
enforcement / environment ministry
Statutory enforcement officers for fisheries offences under Loi N98-042 (Art. 19-21): may stop transport, seize gear, and present cases in court.
Da dove provengono
Fonti
Ogni affermazione su questa pagina risale a uno di questi riferimenti.
- [01]
Loi N98-042 du 07 decembre 1998 portant Regime de la Peche (full text PDF)
Ufficialefaolex.fao.orgConsultato il Giu 15 - [02]
Loi N98-042 - record / metadata
Ufficialefao.orgConsultato il Giu 15 - [03]
Strategie de Developpement de la Peche et de l'Aquaculture (Niger, Min. Environnement/FAO PMEDP, Mars 2007) - confirms harpoon as common gear and Loi 98-042 as governing law
Ufficialefaolex.fao.orgConsultato il Giu 15 - [04]
La peche au Niger - RECA Niger (fishery areas: Niger River, Lake Chad, ponds, reservoirs)
Secondariareca-niger.orgConsultato il Giu 15 - [05]
Peche et Aquaculture au Niger - Ministere de l'Hydraulique (cites Loi 2021-003 and Loi 2023-17 as current framework; Direction de la Peche et de l'Aquaculture)
Ufficialehydraulique.gouv.neConsultato il Giu 15 - [06]
FAOLEX Country Profile - Niger (legislation index)
Ufficialefao.orgConsultato il Giu 15
Note dei ricercatori
Niger is landlocked (coastline=false); there is no marine spearfishing and no dedicated recreational underwater spearfishing/scuba-hunting regime. 'Spearfishing' here is interpreted as harpoon fishing (peche au harpon) in inland public-domain waters (Niger River and tributaries, Lake Chad, ponds/mares, dam reservoirs). Harpoons are a lawful, common traditional/artisanal fishing gear (confirmed by the 2007 FAO/Government Fisheries Development Strategy, ner149322.pdf), and are NOT among the prohibited methods in Article 16 of the national fishing law. Any fishing requires a permit (sport permit is free, for own/family consumption); offences are punished as 'peines de simple police' (Art. 18). VERBATIM legal text quoted in law_texts is from the full PDF of Loi N98-042 (FAOLEX ner80742.pdf), which was downloaded and text-extracted directly. Loi N98-042 has since been replaced/modernised by Loi N2021-003 of 16 March 2021 (régime de la pêche et de l'aquaculture), itself amended by Loi N2023-17 of 15 May 2023; multiple official sources confirm these instruments, but their full verbatim article text could not be retrieved through available tools (FAOLEX detail/record pages returned 403/blocked), so no verbatim text from the 2021/2023 laws is included and confidence is set to medium rather than high. The 2021 law's general principles (state ownership of fishing rights, precautionary/ecosystem/participatory approach, equal access for WAEMU/UEMOA nationals) are reported by the Ministry source. Closed seasons, numeric catch limits, and specific named/geocoded fishing reserves are set by implementing decrees that were not located, hence marked unknown rather than guessed. Diacritics were transliterated to ASCII in this record to avoid encoding issues; original French uses full accents.
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