SpearfishingMap

Nicaragua

Americas · Central America

Recreational spearfishing is legal in Nicaragua as a form of sport fishing (pesca deportiva). Law No. 489 on Fishing and Aquaculture (2004) expressly allows sport fishing to be conducted underwater (de manera subacuatica), but only under a permit issued by the State (MIFIC, administered through the fisheries authority, now INPESCA), and subject to authorized seasons, minimum sizes, gear rules, specific zones and catch limits, under a catch-and-release principle. Billfishes (picudos: marlin, sailfish) are reserved exclusively for sport fishing and may not be sold. Spearfishing is prohibited inside protected areas such as the Cayos Miskitos Marine Biological Reserve. Note a separate, important regime: commercial spiny-lobster (langosta) harvesting by autonomous diving has been targeted for prohibition under the Central American regional regulation OSPESCA OSP-02-09 (2009) for safety/conservation reasons, though enforcement has been repeatedly delayed in Nicaragua. A seasonal closure (veda) on Caribbean spiny lobster runs annually from 1 March to 30 June. Exact recreational spearfishing licence fees and detailed foreigner procedures were not retrievable from official sources and should be confirmed directly with INPESCA.

Restricted
Affidabilità dei datiAffidabilità media

Ultimo aggiornamento Giugno 15, 2026

Quadro normativo di riferimento

  • §Ley No. 489, Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura (2004)
  • §Decreto No. 9-2005, Reglamento de la Ley No. 489 (2005)
  • §Reglamento OSP-02-09 (OSPESCA) para el Ordenamiento Regional de la Pesqueria de la Langosta del Caribe (Panulirus argus) (2009)
Licenza obbligatoria
Obbligatoria
Fucile subacqueo
Consentito
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.

01Arto. 12 (Definiciones)Nicaragua · national

Definition of sport fishing

Ley No. 489, Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura

ESOriginale

Pesca Deportiva: La que se realiza con fines de recreacion, turismo, esparcimiento o competencia deportiva.

02Arto. 83Nicaragua · national

Promotion and conditions of sport fishing

Ley No. 489, Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura

ESOriginale

El Estado promovera y fomentara la pesca deportiva con los sectores interesados, para fines turisticos, deportivos, de recreacion o pasatiempo, la cual debera realizarse en las temporadas establecidas por Adpesca y conforme a las tallas minimas, artes de pesca, zonas especificas, limites de captura y demas disposiciones que ameriten este tipo de actividades, bajo el principio de capturar y liberar.

03Arto. 84Nicaragua · national

Sport fishing may be conducted underwater; permit required

Ley No. 489, Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura

ESOriginale

La pesca deportiva podra ser ejercida desde tierra, a bordo de embarcaciones o de manera subacuatica, por personas naturales o juridicas, nacionales o extranjeras por medio de un permiso otorgado por el MIFIC.

04Arto. 85Nicaragua · national

Billfishes reserved exclusively for sport fishing

Ley No. 489, Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura

ESOriginale

Se reserva para el uso exclusivo de la pesca deportiva, todas las especies de picudos, quedando prohibida su pesca comercial.

05Arto. 75Nicaragua · national

Prohibition on shark finning

Ley No. 489, Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura

ESOriginale

Se prohibe la captura de tiburones en aguas continentales y marinas, con el unico proposito de cortarle cualquiera de sus aletas.

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
  • ChiusaCaribbean spiny lobster (langosta espinosa, Panulirus argus) - Caribbean coastMar 1 – Giu 30

    Annual closed season (veda) on Caribbean spiny lobster declared by INPESCA. During this period the capture, transfer, processing and commercialization of lobster are prohibited to protect its reproduction. Relevant to spearfishers because lobster is a common spearfishing/diving target on the Caribbean coast.

    canal10.com.ni
  • LimitataAll sport fishing (incl. underwater) - seasons set by the fisheries authority

    Sport fishing, including underwater sport fishing, must be carried out only in the temporadas (seasons) established by the fisheries authority (Adpesca/INPESCA), per Arto. 83 of Law 489. Specific dated seasons depend on species and zone resolutions issued by INPESCA.

    nicaragua.justia.com

Permesso di pescare

Licenza

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

Licenza obbligatoriatramite INPESCA (Instituto Nicaraguense de la Pesca y Acuicultura) / MIFIC

Apply for a sport fishing permit through MIFIC / the national fisheries authority (INPESCA). Per Arto. 84 of Law 489 the permit is required for sport fishing from shore, from vessels or underwater. Confirm current procedure and fees directly with INPESCA.

Ottieni la tua licenza

Apre il portale ufficiale · inpesca.gob.ni

Licenza obbligatoria
Tipo
Permiso de pesca deportiva (sport fishing permit), including underwater/subacuatica modality
Costo
unknown
Validità
unknown
Come ottenerla
Apply for a sport fishing permit through MIFIC / the national fisheries authority (INPESCA). Per Arto. 84 of Law 489 the permit is required for sport fishing from shore, from vessels or underwater. Confirm current procedure and fees directly with INPESCA.
Autorità
INPESCA (Instituto Nicaraguense de la Pesca y Acuicultura) / MIFIC
Portale ufficiale per le licenze · inpesca.gob.ni

Attrezzatura e tecnica

Regole sull'attrezzatura

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

Fucile subacqueoConsentito

Restrizioni

  • Recreational underwater (subacuatica) sport fishing is permitted under permit; spearfishing gear (arpon) is the customary method for this modality.
  • Commercial spiny-lobster harvesting by autonomous diving (buceo) is subject to prohibition under OSPESCA regional regulation OSP-02-09 (2009) on safety/conservation grounds, with phase-out toward trap (nasa) methods; this targets commercial dive fishing rather than recreational sport spearfishing.
  • Travelers report that spearguns can be confiscated by customs at Managua airport on entry; import of spearfishing equipment may be problematic.

Law 489 (Arto. 84) authorizes underwater sport fishing under permit but does not itemize speargun specifications in the provisions retrieved. Detailed gear specifications would be set by INPESCA resolutions and the Reglamento (Decreto 9-2005); these specific details were not retrieved verbatim.

Cosa puoi prelevare

Limiti di cattura e specie protette

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

Limite giornaliero

Set per species/zone by the fisheries authority; sport fishing operates under a catch-and-release principle (principio de capturar y liberar) per Arto. 83 of Law 489. Specific numeric daily limits not retrieved.

Specie protette — non prelevare

  • ProtettaBillfishes / picudos (marlin, sailfish) - reserved exclusively for sport fishing; commercial fishing prohibited (Arto. 85)
  • ProtettaSharks - finning prohibited (Arto. 75)
  • ProtettaCaribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) - subject to 1 March - 30 June closed season and regional management

Minimum sizes (tallas minimas), specific limits, gear and zones for sport fishing are established by the fisheries authority (Adpesca/INPESCA) under Arto. 83. Exact numeric size limits were not retrievable verbatim from official sources.

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 a sport fishing permit from MIFIC/INPESCA - Arto. 84 explicitly allows nationals and foreigners (nacionales o extranjeras) to conduct sport fishing including underwater, by permit.

Restrizioni

  • Spearguns may be confiscated at customs (Managua airport) on entry per traveler reports.
  • No spearfishing inside protected areas (e.g. Reserva Biologica Marina Cayos Miskitos).

Foreigners are expressly permitted to undertake sport fishing under Law 489 Arto. 84, subject to the same permit requirement as nationals. Specific fees/procedure for foreigners not retrieved; confirm with INPESCA.

Residenti

Permiso de pesca deportiva (same regime; nationals expressly covered by Arto. 84)

Requisiti

  • Sport fishing permit from MIFIC/INPESCA for sport fishing from shore, vessel or underwater.

Law 489 treats nationals and foreigners alike for sport fishing permits (Arto. 84). Artisanal coastal communities (notably Miskito) have separate traditional/artisanal fishing rights, including regulated lobster diving, distinct from recreational spearfishing.

Dove sulla costa

Zone consentite e vietate

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

Aree vietate

  • Reserva Biologica Marina Cayos Miskitos y Franja Costera Inmediatamarine biological reserve

    Marine biological reserve declared in 1991 covering the Cayos Miskitos in a 40 km radius circle centered on Isla Grande plus a 20 km coastal strip. Conservation of coral reefs, mangroves, sea turtles, manatees and dolphins; only regulated traditional/artisanal use of fishery resources is permitted, so recreational spearfishing is not allowed within the protected reserve.

    rsis.ramsar.org
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 Nicaragua, da Open-Meteo. Le condizioni variano lungo la costa — considerale indicative.

Condizioni marine e meteo in tempo reale vicino a Reserva Biologica Marina Cayos Miskitos y Franja Costera Inmediata.

Condizioni

A chi rivolgersi

Autorità

Gli enti ufficiali responsabili della pesca e delle licenze.

  • INPESCA - Instituto Nicaraguense de la Pesca y Acuicultura

    fisheries authority

    inpesca.gob.niManagua, Nicaragua

  • MIFIC - Ministerio de Fomento, Industria y Comercio

    competent ministry for Law 489 (issues fishing/sport permits)

    mific.gob.ni

  • MARENA - Ministerio del Ambiente y los Recursos Naturales

    environment ministry (protected areas, marine reserves)

    marena.gob.ni

  • OSPESCA - Organizacion del Sector Pesquero y Acuicola del Istmo Centroamericano

    regional fisheries authority (SICA)

    sica.int

Da dove provengono

Fonti

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

  1. [01]

    Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura (Ley No. 489) - full text

    Secondaria
    nicaragua.justia.comConsultato il Giu 15
  2. [02]

    LEY DE PESCA Y ACUICULTURA LEY No. 489 (ILO NATLEX official PDF)

    Ufficiale
    natlex.ilo.orgConsultato il Giu 15
  3. [03]

    Reglamento de Ley 489, Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura (Decreto 9-2005) - ILO NATLEX

    Ufficiale
    natlex.ilo.orgConsultato il Giu 15
  4. [04]

    INPESCA - Instituto Nicaraguense de la Pesca y Acuicultura (official site)

    Ufficiale
    inpesca.gob.niConsultato il Giu 15
  5. [05]

    Reglamento OSP-02-09 para el Ordenamiento Regional de la Pesqueria de la Langosta del Caribe (OSPESCA/SICA)

    Ufficiale
    sica.intConsultato il Giu 15
  6. [06]

    Anuncian veda de langosta en el Caribe del 1 de marzo al 30 de junio (Canal 10)

    Secondaria
    canal10.com.niConsultato il Giu 15
  7. [07]

    Cayos Miskitos y Franja Costera Inmediata - Ramsar Information Sheet

    Ufficiale
    rsis.ramsar.orgConsultato il Giu 15
  8. [08]

    Inmersiones peligrosas en busca de la langosta comun del Caribe (ClientEarth)

    Secondaria
    clientearth.esConsultato il Giu 15
  9. [09]

    Spearfishing in Nicaragua (Tripadvisor forum - customs/speargun note)

    community
    tripadvisor.comConsultato il Giu 15

Note dei ricercatori

Recreational spearfishing is legal but permit-based and regulated under Ley No. 489 (2004): Arto. 84 expressly allows sport fishing 'de manera subacuatica' (underwater) for nationals and foreigners under a MIFIC/INPESCA permit, and Arto. 83 subjects it to seasons, minimum sizes, gear, zones, catch limits and a catch-and-release principle. Billfishes are sport-only (Arto. 85); shark finning is banned (Arto. 75). The high-profile diving-fishing prohibition discussed in Nicaraguan media concerns COMMERCIAL spiny-lobster harvesting by autonomous diving (OSPESCA OSP-02-09, 2009) - a safety/labor/conservation measure repeatedly postponed - which is distinct from recreational spearfishing. Caribbean spiny lobster has a closed season 1 March-30 June. Spearfishing is excluded from protected areas such as the Cayos Miskitos Marine Biological Reserve. Verbatim article texts (Arto. 12, 75, 83, 84, 85) were taken from the Justia full-text of Law 489; the official ILO NATLEX and INPESCA PDFs corroborate the law but could not be fetched verbatim in this session (403/404). Specific recreational permit fees, exact minimum sizes, and detailed foreigner procedures were NOT retrievable from official sources and are marked unknown; confirm directly with INPESCA. Article 87 was found to address scientific fishing rather than a list of sport-permit categories, so no permit-category list is asserted. Confidence: medium - core legality and key provisions are well sourced; operational details (fees, sizes, sport-fishing-specific seasons) are not.

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