Turkmenistan
Asia · Central Asia
No Turkmenistan law specifically names recreational spearfishing (подводная охота). The governing statute is the Law of Turkmenistan No. 197-IV of 21 May 2011 'On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources' (Vedomosti Mejlisa 2011 No. 2, art. 41; amended through 11 April 2026), whose full Russian text was obtained from FAOLEX. It is a framework statute: amateur (любительское) and sport (спортивное) fishing are recognised legal categories (Art. 34), but ALL fishing — including amateur/sport — is conducted only under 'Fishing Rules' (Правила рыболовства) drafted by the authorised state body for aquatic-bioresource protection and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers (Art. 34 §2), and amateur/sport fishing additionally requires a catch (extraction) permit (разрешение на добычу (вылов)) (Art. 41 §1). The authorised body may set the permitted gear, methods, sizes, closed periods and prohibited areas (Art. 42). The law itself does NOT list spearguns, harpoons or underwater hunting either as permitted or prohibited — any such rule would sit in the subordinate Fishing Rules, which are not publicly retrievable; so spearfishing-specific permissibility remains unconfirmed. Catching Red-Book (rare/endangered) species is outright banned (Art. 43); sturgeon in the Turkmen Caspian has been banned since 1946 with a Caspian-wide commercial moratorium extended through 2026; the only Caspian coastal protected area (Hazar State Nature Reserve, a 'zapovednik' since 1932) bans hunting, fishing and resource extraction; and foreign access to the Caspian coast and border zones requires special permits. Net: fishing is legal but permit-gated and rule-bound, so spearfishing is best treated as RESTRICTED (requires a catch permit and compliance with the unpublished Fishing Rules; not confirmed as specifically allowed).
Ultimo aggiornamento Giugno 23, 2026
Quadro normativo di riferimento
- §Law of Turkmenistan No. 197-IV 'On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources' (21 May 2011; amendments adopted 11 April 2026)
- §Fishing Rules (Правила рыболовства) drafted by the authorised aquatic-bioresource-protection body and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers under Art. 34 §2 (govern permitted gear/methods; not publicly retrievable)
- §Law of Turkmenistan 'On Hunting and Protection of Hunting Treasures' (18 December 2021)
- §Framework Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Caspian Sea (Tehran Convention, 2003; in force 2006)
- §Convention on the Legal Status of the Caspian Sea (2018)
- §Caspian littoral states' commercial sturgeon fishing moratorium (extended through 2026)
- Licenza obbligatoria
- Obbligatoria
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.
Law on Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources (amendment instrument)
Law of Turkmenistan 'On Amendments and Additions to the Law of Turkmenistan "On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources"'
Закон Туркменистана О внесении изменений и дополнения в Закон Туркменистана «О рыболовстве и сохранении водных биологических ресурсов». [Документ вносит поправки в Закон Туркменистана «О рыболовстве и сохранении водных биологических ресурсов» от 21 мая 2011 года. Подписан Президентом Туркменистана Сердаром Бердымухамедовым в Ашхабаде 11 апреля 2026 года.] Поправки уточняют терминологию и порядок добычи (вылова) водных биоресурсов, выдачи разрешений на добычу (вылов), спасения водных биоресурсов, а также промыслового, любительского и спортивного рыболовства.
Types of fishing; methods set by the Fishing Rules
Law of Turkmenistan No. 197-IV 'On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources' (21 May 2011)
Статья 34. Виды рыболовства. 1. Юридические и физические лица могут осуществлять следующие виды рыболовства: 1) промысловое рыболовство; 2) рыболовство в научно-исследовательских и контрольных целях; 3) рыболовство в учебных и культурно-просветительных целях; 4) рыболовство в целях рыбоводства, воспроизводства и акклиматизации водных биоресурсов; 5) любительское и спортивное рыболовство. 2. Рыболовство осуществляется в соответствии с Правилами рыболовства, разрабатываемыми уполномоченным государственным органом по охране водных биоресурсов по согласованию с уполномоченным органом государственного управления в области охраны природы и утверждаемыми Кабинетом Министров Туркменистана. [Art. 34: legal persons and individuals may carry out five kinds of fishing, including amateur and sport fishing; ALL fishing must be conducted under the Fishing Rules drafted by the authorised aquatic-bioresource-protection body and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers — i.e. the concrete gear/method rules sit in those subordinate Fishing Rules, not in the law itself.]
Amateur and sport fishing require a catch (extraction) permit
Law of Turkmenistan No. 197-IV 'On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources' (21 May 2011)
Статья 41. Любительское и спортивное рыболовство. 1. Любительское и спортивное рыболовство на водных объектах рыбохозяйственного значения и/или на рыбопромысловых участках, предоставленных для организации любительского и спортивного рыболовства, осуществляется на основании разрешений на добычу (вылов) водных биоресурсов. 2. Любительский и спортивный лов водных биоресурсов для личного потребления осуществляется физическими лицами в порядке, устанавливаемом уполномоченным государственным органом по охране водных биоресурсов. 3. Перечень водных биоресурсов, добыча (вылов) которых осуществляется при любительском и спортивном рыболовстве на основании разрешений на добычу (вылов) водных биоресурсов, устанавливается уполномоченным государственным органом по охране водных биоресурсов. [Art. 41: amateur and sport fishing on fishery-significant waters and/or on fishing plots allocated for them is carried out ON THE BASIS OF catch (extraction) permits; amateur/sport catch for personal consumption is done in the manner set by the authorised aquatic-bioresource-protection body, which also fixes the list of species that may be taken under such permits. (No mention of spearguns/underwater hunting.)]
Restrictions on fishing — gear, methods, sizes, closed areas/periods
Law of Turkmenistan No. 197-IV 'On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources' (21 May 2011)
Статья 42. Ограничения рыболовства. В целях обеспечения сохранения водных биоресурсов и их рационального использования уполномоченным государственным органом по охране водных биоресурсов могут устанавливаться следующие ограничения рыболовства: 1) запрет рыболовства в определённых районах промысла и в отношении отдельных видов водных биоресурсов; 2) минимальные размер и вес добываемых (вылавливаемых) водных биоресурсов; 3) способы добычи (вылова) водных биоресурсов; 4) виды разрешаемых орудий, размер ячеи орудий лова, размер и конструкция орудий добычи (вылова) водных биоресурсов; ... 11) периоды рыболовства в водных объектах рыбохозяйственного значения; 12) иные ограничения рыболовства, установленные нормативными правовыми актами Туркменистана. [Art. 42: to conserve aquatic bioresources the authorised body MAY impose fishing restrictions, incl. (1) bans in certain areas and for certain species; (2) minimum size/weight; (3) methods of taking; (4) the types of permitted gear and mesh size/construction; ... (11) fishing seasons; (12) other restrictions set by Turkmen legislation. Thus permitted methods and gear — where any speargun/harpoon rule would appear — are delegated to the authority, not fixed in the law.]
Ban on taking rare and endangered (Red Book) aquatic species
Law of Turkmenistan No. 197-IV 'On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources' (21 May 2011)
Статья 43. Запрет на добычу (вылов) редких и находящихся под угрозой исчезновения видов водных биоресурсов. 1. Добыча (вылов) занесённых в Красную книгу Туркменистана редких и находящихся под угрозой исчезновения видов водных биоресурсов запрещена. 2. В исключительных случаях для научно-исследовательских и контрольных целей добыча (вылов) редких и находящихся под угрозой исчезновения видов водных биоресурсов допускается в соответствии с законодательством Туркменистана. [Art. 43: taking aquatic species listed in the Red Book of Turkmenistan (rare/endangered) is prohibited; exceptionally allowed only for scientific-research and control purposes under Turkmen law. This statutorily bans targeting protected species (e.g. by spear).]
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.
- ChiusaSturgeon (all species, Caspian Sea)1946 – ongoing
Commercial sturgeon fishing in Turkmen waters of the Caspian Sea has been prohibited since 1946 (limited from 1942). A Caspian-wide commercial sturgeon moratorium agreed by the five littoral states (Russia, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan) has been repeatedly extended; catches are permitted only for scientific research and artificial reproduction. As of late 2025 the ban was extended through 2026.
Permesso di pescare
Licenza
Cosa ti serve per poter entrare in acqua, quanto costa e come ottenerla.
Issued by the authorised state body for the protection of aquatic bioresources (Art. 47 §2); the manner of amateur/sport catch and the list of permitted species are set by that body (Art. 41 §§2-3). Concrete procedure not published online.
Ottieni la tua licenzaApre il portale ufficiale · faolex.fao.org
- Tipo
- Catch (extraction) permit — разрешение на добычу (вылов) водных биоресурсов (Art. 41 §1, Art. 47 of Law No. 197-IV/2011)
- Come ottenerla
- Issued by the authorised state body for the protection of aquatic bioresources (Art. 47 §2); the manner of amateur/sport catch and the list of permitted species are set by that body (Art. 41 §§2-3). Concrete procedure not published online.
- Autorità
- Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan (fisheries function); state-owned operator Balkanbalyk on the Caspian
Attrezzatura e tecnica
Regole sull'attrezzatura
Quale attrezzatura è consentita, come può essere usata e le condizioni associate.
The Law No. 197-IV/2011 does NOT name spearguns/harpoons/underwater hunting (подводное ружьё, острога, подводная охота) in any direction: its full text (verified via FAOLEX) delegates the list of permitted gear, mesh size and methods to the authorised body via the Cabinet-approved Fishing Rules (Art. 34 §2, Art. 42(3)-(4)), which are not publicly retrievable. So gear permissibility is unconfirmed. In neighbouring Caspian states underwater guns are commonly regulated/restricted under fishing rules, but the Turkmen Fishing Rules could not be obtained; treat speargun/scuba status as unknown.
Cosa puoi prelevare
Limiti di cattura e specie protette
Quote giornaliere, taglie minime e specie che non devono mai essere prelevate.
Specie protette — non prelevare
- ProtettaSturgeon (all Caspian species) — fishing banned
- ProtettaSpecies listed in the Red Book of Turkmenistan
- ProtettaCaspian seal and other reserve fauna within Hazar State Nature Reserve
Annual quotas historically limited sturgeon catch; sturgeon fishing is banned in Turkmen Caspian waters. The Hazar reserve also lists rare fish (Caspian stone eel, spike fish, Volga herring, Caspian bulltrout, white salmon). Specific recreational catch/size limits were not found.
Chi può pescare
Visitatori e residenti
Come le regole differiscono per i visitatori stranieri e i residenti locali.
Visitatori stranieri
Restrizioni
- Turkmenistan is highly restrictive for foreign travellers; most independent travel requires a guide and registered tour, and many areas need special permits.
- The Caspian coast and border zones typically require additional access permits.
- No published pathway for foreigners to conduct recreational spearfishing was found.
No source confirms any legal route for foreigners to spearfish in Turkmenistan. In practice this should be treated as not available without official authorisation.
Residenti
Under Law No. 197-IV/2011, amateur and sport fishing by individuals (физические лица) is a recognised legal category but requires a catch (extraction) permit and must follow the Cabinet-approved Fishing Rules and the species list set by the authorised body (Arts. 34, 41). No spearfishing-specific resident rules (gear/method) were found, because the subordinate Fishing Rules are not publicly retrievable.
Dove sulla costa
Zone consentite e vietate
Aree denominate aperte o chiuse alla pesca subacquea. Vedi il quadro completo sulla mappa interattiva.
Aree consentite
Recreational fishing is reported to be permitted in several small lakes and rivers, notably the Amu Darya, Murgab and Tejen Rivers. No spearfishing-specific rules were found; permitted gear is not documented in retrievable sources.
Gear and method rules unknown; no published spearfishing authorisation.
Aree vietate
- Hazar State Nature Reserve (incl. Ogurjaly Sanctuary)strict nature reserve (zapovednik) / Ramsar wetland
Strict state nature reserve (zapovednik) on the south-east coast of the Caspian Sea in Balkan Province; operating since 1932 (as the Esenguly Ornithological Reserve, now Hazar State Natural Reserve, per the official government portal), area ~2,690 km2. Ramsar wetland of international importance and on Turkmenistan's UNESCO World Heritage tentative list. The zapovednik regime imposes comprehensive prohibitions on hunting, fishing and resource extraction within its boundaries; the Caspian section holds valuable fish (beluga, sturgeon, stellate sturgeon, white salmon, herring, mullet) and the Red-Book Caspian seal. Public access and resource use (including fishing/spearfishing) are prohibited.
- Caspian Sea (Turkmen waters) — sturgeonspecies-protection / regulated marine zone
Sturgeon fishing in Turkmen Caspian waters is prohibited (since 1946); a Caspian-wide commercial sturgeon moratorium runs through 2026. Targeting sturgeon by any method, including spearing, is not permitted.
- Ogurjaly (Ogurchinskiy) Island Sanctuarystrict nature reserve / wildlife sanctuary (offshore island)
Offshore island (~45 km², ~45 km from Turkmenbashi) in the south-eastern Caspian Sea, administered as part of the Hazar State Nature Reserve. It hosts a Caspian seal haul-out/sanctuary and breeding seabird colonies and is an Important Bird Area; as part of the zapovednik regime, public access and resource extraction (fishing/hunting, hence spearfishing) are restricted/prohibited. Although the file's Hazar entry mentions the Ogurjaly Sanctuary by name, the island itself is a geographically distinct, far-offshore feature ~150 km north of the mainland reserve center point and warrants its own location.
- Awaza National Tourist Zone (Turkmenbashi) — designated beachesswimming/bathing beach resort zone
State-developed seaside resort on the eastern Caspian shore, ~12 km west of Turkmenbashi, with developed sandy bathing beaches, marinas (Yacht Club Yelken) and swimming areas plus a 30-hectare aquapark hosting ~150,000 visitors a year. As a managed swimming/bathing tourist zone with marinas, in-water spearfishing along these designated beaches is incompatible with bather-safety practice; treat as a no-spearfishing swimming/beach zone (explicit regulatory confirmation for Turkmenistan not retrievable — inferred).
- Turkmenbashi International Seaportport / harbour
Largest seaport of Turkmenistan on the eastern Caspian coast (Turkmenbashi Gulf), a 150-hectare government-owned passenger and cargo port with ferry lines to Baku, Aktau and Astrakhan. Active commercial port waters where in-water fishing/spearfishing is precluded by port operations and security; treat as a prohibited (port) zone (port-operations basis inferred, not from an explicit spearfishing rule).
Condizioni in acqua
Condizioni in tempo reale
Istantanea marina e meteo in tempo reale vicino a un punto di riferimento costiero in Turkmenistan, da Open-Meteo. Le condizioni variano lungo la costa — considerale indicative.
Condizioni marine e meteo in tempo reale vicino a Hazar State Nature Reserve (incl. Ogurjaly Sanctuary).
A chi rivolgersi
Autorità
Gli enti ufficiali responsabili della pesca e delle licenze.
Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection of Turkmenistan
environment / agriculture ministry (fisheries and nature protection functions)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan
government ministry (Caspian inter-state fisheries cooperation, anti-IUU protocol)
Balkanbalyk (state-owned fishing enterprise)
state fisheries operator (Caspian Sea)
Da dove provengono
Fonti
Ogni affermazione su questa pagina risale a uno di questi riferimenti.
- [01]
Law of Turkmenistan on amendments to the Law 'On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources' (official government portal)
Ufficialeturkmenistan.gov.tmConsultato il Giu 15 - [02]
Law of Turkmenistan 'On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources' (May 2011) — full Russian text (FAOLEX/FAO)
Ufficialefaolex.fao.orgConsultato il Giu 23 - [03]
Law of Turkmenistan No. 197-IV of 21 May 2011 'On Fisheries...' — citation/metadata (consolidated to 2017), Paragraph/zakon.kz
Secondariaonline.zakon.kzConsultato il Giu 23 - [04]
Hazar State Nature Reserve — UNESCO World Heritage tentative list entry
Ufficialewhc.unesco.orgConsultato il Giu 23 - [05]
Hazar State Natural Reserve is 85 years old (official government portal; reserve operating since 1932, Caspian fish/seal fauna)
Ufficialeturkmenistan.gov.tmConsultato il Giu 23 - [06]
Ban on commercial sturgeon fishing in the Caspian Sea extended until 2026 (Turkmenportal)
Secondariaturkmenportal.comConsultato il Giu 15 - [07]
Fishing industry in Turkmenistan (Wikipedia)
Secondariaen.wikipedia.orgConsultato il Giu 15 - [08]
Hazar State Nature Reserve (Wikipedia)
Secondariaen.wikipedia.orgConsultato il Giu 15 - [09]
Protected areas of Turkmenistan (Wikipedia)
Secondariaen.wikipedia.orgConsultato il Giu 15 - [10]
Environmental legislation improved in Turkmenistan — Law on Hunting and Protection of Hunting Treasures, 2021 (News Central Asia)
Secondarianewscentralasia.netConsultato il Giu 15 - [11]
Caspian states agree on fishing zones, protection for sturgeon (SeafoodSource)
Secondariaseafoodsource.comConsultato il Giu 15
Note dei ricercatori
DEEPENED 2026-06-23: the full Russian text of the governing statute — Law of Turkmenistan No. 197-IV of 21 May 2011 'On Fisheries and Conservation of Aquatic Biological Resources' (Vedomosti Mejlisa 2011 No. 2, art. 41; President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov) — was retrieved from FAOLEX (tuk105999original.pdf) and four verbatim provisions added (Arts. 34, 41, 42, 43). The law is a FRAMEWORK statute: amateur (любительское) and sport (спортивное) fishing are recognised (Art. 34) but require a catch permit (Art. 41) and must follow the 'Fishing Rules' approved by the Cabinet of Ministers; the permitted gear/methods/sizes/closed areas are delegated to the authorised body (Art. 42). Crucially, the LAW ITSELF contains NO provision on spearguns, harpoons or underwater hunting (подводная охота) — and no mention of the Caspian Sea, sturgeon, explosives or electric current as method bans; those would live in the subordinate Fishing Rules (Правила рыболовства), which are NOT publicly retrievable. Per the anti-fabrication rule, no article numbers or gear prohibitions were invented. Status moved unknown→restricted (fishing is permit-gated and rule-bound; spearfishing not confirmed as specifically allowed) and confidence low→medium (primary law text now in hand, but the operative gear rules remain unobtained). COULD NOT VERIFY: the subordinate Fishing Rules / amateur-sport fishing procedure (gear-method specifics, any speargun/scuba clause); licence cost/validity; whether spearfishing is practised at all. Practical constraints persist: sturgeon ban since 1946 + Caspian-wide commercial moratorium through 2026; the only Caspian coastal protected area (Hazar zapovednik, since 1932) bans hunting/fishing/extraction; and Turkmenistan's tightly controlled travel regime (guides/permits, restricted border and coastal zones) makes recreational marine spearfishing effectively inaccessible. Recommended follow-up: obtain the Cabinet-approved 'Правила рыболовства' from the Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection to confirm gear-method provisions.
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