Curaçao
Americas · Caribbean
Recreational spearfishing with spearguns or Hawaiian slings has been prohibited throughout Curaçao's waters since 1976 under the Reef Management Ordinance (Rifbeheersverordening Curaçao, A.B. 1976 no. 48), which bans spearfishing alongside the breaking and removal of live coral. The only commonly cited legal exception in current practice is the hunting of the invasive lionfish, and only with a hand-powered pole spear (rubber-band-propelled, no trigger); divers/operators need permission for this. Trigger spearguns and Hawaiian slings remain illegal even for lionfish. Fishing of any kind, including any spearing, is additionally prohibited inside the Curaçao Marine Park (Jan Thiel to Oostpunt) and other marine protected areas. The primary statute text was not retrievable verbatim from an official gazette source; legal citations below rely on authoritative NGO/conservation-authority compilations (WIDECAST, DCNA, CARMABI).
Pungkasan diperbarui Juni 15, 2026
Kerangka hukum
- §Rifbeheersverordening Curaçao (Reef Management Ordinance), A.B. 1976 no. 48 — prohibits spearfishing and removal of live coral
- §Modification A.B. 1989 no. 21 (Reef Management Ordinance) — allows coral collection for education, scientific or societal purposes
- §Visserijlandsverordening (National Fisheries Ordinance), 1991
- §Visserijlandsbesluit (National Fisheries Decree), 1992
- §Visserijverordening Curaçao 2004 (Fishing Ordinance Curaçao 2004)
- §Eilandsbesluit bescherming zeeschildpadden (Island Decree on Sea Turtle Protection), A.B. 1996 no. 8
- §Curaçao Marine Park designation (2021) as SPAW Area 1 under the Cartagena Convention
- Lisensi diwajibake
- Diwajibake
- Senapan panah
- Dilarang
- Wong manca
- Ora diidini
Hukum, verbatim
Teks hukum
Ketentuan undang-undang lan regulasi sing tepat sing ngatur mancing silem ing kene, dikutip kaya sing diterbitake, kanthi tautan menyang saben sumber resmi.
Reef Management Ordinance prohibits spearfishing
Rifbeheersverordening Curaçao (Reef Management Ordinance), A.B. 1976 no. 48
The Rifbeheerverordening Curaçao (A.B. 1976 no. 48) (Curaçao Reef Management Ordinance) prohibits spearfishing and the breaking and removal of live coral. [...] The ordinance was slightly modified to allow the collection of corals for education, scientific purposes or for the general benefits of society as a whole (A.B. 1989, no. 21).
Speargun and Hawaiian sling spearfishing illegal; pole spear lionfish exception
Curaçao spearfishing regulations (as applied under the Reef Management Ordinance)
Spearfishing using a Speargun or Hawaiian Sling is illegal in Curaçao. [...] In Curaçao, the only legal method for hunting lionfish is using a pole spear. The use of Hawaiian slings or spear guns with triggers is illegal in Curaçao for lionfish hunting due to safety and conservation concerns.
Marine turtle protection issued under the Reef Management Ordinance
Eilandsbesluit bescherming zeeschildpadden (Island Decree on Sea Turtle Protection), A.B. 1996 no. 8
Eilandsbesluit bescherming zeeschildpadden (19 June 1996, A.B. 1996 Nr.8) — issued under the Reef Management Ordinance; confers complete protection on all marine turtles occurring in Curaçao.
Kapan sampeyan bisa nyilem
Musim & watesan wektu
Periode tutup, buka, lan diwatesi sajrone setaun. Tansah konfirmasikake penutupan spesifik spesies sacara lokal.
Ora ana penutupan musiman sing dicathet — verifikasi lokal sadurunge nyilem.
Izin kanggo mancing
Lisensi
Apa sing dibutuhake supaya diidini ana ing banyu, biayane, lan cara entuke.
For lionfish pole-spear hunting, divers typically participate through licensed dive operators / organized lionfish removal programs; permission/permits have historically been issued by the government for the use of (modified) lionfish spears. Contact CARMABI or a registered dive operator.
Entuk lisensi sampeyanMbukak portal resmi · carmabi.org
- Jenis
- Spearfishing is prohibited by default; lionfish pole-spear hunting requires permission. No general recreational spearfishing licence exists because the activity is banned.
- Biaya
- unknown
- Masa berlaku
- unknown
- Cara entuke
- For lionfish pole-spear hunting, divers typically participate through licensed dive operators / organized lionfish removal programs; permission/permits have historically been issued by the government for the use of (modified) lionfish spears. Contact CARMABI or a registered dive operator.
- Otoritas
- Government of Curaçao / CARMABI Foundation (Marine Park Department)
Piranti & teknik
Aturan piranti
Piranti apa sing diidini, cara panggunaane, lan syarat sing ditempelake.
Watesan
- Spearguns (trigger-operated) are illegal throughout Curaçao
- Hawaiian slings are illegal throughout Curaçao
- Only hand-powered pole spears (rubber-band propelled, no trigger) are permitted, and only for hunting invasive lionfish with permission
- Possession/use of prohibited spear gear inside the Curaçao Marine Park and other protected areas is prohibited
The lionfish exception is explicitly limited to pole spears; the ban on spearguns and Hawaiian slings applies even to lionfish hunting. Scuba use for lionfish hunting is generally done via organized dive operations, but no clear statutory rule on scuba-for-spearing was retrieved.
Apa sing boleh dijaluk
Watesan tangkapan & spesies lindung
Kuota harian, ukuran minimal, lan spesies sing ora boleh ditangkap.
Watesan harian
unknown
Spesies lindung — aja ditangkap
- DilindungiAll marine turtles (fully protected under A.B. 1996 no. 8)
- DilindungiQueen conch (Lobatus gigas) — proposed/protected
- DilindungiSpiny lobster (egg-bearing lobsters must never be kept)
- DilindungiLive coral (collection/breaking prohibited under the Reef Management Ordinance)
- DilindungiElkhorn and staghorn corals (endangered, within Marine Park)
Protected-species listings derive from the Reef Management Ordinance, the 1996 sea turtle decree, and STINAPA/CARMABI conservation proposals (turtles, spiny lobster, queen conch). Since spearfishing itself is banned, species-specific spearfishing size/bag limits are not the operative regime.
Sapa sing boleh mancing
Pengunjung & penduduk
Kepiye aturane beda kanggo pengunjung manca lan penduduk lokal.
Pengunjung manca
Ora diidiniSyarat
- Foreign visitors are subject to the same island-wide spearfishing ban as residents
- Lionfish pole-spear hunting is generally accessible to tourists only through licensed local dive operators / organized lionfish removal programs
Watesan
- Spearguns and Hawaiian slings prohibited
- No spearfishing inside the Curaçao Marine Park or other protected areas
Tourists commonly join operator-led lionfish hunts using pole spears; independent recreational spearfishing is not legal.
Penduduk
No recreational spearfishing licence (activity prohibited); lionfish pole-spear permission only
Syarat
- Same island-wide spearfishing prohibition applies to residents
- Permission required for lionfish pole-spear hunting
Historically the government issued written permits to specific persons exempting their use of (modified) lionfish spears; details of the current permit process were not retrievable from an official source.
Ngendi ing pesisir
Zona diidini & dilarang
Area sing diberi jeneng sing terbuka utawa tertutup kanggo mancing silem. Deleng gambaran lengkap ing peta interaktif.
Area dilarang
Nationally protected marine park covering 21.7 km of the island's southeast coast, from Jan Thiel to the eastern tip at Oostpunt (Eastpoint), extending up to roughly 100 m seaward from the low-water mark (some sources cite the 60 m depth contour as the seaward boundary). Managed by the CARMABI Foundation Marine Park Department. Designated in 2021 as SPAW Area 1 under the Cartagena Convention. All fishing, including any spearing, is prohibited and enforced by marine patrols and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard.
- Christoffel National Park (coastal waters)national park
National park managed by CARMABI on the northwest of the island; protected area where collection/harm to wildlife is restricted.
- Shete Boka National Parknational park
Coastal national park on the north coast managed by CARMABI; a protected nature area, important sea turtle nesting coast.
- Curaçao Rif Mangrove Parkmarine/mangrove park
Protected mangrove and coastal park managed by CARMABI.
- Curaçao territorial waters (island-wide spearfishing ban)national prohibition
Spearfishing with spearguns or Hawaiian slings is prohibited throughout all of Curaçao's waters under the Reef Management Ordinance (1976). Only pole-spear hunting of invasive lionfish (with permission) is tolerated.
Kondisi ing perairan
Kondisi langsung
Snapshot langsung kelautan lan cuaca cedhak titik referensi pesisir ing Curaçao, saka Open-Meteo. Kondisi beda-beda sak pesisir — dianggep minangka indikatif.
Kelautan & cuaca langsung cedhak Curaçao Marine Park (Jan Thiel to Oostpunt / Eastpoint).
Sapa sing kudu ditakoni
Otoritas
Badan resmi sing tanggung jawab kanggo perikanan lan lisensi.
CARMABI Foundation (Caribbean Research and Management of Biodiversity) — Marine Park Department
marine park / research and management authority
carmabi.orginfo@carmabi.org; +599 9 462 4242Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard (Kustwacht Caribisch Gebied)
maritime enforcement authority
kustwacht.orgunknownGovernment of Curaçao — fisheries / agriculture authority (LVV)
fisheries authority
dcnanature.orgunknown
Asale saka ngendi
Sumber
Saben klaim ing kaca iki bisa dilacak bali menyang salah siji referensi iki.
- [01]
WIDECAST — Curaçao country profile (legislation overview: Rifbeheersverordening A.B. 1976 no. 48, A.B. 1989 no. 21, turtle decree)
Resmiwidecast.orgDiakses Jun 15 - [02]
Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA) — Curaçao policy & legislation list
Resmidcnanature.orgDiakses Jun 15 - [03]
CARMABI — Curaçao Marine Park
Resmicarmabi.orgDiakses Jun 15 - [04]
CARMABI — Curaçao Marine Park press kit
Resmicarmabi.orgDiakses Jun 15 - [05]
Dive Curaçao — How to hunt lionfish in Curaçao (pole spear only; spearguns/Hawaiian slings illegal)
Sekunderdivecuracao.infoDiakses Jun 15 - [06]
Dive Curaçao — Curaçao Marine Park (boundaries Jan Thiel–Oostpunt, 21.7 km, SPAW 2021)
Sekunderdivecuracao.infoDiakses Jun 15 - [07]
Curaçao Fishing — Fishing Regulations and Permits in Curaçao (speargun/Hawaiian sling illegal)
Sekundercuracaofishing.comDiakses Jun 15 - [08]
Curaçao Chronicle — Coastguard carries out extra checks on illegal spearfishing
Sekundercuracaochronicle.comDiakses Jun 15 - [09]
Scubaverse — Hunting Lionfish Safely and Responsibly in Curaçao (pole spear only)
Sekunderscubaverse.comDiakses Jun 15
Cathetan peneliti
Spearfishing in Curaçao is effectively banned: the Reef Management Ordinance (Rifbeheersverordening Curaçao, A.B. 1976 no. 48) prohibits spearfishing island-wide, and spearguns and Hawaiian slings are illegal. The single practical exception is hunting the invasive lionfish using a hand-powered pole spear (no trigger), which requires permission and is usually done through licensed dive operators. All fishing/spearing is additionally banned inside the Curaçao Marine Park (Jan Thiel–Oostpunt, ~21.7 km of the SE coast, managed by CARMABI, SPAW Area 1 since 2021) and other CARMABI-managed protected areas; enforcement is by marine patrols and the Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard. CONFIDENCE / CAVEATS: The primary statute text (official Curaçao gazette/Afkondigingsblad) could not be fetched directly — the ELI 'Sustainable Fisheries & Coastal Zoning in Curaçao' report and the Ramsar appendix were repeatedly unreachable (HTTP 403/502). Legal citations therefore rest on authoritative conservation-authority/NGO compilations (WIDECAST, DCNA, CARMABI) plus consistent dive-industry secondary sources; exact article numbers within the ordinance were not retrieved. NOTE: A widely reported 'November 2020 harpoon tolerance policy with red zones on a map' applies to ARUBA, not Curaçao, and has been deliberately excluded from this record to avoid cross-jurisdiction error. data_confidence set to medium: the core ban and lionfish exception are well-corroborated across multiple authoritative sources, but verbatim primary-statute text and precise article references remain unverified.
Beri tahu aku nalika aturan Curaçao owah
Kita bakal email sampeyan nalika musim utawa regulasi Curaçao diperbarui ing dataset kita.