Bulgaria
Europe · Eastern Europe
Recreational spearfishing with a harpoon (speargun) is legal in Bulgaria only in the waters of the Black Sea. The general ban on harpoons in the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act (Чл. 35, ал. 1, т. 5) expressly does not apply to recreational fishing in Black Sea waters (Чл. 35, ал. 2); the detailed conditions are set by a ministerial ordinance under Чл. 15, ал. 1. Spearfishing is freediving-only (no SCUBA/oxygen apparatus) and is permitted only during daylight hours. Harpoon use in fresh water (Danube, inland water bodies) remains prohibited. A general spawning-season fishing ban applies annually (issued by order of the Minister of Agriculture and Food / Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture - IARA), and the Black Sea turbot is under a strict closed season (15 April - 15 June). No recreational licence is required for sea fishing for either residents or foreigners; daily retention is limited (up to 3 kg of marine organisms, or one specimen over 3 kg).
Zuletzt aktualiséiert Juni 14, 2026
Gouvernéierende Kader
- §Закон за рибарството и аквакултурите (Fisheries and Aquaculture Act), in force 2001 with later amendments (incl. ДВ бр. 94/2005)
- §Ordinance on recreational fishing issued under Чл. 15, ал. 1 of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act
- §Annual order of the Minister of Agriculture and Food / Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (IARA) on spawning-season fishing bans
- §Council Regulation (EU) on Black Sea fishing opportunities (turbot TAC, 45 cm minimum landing size, 15 April - 15 June closure)
- Lizenz erfuerdert
- Net erfuerdert
- Spiergewier
- Erlaabt
- Scuba
- Verboten
- Auslänner
- Wëllkomm
D'Gesetz, verbatim
Gesetzestexte
Déi exakt gesetzlech a regulatoresch Bestëmmungen, déi d'Speerfëscherei hei gouvernéieren, esou wéi publizéiert zitéiert, mat engem Link op all offiziell Quell.
Prohibited fishing gear - general ban on harpoon
Закон за рибарството и аквакултурите (Fisheries and Aquaculture Act)
Забранява се стопанският и любителският риболов в обектите по чл. 3, ал. 1 със следните уреди, средства, принадлежности и приспособления: 1. взривни материали, отровни и упойващи вещества; 2. електрически ток и технически устройства и съоръжения за електроулов; 3. дънни тралиращи и драгиращи средства; 4. огнестрелно оръжие; 5. харпун; 6. (нова - ДВ, бр. 94 от 2005 г., в сила от 01.01.2007 г.) кърмаци.
Harpoon exception for recreational fishing in the Black Sea
Закон за рибарството и аквакултурите (Fisheries and Aquaculture Act)
Забраната по ал. 1, т. 5 не се отнася за любителски риболов във водите на Черно море. Условията и редът за извършване на любителски риболов с харпун се уреждат с наредбата по чл. 15, ал. 1.
Recreational fishing - daylight-only restriction
Закон за рибарството и аквакултурите (Fisheries and Aquaculture Act)
Любителският риболов, в това число и на пъстървови риби, се разрешава само през светлата част на денонощието през всички дни на седмицата, извън периода на забраната по чл. 32, ал. 1.
Recreational fishing - daily retention (catch) limit
Закон за рибарството и аквакултурите (Fisheries and Aquaculture Act)
След еднодневен риболовен излет риболовците могат да запазват за себе си до 2 кг пъстървови риби, но не повече от 8 бройки, или до 3 кг от всички останали видове риби.
Wann Dir dauche kënnt
Saisons & Zäitbeschränkungen
Geschlossen, geöffent a ageschränkt Perioden iwwer d'Joer. Bestätegt ëmmer artenspezifisch Schliesszäiten lokal.
- ZouBlack Sea turbot (Psetta maxima / Scophthalmus maximus)Apr 15 – Jun 15
Strict closed season for Black Sea turbot - capture, retention on board, landing and sale all prohibited. Implemented under EU Black Sea fishing-opportunity regulations and the annual Bulgarian spawning-ban order. Minimum landing size 45 cm total length.
- ZouGeneral spawning-season fishing ban (Black Sea, Danube and inland water bodies)Apr 15 – Jun 15
Annual spawning-season ban issued by order of the Minister of Agriculture and Food / Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (IARA). Dates and covered waters vary by species and elevation each year (e.g. inland waters below 500 m: 15 April - 31 May; above 500 m: 1 May - 15 June). Certain designated water bodies are exempted for recreational fishing under conditions.
Erlaabnis zum Fëschen
Lizenz
Wat Dir braucht fir am Waasser erlaabt ze sinn, wat et kascht a wéi Dir et kritt.
- Typ
- No recreational licence required for sea (Black Sea) fishing; a recreational fishing ticket (билет за любителски риболов) applies to inland/fresh waters under Чл. 22
- Käschten
- unknown
- Gëltegkeet
- unknown
- Wéi ze kréien
- For inland recreational fishing, a ticket is issued under the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act; no ticket/licence is needed for Black Sea spearfishing.
- Autoritéit
- Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (IARA)
Ausrüstung & Technik
Ausrüstungsreegelen
Wéi Ausrüstung erlaabt ass, wéi se benotzt duerf ginn a wéi Bedéngungen drun hänken.
Aschränkungen
- Freediving only - use of SCUBA, oxygen tanks or other breathing/gas apparatus while spearfishing is prohibited
- Daylight hours only - night spearfishing is prohibited (Чл. 24, ал. 4)
- A signal/marker buoy attached to the diver's body by a leash is required
- Harpoon permitted only in Black Sea waters (Чл. 35, ал. 2); prohibited in fresh water
- Nets, explosives, poisons, electrical devices/electrofishing and firearms are prohibited (Чл. 35, ал. 1)
The harpoon exception and detailed conditions for recreational spearfishing are governed by the ordinance under Чл. 15, ал. 1 of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act. The freediving-only and buoy requirements are reported by secondary spearfishing sources (harpune.info, thefishcode.com); the daylight-only and harpoon/Black Sea rules are confirmed in the verbatim statute text.
Wat Dir mat kënnt huelen
Fangbeschränkungen & geschützte Arten
Deeglech Quoten, Mindestgréissten a Arten, déi ni geholl duerfen ginn.
Deeglech Limit
Up to 3 kg of marine organisms per day, or a single organism over 3 kg (Black Sea recreational); inland: up to 2 kg of trout species (max 8 specimens) or up to 3 kg of other fish (Чл. 24, ал. 2). Catch may not be sold.
Mindestgréissten
- Black Sea turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)min. 45 cm
Geschützt Arten — net huelen
- GeschütztSturgeon (Acipenser spp.) - prohibited year-round
- GeschütztBeluga (Huso huso) - prohibited year-round
- GeschütztBlack Sea turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) - seasonally protected (closed 15 April - 15 June)
Sturgeon and beluga are fully protected. Turbot is seasonally protected with a 45 cm minimum landing size and a closed season; outside the closure typically a maximum of one turbot per day is reported by secondary sources. Catch from recreational fishing may not be sold.
Wien fësche duerf
Besucher & Awunner
Wéi d'Reegelen fir auslännesch Besucher a lokal Awunner ënnerscheeden.
Auslännesch Besucher
ErlaabtAschränkungen
- Same rules as residents apply (freediving only, daylight only, daily limit, prohibited zones, protected species)
Foreigners may spearfish in the Black Sea under the same rules as residents; no special permit is required for saltwater spearfishing.
Awunner
No licence required for Black Sea spearfishing; recreational fishing ticket for inland waters
Residents and foreigners are treated identically for Black Sea spearfishing.
Wou op der Küst
Erlaabt & verbotene Zonen
Benannt Gebidder, déi fir Speerfëscherei op oder zou sinn. Kuckt d'ganzt Bild op der interaktiver Kaart.
Erlaabt Gebidder
Recreational spearfishing with a harpoon is permitted only in the waters of the Black Sea (Чл. 35, ал. 2 of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act), freediving only. Excludes ports, freshwater river mouths and military zones.
Freediving only (no SCUBA / oxygen apparatus); daylight hours only; daily limit 3 kg or one organism over 3 kg; signal buoy attached to the diver; no sale of catch.
Verbotene Gebidder
- Freshwater river mouths / fresh water (Danube and inland waters)freshwater / river mouth
Harpoon/spearfishing is prohibited outside the Black Sea, i.e. in fresh water including river mouths, the Danube and inland water bodies (the harpoon exception in Чл. 35, ал. 2 applies only to Black Sea waters).
- Military objects / naval zonesmilitary zone
Spearfishing is prohibited in/around military objects and naval base areas; objects in the Black Sea are coordinated with the commanders of the naval bases of the Bulgarian Army (Чл. 21, Чл. 25).
- Kaliakra Reserve (marine area)nature reserve (marine)
Kaliakra is the only nature/archaeological reserve in Bulgaria that includes a protected sea-water area, on Cape Kaliakra (Southern Dobruja, northern Black Sea coast). As a strict reserve under the Protected Areas Act all activities are prohibited except those expressly allowed; fishing in the aquatic zone is banned (with a strict bird-breeding closure 1 March – 30 July), making spearfishing impermissible within the reserve's marine waters.
- Koketrais sand bank protected areaprotected area (marine sand bank)
Protected site 'Pyasachna banka Koketrais' (Koketrays/Koketrise sand bank), ~12.5 km east of Nessebar and ~6.5 km south of Cape Emine, 760 ha of Black Sea seabed protected for the sand bank and benthic fauna. Bottom trawling/dredging, mussel and rapana harvesting, sand extraction (without EIA) and pollution are prohibited. Official gazette boundary: pts ~42°38'–42°39.5'N, 27°52'–27°54'E (center used).
- Chengene Skele protected areaprotected area (coastal bay / IBA)
Protected site in the bay of Chengene Skele (Tsiganski Pristan) at the estuary of the Marinka River, south of Kraymorie village (~15 km south of Burgas) in southern Burgas Bay. One of only three Bulgarian protected territories that include marine waters; designated 1995 to protect threatened bird species and the only coastal mud plain in Bulgaria. Spearfishing is incompatible with the protected regime of this shallow estuarine bay.
Konditioune op dem Waasser
Live-Konditioune
Live Mieres- a Wiederschnappschoss no engem Küstenreferenzpunkt a Bulgaria, vun Open-Meteo. Konditioune variéiere laanscht d'Küst — als indikatif betruechten.
Live Mieres- & Wiederbedéngungen no Bulgarian Black Sea coastal waters.
Wien ze froen
Autoritéiten
Déi offiziell Gremien, déi fir Fëscherei a Lizenzéierung zoustänneg sinn.
Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (Изпълнителна агенция по рибарство и аквакултури, IARA)
fisheries authority
iara.government.bgoffice@iara.government.bg; tel. +359 2 805 1666 / +359 2 805 1663Ministry of Agriculture and Food (Министерство на земеделието и храните)
agriculture/fisheries ministry
mzh.government.bgunknown
Wou dëst hierkommt
Quellen
All Behaaptung op dëser Säit geet op eng vun dëse Referenze zréck.
- [01]
Закон за рибарството и аквакултурите (Fisheries and Aquaculture Act) - full text, IASRJ
Offizielliasrj.euOpgeruff Jun 14 - [02]
Закон за рибарството и аквакултурите Част I - Spearfish.org (statute reproduction)
Sekundärspearfish.orgOpgeruff Jun 14 - [03]
Fishing Ban During Spawning Season Now in Force across Bulgaria - BTA (Bulgarian News Agency)
Sekundärbta.bgOpgeruff Jun 14 - [04]
Spearfishing in Europe - Law, Rules and Restrictions (Bulgaria section) - harpune.info
communityharpune.infoOpgeruff Jun 14 - [05]
Fishing Regulations in Bulgaria - The Fish Code
communitythefishcode.comOpgeruff Jun 14 - [06]
Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (IARA) - official website
Offizielliara.government.bgOpgeruff Jun 14
Fuerschernotizen
Spearfishing is legal in Bulgaria ONLY in Black Sea waters, by way of an express exception to the general harpoon ban (Чл. 35, ал. 2 of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act). The four law_texts entries are verbatim Cyrillic excerpts retrieved from the statute (iasrj.eu and spearfish.org reproduction). Freediving-only (no SCUBA) and the mandatory signal buoy attached to the diver are not present in the statute excerpts retrieved and are sourced from spearfishing community sites (harpune.info, thefishcode.com); the precise wording lives in the recreational-fishing ordinance issued under Чл. 15, ал. 1, which could not be retrieved verbatim - confidence on those two points is medium. The turbot closed season (15 April - 15 June) and 45 cm minimum size derive from EU Black Sea regulations and the annual Bulgarian spawning-ban order (BTA). Daily limit, no-sale rule, and prohibited zones (ports, freshwater mouths, military objects) are consistent across the statute and secondary sources. Overall data_confidence: medium - core legality and statute text are well-sourced; some operational details (buoy, scuba, exact ordinance text) rest on secondary sources. Inland/freshwater spearfishing: Spearfishing (harpoon use) is prohibited in all inland/freshwater bodies in Bulgaria — including rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and the Danube. Under the Law on Fisheries and Aquaculture (Закон за рибарството и аквакултурите), Чл. 35, ал. 1 lists the harpoon (харпун) among gear/methods banned for both commercial and recreational fishing; Чл. 35, ал. 2 provides the sole exception, exempting only recreational (amateur) harpoon fishing in the waters of the Black Sea (with conditions set by regulation under Чл. 15). The exception applies exclusively to Black Sea waters, so no named freshwater location is exempted. Verified against the statutory text (iasrj.eu) and a Bulgarian spearfishing rules summary (spearfish.org). Source: https://www.iasrj.eu/документи/закони/110-закон-за-рибарството-и-аквакултурите
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