SpearfishingMap

Jamaica

Americas · Caribbean

Recreational spearfishing is legal in Jamaica but heavily restricted. A valid fishing licence/registration from the National Fisheries Authority is required (the Fisheries Act, 2018 mandates licences for recreational fishing). Spearfishing with impaling devices (spearguns, Hawaiian slings) is prohibited at night, between 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Mechanical spearguns were officially phased out from 31 March 2010 (government-funded replacement with Hawaiian slings) and night diving for spearfishing was banned from the same date; a special permit is required for compressors and other mechanical underwater-breathing devices used for fishing. All fishing, including spearfishing, is prohibited inside designated Special Fishery Conservation Areas (fish sanctuaries) and marine parks (e.g. Montego Bay Marine Park) except under licence/permission. Closed seasons apply to spiny lobster (Apr 1 – Jun 30) and queen conch (declared annually). Spearfishing is widely cited as the single greatest threat to Jamaica's marine biodiversity.

Restricted
DatenzouverlässegkeetMëttel Zouverlässegkeet

Zuletzt aktualiséiert Abréll 22, 2026

Gouvernéierende Kader

  • §The Fisheries Act, 2018 (No. 18 of 2018)
  • §The Fishing Industry Act, 1975 (largely repealed/replaced by the 2018 Act)
  • §The Fishing Industry (Special Fishery Conservation Area) Regulations, 2012
  • §The Fisheries (Spiny Lobster) Regulations and amendments (2009, 2014, 2020, 2021, 2026)
  • §The Fisheries (Conservation of Queen Conch) (Family Strombidae) Regulations, 2023
Lizenz erfuerdert
Erfuerdert
Spiergewier
Erlaabt

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.

01Regulation 4(1)Jamaica · national

Fishing prohibited in Special Fishery Conservation Areas except under licence

The Fishing Industry (Special Fishery Conservation Area) Regulations, 2012

ENOriginal

No person shall fish in a special fishery conservation area except in accordance with a license issued by the Licensing Authority.

02Amendment provision on impaling devicesJamaica · national

Ban on use of impaling devices (speargun, Hawaiian sling) at night

Fishing Industry Act amendment (2011) / Fishing Industry Regulations

ENOriginal

A person shall not, between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. use for the purpose of harvesting fish, any impaling device - including Hawaiian sling, speargun or any other impaling device.

Wann Dir dauche kënnt

Saisons & Zäitbeschränkungen

Geschlossen, geöffent a ageschränkt Perioden iwwer d'Joer. Bestätegt ëmmer artenspezifisch Schliesszäiten lokal.

Jan
Feb
Mär
Apr
Mee
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Okt
Nov
Dez
ZouAgeschränktOp
  • ZouSpiny lobster (Panulirus argus) - all species of spiny lobsterApr 1 – Jun 30

    Annual closed season for spiny lobster. Fishing for any species of spiny lobster during the closed season is illegal; possession without special permission is also illegal during this period.

    jis.gov.jm
  • ZouQueen conch (Strombus / Aliger gigas, Family Strombidae)Aug 30 – Feb 28

    Annual queen conch closed season (dates as cited for the 2023 regulations; declared/varied annually by the National Fisheries Authority). During the closed season it is illegal to possess, sell, process or trade any conch products or by-products, under the Fisheries (Conservation of Queen Conch) (Family Strombidae) Regulations, 2023.

    jis.gov.jm

Erlaabnis zum Fëschen

Lizenz

Wat Dir braucht fir am Waasser erlaabt ze sinn, wat et kascht a wéi Dir et kritt.

Lizenz erfuerdertvia National Fisheries Authority (NFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining

Apply and register online via the National Fisheries Authority IrieFINS online licensing and registration system, or contact the NFA directly. The Fisheries Act, 2018 requires licences for recreational fishing; persons fishing without a valid licence are liable to penalties.

Är Lizenz kréien

Öffnet dat offiziellt Portal · fisheries.gov.jm

Lizenz erfuerdert
Typ
Fishing licence / fisher registration (recreational fishing licence under the Fisheries Act, 2018; spearfishers must hold a valid fishing licence)
Käschten
unknown
Gëltegkeet
Renewed annually
Wéi ze kréien
Apply and register online via the National Fisheries Authority IrieFINS online licensing and registration system, or contact the NFA directly. The Fisheries Act, 2018 requires licences for recreational fishing; persons fishing without a valid licence are liable to penalties.
Autoritéit
National Fisheries Authority (NFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining
Offiziellt Lizenzportal · fisheries.gov.jm

Ausrüstung & Technik

Ausrüstungsreegelen

Wéi Ausrüstung erlaabt ass, wéi se benotzt duerf ginn a wéi Bedéngungen drun hänken.

SpiergewierErlaabt

Aschränkungen

  • Impaling devices (speargun, Hawaiian sling or any other impaling device) may not be used to harvest fish between 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. (night spearfishing ban).
  • Mechanical spearguns were officially phased out from 31 March 2010, with a government programme replacing them with Hawaiian slings.
  • Night diving for spearfishing was banned effective 31 March 2010.
  • A special permit is required for compressors and other mechanical devices used for underwater-breathing purposes for fishing (effective 31 March 2010).
  • Zero tolerance for fishing with dynamite, bleach or other toxic substances.

Spearfishing remains legal by day under licence using permitted gear (notably Hawaiian slings). The legal status of mechanical/band spearguns is restrictive: the government ran a buy-back/replacement programme favouring Hawaiian slings, and night use of any impaling device is prohibited.

Wat Dir mat kënnt huelen

Fangbeschränkungen & geschützte Arten

Deeglech Quoten, Mindestgréissten a Arten, déi ni geholl duerfen ginn.

Deeglech Limit

unknown

Geschützt Arten — net huelen

  • GeschütztSpiny lobster (closed season Apr 1 - Jun 30; minimum size and no berried/egg-bearing females under lobster regulations)
  • GeschütztQueen conch (Family Strombidae - annual closed season; possession/sale/processing restricted)
  • GeschütztMarine turtles and corals are protected under wildlife/environmental law

Parrotfish are heavily advocated for protection and are key reef grazers, but as of the cited reporting they are not nationally banned. Targeting lobster or conch out of season, or undersized, is illegal regardless of method.

Wien fësche duerf

Besucher & Awunner

Wéi d'Reegelen fir auslännesch Besucher a lokal Awunner ënnerscheeden.

Auslännesch Besucher

Ufuerderungen

  • Same licensing/registration framework applies; a valid fishing licence from the National Fisheries Authority is required to spearfish.
  • Permission/letter required to fish within marine parks such as Montego Bay Marine Park.

Aschränkungen

  • All national restrictions apply equally: no night spearfishing with impaling devices, no fishing in Special Fishery Conservation Areas/marine parks without a licence, closed seasons for lobster and conch.

No specific foreigner/tourist spearfishing regime was confirmed in authoritative sources. Tourists are generally expected to fish via licensed charters and are barred from sanctuaries and marine parks; independent confirmation from the NFA is recommended before spearfishing as a visitor.

Awunner

Fishing licence / fisher registration (recreational or commercial) via the National Fisheries Authority

Ufuerderungen

  • Register as a fisher and licence the vessel (commercial or recreational) with the Fisheries Division / NFA.
  • Hold a valid annually-renewed fishing licence to spearfish.

The Fisheries Act, 2018 exempts persons fishing from a pond on private property and persons using a fishing line from the seashore from licensing - this exemption does not cover 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.

Verbotene Gebidder

Op der Kaart gesinn

Konditioune op dem Waasser

Live-Konditioune

Live Mieres- a Wiederschnappschoss no engem Küstenreferenzpunkt a Jamaica, vun Open-Meteo. Konditioune variéiere laanscht d'Küst — als indikatif betruechten.

Live Mieres- & Wiederbedéngungen no Bluefields Bay Special Fishery Conservation Area.

Konditioune

Wien ze froen

Autoritéiten

Déi offiziell Gremien, déi fir Fëscherei a Lizenzéierung zoustänneg sinn.

  • National Fisheries Authority (NFA)

    fisheries authority

    fisheries.gov.jm+1 876 948 9014; fisheries@nfa.gov.jm

  • Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining

    government ministry

    new.moa.gov.jm

  • Maritime Authority of Jamaica

    maritime authority

    jeijamaica.gov.jm

Wou dëst hierkommt

Quellen

All Behaaptung op dëser Säit geet op eng vun dëse Referenze zréck.

  1. [01]

    The Fisheries Act, 2018 (No. 18 of 2018) - full text PDF (scanned)

    Offiziell
    fisheries.gov.jmOpgeruff Jun 14
  2. [02]

    The Fishing Industry (Special Fishery Conservation Area) Regulations, 2012 - Jamaica Trade Information Portal

    Offiziell
    jamaicatradeportal.gov.jmOpgeruff Jun 14
  3. [03]

    Legislation - National Fisheries Authority

    Offiziell
    fisheries.gov.jmOpgeruff Jun 14
  4. [04]

    Ban on Mechanical Guns Used for Fishing - Jamaica Information Service

    Offiziell
    jis.gov.jmOpgeruff Jun 14
  5. [05]

    Jamaica passes new Fisheries Act - FAO

    Offiziell
    fao.orgOpgeruff Jun 14
  6. [06]

    Annual Lobster Closed Season April 1 - June 30 - Jamaica Information Service

    Offiziell
    jis.gov.jmOpgeruff Jun 14
  7. [07]

    No Changes to Existing Conch Close Season Regulations - Jamaica Information Service

    Offiziell
    jis.gov.jmOpgeruff Jun 14
  8. [08]

    Online Licensing and Registration (IrieFINS) - National Fisheries Authority

    Offiziell
    fisheries.gov.jmOpgeruff Jun 14
  9. [09]

    Hold the spear - Government pushed to implement new Fisheries Act - Jamaica Gleaner (2013-07-14)

    Sekundär
    jamaica-gleaner.comOpgeruff Jun 14

Fuerschernotizen

Spearfishing in Jamaica is legal but restricted, governed primarily by the Fisheries Act, 2018 (which replaced the Fishing Industry Act, 1975 in October 2018) and subsidiary regulations. Confidence is MEDIUM rather than high because the official Fisheries Act 2018 PDF on the NFA site is a scanned/image-only document (JBIG2) that could not be machine-read to extract verbatim spearfishing/equipment sections; the verbatim night-impaling-device clause ('between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. ... any impaling device - including Hawaiian sling, speargun or any other impaling device') is sourced from the Jamaica Gleaner (2013-07-14) which reported the Fishing Industry Act amendment, and the direct article URL returned HTTP 404 on access (text retrieved via search index); it should be re-verified against the consolidated statute. The verbatim Special Fishery Conservation Area Regulations 2012 Reg. 4(1) text and the 14 named conservation areas were retrieved from the official Jamaica Trade Information Portal. Coordinates for sanctuaries are approximate (town/bay level) and should be treated as indicative. The 2012 regulations list 14 Special Fishery Conservation Areas; media report a higher figure (18) including later additions - 13 named prohibited zones are listed here from the official regulation (Galleon appears twice in the source - as St. Elizabeth and as Galleon Harbour). License cost and daily/size catch limits specific to spearfishing were not confirmed in authoritative sources and are marked unknown.

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