Trinidad and Tobago
Americas · Caribbean
Recreational spearfishing is legal in Trinidad and Tobago and is widely practised, especially in Tobago where parrotfish, rockfish and other reef species are taken by free divers and scuba divers. The official Institute of Marine Affairs states plainly that spearfishing in Tobago is unregulated: there is no permitting system, no gear restrictions, no size or catch limits and no open or closed seasons for the activity itself. The key legal constraint is geographic: fishing of any kind (including spearfishing) is strictly prohibited inside declared marine protected/restricted areas, most notably the Buccoo Reef Marine Park / Bon Accord Lagoon complex in Tobago, designated under the Marine Areas (Preservation and Enhancement) Act (Ch. 37:02). The general Fisheries Act (Ch. 67:51) bans poison and explosives, empowers the Minister to declare prohibited areas and to restrict harpooning/taking of fish, and absolutely prohibits taking, killing or harpooning any marine turtle. Visitors generally need a fishing permit from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, though enforcement of permits for shore/free-dive spearfishing is light and reporting is inconsistent.
Pēdējo reizi atjaunināts Jūnijs 15, 2026
Regulējošais ietvars
- §Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51 (Act 39 of 1916, as amended)
- §Marine Areas (Preservation and Enhancement) Act, Chapter 37:02 (Act 1 of 1970, as amended)
- §Protection of Turtle and Turtle Eggs Regulations (GN 119/1975, as amended by 201/2011)
- §Fisheries (Conservation of Marine Turtles) Regulations (LN 65/1994, as amended)
- Nepieciešama licence
- Nepieciešams
- Šautene
- Atļauts
- Skuba
- Atļauts
- Ārvalstnieki
- Laipni lūgti
Likums, verbāli
Juridiskie teksti
Precīzie likumdošanas un normatīvie noteikumi, kas regulē zemūdens medības šeit, citēti kā publicēti, ar saiti uz katru oficiālo avotu.
Power to declare prohibited areas and to prohibit harpooning/taking of fish
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51
4. The Minister may make Regulations— ... (c) declaring any area to be a prohibited area; (d) prohibiting the killing, harpooning, taking, removing, catching or any other means of taking possession of fish or any variety thereof either absolutely or at such times and within such areas as may be prescribed;
Prohibition on use of poison or explosives to take fish
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51
7. Any person who uses poison of any description or any explosive with intent to stupefy, poison, take or kill fish is liable on summary conviction to a fine of one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for three months.
Prohibition on taking fish in a prohibited area
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51
8. (1) Except with the written permission of the Minister, no person shall take any fish in a prohibited area. (2) Any person who contravenes subsection (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine of two thousand dollars and to imprisonment for six months.
Definition of fish (includes turtle, corals and other marine fauna)
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51
“fish” includes oysters, crabs, shrimps, turtle, turtle eggs, corals and any species of other marine fauna;
Absolute prohibition on killing, harpooning or taking any marine turtle
Protection of Turtle and Turtle Eggs Regulations (made under section 4 of the Fisheries Act, Ch. 67:51)
3. No person shall, at any time, kill, harpoon, catch or otherwise take possession of any turtle, or purchase, sell, offer or expose for sale or cause to be sold or offered or exposed for sale any turtle, turtle meat or any other part of the turtle.
Recreational vessel operation permitted within two nautical miles of the coast
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51 (subsidiary regulations, 121/1998)
8. ... (2) A person operating an artisanal vessel or a vessel for recreational purposes shall be permitted to do so within a distance of two nautical miles from the coast line.
Prohibited activities within a restricted marine area (Buccoo Reef Marine Park)
Marine Areas (Preservation and Enhancement) Act, Chapter 37:02 (Act 1 of 1970), restricted-area regulations
No person may, without written ministerial permission: go in or alight upon a restricted area; operate a boat or other vessel within a restricted area or cause or allow a boat or other vessel to enter such an area; take or remove any fish or bird from a restricted area; take or remove any mangrove from a restricted area; dig, dredge, or otherwise interfere with the seabed of a restricted area. Fishing, of any kind, is strictly prohibited within the Marine Park.
Kad var nirst
Sezonas un laika ierobežojumi
Slēgtie, atvērtie un ierobežotie periodi gada laikā. Vienmēr lokāli apstipriniet sugas specifiskus aizliegumus.
Nav reģistrēti sezonālie aizliegumi — pirms nirdams pārbaudiet lokāli.
Atļauja zvejai
Licence
Kas jums nepieciešams, lai atrastos ūdenī, cik tas maksā un kā to iegūt.
Apply to / contact the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. In practice, no permitting system specifically governs shore-based/free-dive spearfishing in Tobago, and reports of permit requirements for visitors are inconsistent.
Iegūstiet savu licenciAtver oficiālo portālu · agriculture.gov.tt
- Tips
- Fishing permit from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (for visitors who wish to fish); recreational use is broadly permitted within 2 nautical miles of the coast.
- Izmaksas
- unknown
- Derīguma termiņš
- unknown
- Kā iegūt
- Apply to / contact the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. In practice, no permitting system specifically governs shore-based/free-dive spearfishing in Tobago, and reports of permit requirements for visitors are inconsistent.
- Iestāde
- Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (Fisheries Division)
Aprīkojums un tehnika
Aprīkojuma noteikumi
Kāds aprīkojums ir atļauts, kā to drīkst izmantot un kādi nosacījumi pievienoti.
Ierobežojumi
- Use of poison or explosives to take, stupefy or kill fish is prohibited (Fisheries Act s.7).
- No gear restrictions specific to spearfishing exist in law (per Institute of Marine Affairs).
Parrotfish in Tobago are harvested mainly by spear-fishers using either SCUBA diving or free diving; the Institute of Marine Affairs confirms spearfishing is unregulated outside protected areas, with no gear restrictions. Spearguns are commonly used and provided on local spearfishing tours.
Ko drīkst iegūt
Nozvejas limiti un aizsargātās sugas
Dienas kvotas, minimālie izmēri un sugas, kuras nekad nedrīkst iegūt.
Dienas limits
None established for recreational spearfishing (no catch limits per Institute of Marine Affairs).
Minimālie izmēri
- Lobster (carapace length)min 8.9 cm
Aizsargātās sugas — neiegūt
- AizsargātsAll marine turtles (absolute prohibition on killing, harpooning, catching, possessing or selling under the Protection of Turtle and Turtle Eggs Regulations)
- AizsargātsCorals (included in statutory definition of 'fish'; taking restricted, especially within protected areas)
Lobster minimum legal size is reported as a carapace length of 3.5 inches (≈8.9 cm) and a minimum tail weight of 7 ounces. No spearfishing-specific size or catch limits exist (per Institute of Marine Affairs). Conservation concern exists over declining parrotfish abundance and size, but no statutory parrotfish limit has been confirmed. Size-limit figure for lobster is from a secondary aggregator source and should be verified against the official regulation before relying on it.
Kam drīkst zvejot
Apmeklētāji un rezidenti
Kā noteikumi atšķiras ārvalstu apmeklētājiem un vietējiem iedzīvotājiem.
Ārvalstu apmeklētāji
AtļautsNepieciešama īpaša licence
Prasības
- Obtain a fishing permit from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries before fishing (per secondary travel sources).
Ierobežojumi
- Same geographic and conservation restrictions as residents: no fishing inside the Buccoo Reef Marine Park or other restricted areas; turtles fully protected; no poison/explosives.
Visitors who wish to fish are generally advised to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, though some sources state no rod licence/permit is required for casual fishing around Tobago. Requirements are inconsistently reported; confirm with the Fisheries Division before travelling.
Rezidenti
No spearfishing-specific licence; general Fisheries Act framework applies. Artisanal/recreational vessels may operate within 2 nautical miles of the coast.
Local skin/free divers traditionally and legally spear reef fish (e.g. parrotfish, rockfish) outside protected areas; the activity is unregulated in Tobago per the Institute of Marine Affairs.
Kur piekrastē
Atļautās un aizliegtās zonas
Nosauktās zonas, kas atvērtas vai slēgtas zemūdens medībām. Skatiet pilnu ainu interaktīvajā kartē.
Atļautās zonas
Spearfishing is widely and legally practised along most of Tobago's coast by free divers and scuba divers, targeting parrotfish, rockfish and other reef species. The Institute of Marine Affairs states the activity is unregulated outside protected areas (no permits, gear, size, catch limits or seasons).
Must not enter the Buccoo Reef Marine Park or any other declared restricted/prohibited area; turtles are fully protected nationwide; poison and explosives prohibited.
Spearfishing is generally permitted in Trinidad's coastal waters outside any declared prohibited area, subject to the general Fisheries Act prohibitions.
No taking of fish in declared prohibited areas without written ministerial permission; turtles fully protected; no poison/explosives.
Aizliegtās zonas
- Buccoo Reef Marine Park / Bon Accord Lagoon Complexmarine park / no-take marine protected area
Tobago's principal and oldest marine protected area, designated a no-take marine park in 1973 under the Marine Areas (Preservation and Enhancement) Act (Ch. 37:02). Fishing of any kind, including spearfishing, is strictly prohibited; access requires a valid Access/Transit Permit from the Division.
Apstākļi ūdenī
Tiešraides apstākļi
Tiešraides jūras un laika momentuzņēmums tuvu piekrastes atskaites punktam Trinidad and Tobago, no Open-Meteo. Apstākļi mainās pa piekrasti — uzskatiet kā indikatīvu.
Tiešraides jūras apstākļi un laiks pie Buccoo Reef Marine Park / Bon Accord Lagoon Complex.
Kam jautāt
Iestādes
Oficiālās struktūras, kas atbild par zvejniecību un licencēšanu.
Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries – Fisheries Division
fisheries authority
agriculture.gov.ttunknownTobago House of Assembly – Division of Food Security, Natural Resources, the Environment and Sustainable Development
regional environment/fisheries authority (Tobago)
tha.gov.ttunknownInstitute of Marine Affairs (IMA)
marine research institute
ima.gov.ttunknown
Kur tas nāk no
Avoti
Katrs apgalvojums šajā lapā balstās uz vienu no šīm atsaucēm.
- [01]
Fisheries Act, Chapter 67:51 (unofficial consolidated version updated to 31 Dec 2015) – Ministry of Agriculture
Oficiālsagriculture.gov.ttPiekļūts Jūn 15 - [02]
Prohibited Use of the Buccoo Reef Marine Protected Area – Tobago House of Assembly
Oficiālstha.gov.ttPiekļūts Jūn 15 - [03]
Parrotfish – Eating and 'pooping' their way to healthy reefs! – Institute of Marine Affairs
Oficiālsima.gov.ttPiekļūts Jūn 15 - [04]
Snorkel, Freedive or Spearfish in Trinidad and Tobago – Veronika's Adventure
Sekundārsveronikasadventure.comPiekļūts Jūn 15 - [05]
Caribbean Fishing – Laws and Regulations – Yacht Cruising Lifestyle
Sekundārshashtagboatlife.comPiekļūts Jūn 15 - [06]
Fishing Conservation – Trinidad and Tobago (Buccoo Reef Marine Park 1973; bottom trawling ban 2013)
Sekundārsfishingtnt.comPiekļūts Jūn 15
Pētnieka piezīmes
Spearfishing is legal and commonly practised in Trinidad and Tobago, particularly in Tobago, and is explicitly described as unregulated outside protected areas by the Institute of Marine Affairs (no permits, gear, size/catch limits or seasons specific to the activity). The binding legal constraints are: (1) a strict no-fishing rule inside declared marine protected/restricted areas, above all the Buccoo Reef Marine Park / Bon Accord Lagoon complex (Marine Areas (Preservation and Enhancement) Act, Ch. 37:02); (2) a nationwide absolute prohibition on taking, killing or harpooning marine turtles; and (3) the Fisheries Act ban on poison and explosives. The Fisheries Act (Ch. 67:51) verbatim text was retrieved from the official Ministry of Agriculture PDF and extracted with pdftotext. The Marine Areas Act restricted-area prohibitions were taken from the official Tobago House of Assembly page (which paraphrases Regulation 3); the verbatim wording of the underlying statutory instrument was not independently retrieved, so that entry is a faithful close paraphrase from an official source rather than a guaranteed exact transcription. Lobster size/tail-weight figures and the visitor-permit requirement come from secondary travel/aggregator sources and should be verified against official regulations. A modernising Fisheries Management Bill (2020) was before Parliament but is not confirmed as enacted; the 1916 Fisheries Act remains the governing statute. Coordinates for Buccoo Reef are approximate centroid values. No closed seasons relevant to spearfishing were found. Confidence: medium – strong official primary sourcing for the Fisheries Act, turtle protection and Buccoo Reef prohibition; weaker (secondary) sourcing for licensing details and lobster size limits.
Paziņot man, kad mainās Trinidad and Tobago noteikumi
Mēs jums nosūtīsim e-pastu, kad Trinidad and Tobago sezonas vai noteikumi tiks atjaunināti mūsu datu kopā.