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
डेटा विश्वसनीयतामध्यम विश्वास

अप्रिल 22, 2026मा अन्तिम पटक अपडेट भयो

शासकीय ढाँचा

  • §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  • §The Fishing Industry Act, 1975 (largely repealed/replaced by the 2018 Act)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
लाइसेन्स आवश्यक
आवश्यक
भालाबन्दुक
अनुमति छ

कानुन, शब्दशः

कानुनी पाठहरू

यहाँ भालाफाँड माछामारी नियन्त्रण गर्ने सटीक वैधानिक र नियामक प्रावधानहरू, प्रकाशित रूपमा उद्धृत, प्रत्येक आधिकारिक स्रोतको लिंकसहित।

01Regulation 4(1)Jamaica · national

Fishing prohibited in Special Fishery Conservation Areas except under licence

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

ENमूल

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

ENमूल

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.

तपाईं कहिले डाइभ गर्न सक्नुहुन्छ

सिजन र समय प्रतिबन्धहरू

वर्षभर बन्द, खुला र प्रतिबन्धित अवधिहरू। सधैं स्थानीय रूपमा प्रजाति-विशिष्ट बन्दाबन्दी पुष्टि गर्नुहोस्।

जन
फेब
मार
अप्र
मे
जुन
जुल
अग
सेप
अक्ट
नोभ
डिस
बन्दप्रतिबन्धितखुला
  • बन्दSpiny lobster (Panulirus argus) - all species of spiny lobsterअप्र 1 – जुन 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
  • बन्दQueen conch (Strombus / Aliger gigas, Family Strombidae)अग 30 – फेब 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

माछामारीको अनुमति

लाइसेन्स

पानीमा अनुमति पाउन के चाहिन्छ, कति खर्च लाग्छ, र कसरी प्राप्त गर्ने।

लाइसेन्स आवश्यकNational Fisheries Authority (NFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining मार्फत

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.

आफ्नो लाइसेन्स प्राप्त गर्नुहोस्

आधिकारिक पोर्टल खोल्छ · fisheries.gov.jm

लाइसेन्स आवश्यक
प्रकार
Fishing licence / fisher registration (recreational fishing licence under the Fisheries Act, 2018; spearfishers must hold a valid fishing licence)
लागत
unknown
वैधता
Renewed annually
कसरी प्राप्त गर्ने
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.
प्राधिकरण
National Fisheries Authority (NFA), Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining
आधिकारिक लाइसेन्सिङ पोर्टल · fisheries.gov.jm

उपकरण र प्रविधि

उपकरण नियमहरू

कुन उपकरण अनुमति छ, यसलाई कसरी प्रयोग गर्न सकिन्छ, र संलग्न सर्तहरू।

भालाबन्दुकअनुमति छ

प्रतिबन्धहरू

  • 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.

तपाईं के लिन सक्नुहुन्छ

पकड सीमा र संरक्षित प्रजातिहरू

दैनिक कोटा, न्यूनतम आकार, र कहिल्यै नलिइने प्रजातिहरू।

दैनिक सीमा

unknown

संरक्षित प्रजातिहरू — नलिनुहोस्

  • संरक्षितSpiny lobster (closed season Apr 1 - Jun 30; minimum size and no berried/egg-bearing females under lobster regulations)
  • संरक्षितQueen conch (Family Strombidae - annual closed season; possession/sale/processing restricted)
  • संरक्षितMarine 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.

को माछामारी गर्न सक्छ

पर्यटक र निवासीहरू

विदेशी पर्यटक र स्थानीय निवासीहरूका लागि नियमहरू कसरी फरक छन्।

विदेशी पर्यटकहरू

आवश्यकताहरू

  • 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.

प्रतिबन्धहरू

  • 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.

निवासीहरू

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

आवश्यकताहरू

  • 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.

तटमा कहाँ

अनुमति र निषेध गरिएका क्षेत्रहरू

भालाफाँड माछामारीका लागि खुला वा बन्द नामित क्षेत्रहरू। अन्तरक्रियात्मक नक्सामा पूर्ण चित्र हेर्नुहोस्।

निषेध गरिएका क्षेत्रहरू

नक्सामा हेर्नुहोस्

पानीमा अवस्थाहरू

लाइभ अवस्थाहरू

Jamaicaको तटीय सन्दर्भ बिन्दु नजिक Open-Meteo बाट लाइभ समुद्री र मौसम स्न्यापसट। अवस्थाहरू तटको लम्बाइमा भिन्न हुन्छन् — सांकेतिक मानेर व्यवहार गर्नुहोस्।

Bluefields Bay Special Fishery Conservation Area नजिक लाइभ समुद्री र मौसम।

अवस्थाहरू

कसलाई सोध्ने

प्राधिकरणहरू

मत्स्यपालन र लाइसेन्सिङका लागि जिम्मेवार आधिकारिक निकायहरू।

  • 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

यो कहाँबाट आउँछ

स्रोतहरू

यस पृष्ठमा प्रत्येक दावी यी सन्दर्भहरूमध्ये एकमा फर्किन्छ।

  1. [01]

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

    आधिकारिक
    fisheries.gov.jmजुन 14मा पहुँच गरियो
  2. [02]

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

    आधिकारिक
    jamaicatradeportal.gov.jmजुन 14मा पहुँच गरियो
  3. [03]

    Legislation - National Fisheries Authority

    आधिकारिक
    fisheries.gov.jmजुन 14मा पहुँच गरियो
  4. [04]

    Ban on Mechanical Guns Used for Fishing - Jamaica Information Service

    आधिकारिक
    jis.gov.jmजुन 14मा पहुँच गरियो
  5. [05]

    Jamaica passes new Fisheries Act - FAO

    आधिकारिक
    fao.orgजुन 14मा पहुँच गरियो
  6. [06]

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

    आधिकारिक
    jis.gov.jmजुन 14मा पहुँच गरियो
  7. [07]

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

    आधिकारिक
    jis.gov.jmजुन 14मा पहुँच गरियो
  8. [08]

    Online Licensing and Registration (IrieFINS) - National Fisheries Authority

    आधिकारिक
    fisheries.gov.jmजुन 14मा पहुँच गरियो
  9. [09]

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

    द्वितीयक
    jamaica-gleaner.comजुन 14मा पहुँच गरियो

अनुसन्धानकर्ताका नोटहरू

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.

अद्यावधिक रहनुहोस्प्रारम्भिक पहुँच

Jamaica का नियम परिवर्तन हुँदा मलाई सूचित गर्नुहोस्

हाम्रो डेटासेटमा Jamaica का मौसम वा नियमहरू अपडेट हुँदा हामी तपाईंलाई इमेल गर्नेछौं।

मलाई यसबारे सूचित गर्नुहोस्

कुनै स्प्याम छैन — केवल परिवर्तन अलर्टहरू। जुनसुकै बेला सदस्यता रद्द गर्नुहोस्। हामी तपाईंको इमेल कहिल्यै बेच्दैनौं।