Armenia
Asia · Western Asia
Armenia is a landlocked country with no sea coast, so there is no marine spearfishing; the only possible context is freshwater (Lake Sevan, reservoirs and rivers). Armenian legislation does not separately name or regulate spearfishing / underwater hunting (подводная охота). All taking of fish is treated as a 'use of fauna objects' under the Law on Fauna (HO-52, 2000), which makes fishing a chargeable, licensed activity; amateur (recreational) fishing is one permitted category of social-purpose use. Fishing on Lake Sevan, the country's main fishery, is tightly restricted by annually updated Government/Ministry of Environment decrees: catching trout (ishkhan) and crayfish is banned, whitefish (sig) is subject to closed spawning seasons and quotas, and per-person permissible quantities are set each year. Because no instrument expressly authorises spearfishing and the dominant water body is heavily restricted, the practical legality of recreational spearfishing is unclear and likely de facto not provided for. No verbatim provision permitting or prohibiting spearfishing as a method was found.
Laatst bijgewerkt juni 14, 2026
Geldend kader
- §Law of the Republic of Armenia on Fauna (HO-52), adopted 2000-04-03, consolidated text dated 2002-11-28; amended by ZR-432 (2002), ZR-47 (2008), HO-190-N (2018)
- §Law of the Republic of Armenia on Lake Sevan (2001) and related annual/complex programmes for restoration, preservation, reproduction and use of the Lake Sevan ecosystem
- §Annual decrees of the Minister of Environment of the Republic of Armenia setting permissible quantities and duration of social-purpose (amateur) fishing in the wetlands of Armenia
- Vergunning vereist
- Vereist
De wet, woordelijk
Wetteksten
De exacte wettelijke en regelgevende bepalingen die speervissen hier reguleren, geciteerd zoals gepubliceerd, met een link naar elke officiële bron.
Types of fauna use (fishing as industrial use)
Law of the Republic of Armenia on Fauna (HO-52, 2000)
Article 23. The types of fauna use. The fauna objects in the Republic of Armenia are used: a) In agricultural purposes (selection, soil arising) b) In industrial purposes (Hunting, fishing, collection, as well as gathering and processing of animal biological activity products) c) In social, environmental and cultural purposes d) In scientific investigative and educational purposes
Use of fauna objects in industrial purposes requires a licence
Law of the Republic of Armenia on Fauna (HO-52, 2000)
Article 24. The use of fauna objects in agricultural and industrial purposes. The use of fauna objects in agricultural and industrial purposes in the Republic of Armenia is chargeable. The use is implemented due to a licensed provided by the authorized body and on the basis of a contract. The Government of the Republic of Armenia defines the procedures for providing licenses and signing contracts. State tributes will be charged for the provided licenses in accordance with defines procedures of the law of the Republic of Armenia “On State tributes”.
Amateur fishing as social-purpose use of fauna
Law of the Republic of Armenia on Fauna (HO-52, 2000)
Article 25. The use of fauna objects in social purposes. The use of fauna objects in social purposes in the Republic of Armenia (Amateur fishing and fishing, hunt of animals that are not subject to hunt) is chargeable. The procedures for signing use contracts are defined by the Government of the Republic of Armenia.
Protection of fauna - prohibited acts (no specific spearfishing/method ban in this article)
Law of the Republic of Armenia on Fauna (HO-52, 2000)
Article 19. The protection of the fauna. In order to provide for the protection of fauna objects: a) The illegal import of animal species into the Republic of Armenia, transfer into a different habitat, acclimatization and selective use, b) Non-regulated use of fertilizers and toxic substances, c) Use of new, modified organisms created through biological technologies, d) Cruel treatment and torture of animals are prohibited.
Wanneer je mag duiken
Seizoenen & tijdsbeperkingen
Gesloten, open en beperkte perioden door het jaar heen. Bevestig soortspecifieke sluitingen altijd lokaal.
- GeslotenWhitefish (sig) in Lake Sevan and inflowing rivers - spawning closurenov 25 – jan 20
Whitefish fishing is banned in Lake Sevan during the spawning period; reported as from 25 November to 20 January. Dates are set/updated by Government/Ministry of Environment decisions each year.
- GeslotenSevan trout (ishkhan), whitefish and crayfish during spawningunknown – unknown
Whitefish, trout and crayfish fishing is banned in Lake Sevan and the rivers flowing into it during the spawning season. Trout (ishkhan) fishing is generally prohibited; crayfish catching from Lake Sevan is forbidden, including during its breeding season.
Toestemming om te vissen
Vergunning
Wat je nodig hebt om het water in te mogen, wat het kost en hoe je het krijgt.
Apply to the authorized body / Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia; amateur fishing is permitted only with a licence and within the permissible quantities defined for the season.
Vraag je vergunning aanOpent het officiële portaal · mnp.am
- Type
- Amateur (social-purpose) fishing permit / licence issued under the Law on Fauna; for Lake Sevan, fishing permits issued by the Ministry of Environment
- Kosten
- unknown (chargeable; state duty set under the Law 'On State tributes' and annual decrees)
- Geldigheid
- Set per fishing season by annual ministerial decree
- Hoe te verkrijgen
- Apply to the authorized body / Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia; amateur fishing is permitted only with a licence and within the permissible quantities defined for the season.
- Autoriteit
- Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Armenia
Uitrusting & techniek
Uitrustingsregels
Welke uitrusting is toegestaan, hoe die gebruikt mag worden en welke voorwaarden eraan verbonden zijn.
No Armenian legal source found that specifically addresses spearguns, harpoons, spearfishing or underwater hunting. The Law on Fauna regulates fishing generically as a licensed use and does not enumerate spearfishing as a permitted or prohibited method. Equipment rules for amateur fishing are set by annual Ministry of Environment decrees, the full method/gear text of which was not retrievable; status of spearfishing gear is therefore unknown.
Wat je mag meenemen
Vangstlimieten & beschermde soorten
Dagquota, minimummaten en soorten die nooit gevangen mogen worden.
Daglimiet
Per-person permissible quantities are set annually by Ministry of Environment decree for social-purpose (amateur) fishing in Armenia's wetlands; exact figures not retrieved.
Minimummaten
- Whitefish (sig), Lake Sevan - minimum harvest weightmin 0 cm
Beschermde soorten — niet meenemen
- BeschermdSevan trout / ishkhan (Salmo ischchan) - fishing generally prohibited
- BeschermdCrayfish in Lake Sevan - catching forbidden
- BeschermdSpecies listed in the Red Book of the Republic of Armenia
Reported Lake Sevan rule sets a minimum harvest weight of 500 grams for whitefish (a weight, not a length, so min_size_cm is not applicable and is recorded as 0). Harvesting of all Lake Sevan fish species except whitefish has been banned. Daily/quantity limits for amateur fishing are decree-based and change yearly.
Wie mag vissen
Bezoekers & inwoners
Hoe de regels verschillen voor buitenlandse bezoekers en lokale inwoners.
Buitenlandse bezoekers
No source found addressing foreigners specifically. The Law on Fauna allows legal and physical entities to be users of fauna objects without an express nationality restriction, but amateur fishing requires a licence/permit; rules for foreign anglers (including any spearfishing) are unknown.
Inwoners
Amateur (social-purpose) fishing permit under the Law on Fauna and annual ministerial decrees
Vereisten
- Obtain an amateur fishing licence/permit from the authorized body / Ministry of Environment
- Observe the permissible quantities and season duration set by decree
- Comply with Lake Sevan species bans (trout, crayfish) and whitefish closed seasons
Same licensing framework applies to residents; no resident-specific spearfishing provision found.
Waar aan de kust
Toegestane & verboden zones
Genoemde gebieden die open of gesloten zijn voor speervissen. Bekijk het volledige beeld op de interactieve kaart.
Verboden gebieden
- Lake Sevanregulated lake / restored ecosystem under special law (Law on Lake Sevan)
Largest freshwater lake of Armenia and the Caucasus. Fishing is heavily restricted: harvesting of all fish species except whitefish has been banned, trout (ishkhan) and crayfish are protected, a 500 g minimum harvest weight and a 500 m distance from the shoreline have been imposed, and seasonal closures and quotas apply. No instrument authorises spearfishing/underwater hunting here.
- Sevan National Parknational park / specially protected natural area
Specially protected natural area surrounding Lake Sevan. Use of fauna in specially protected areas is restricted under the Law on Specially Protected Natural Areas and the Law on Fauna; activities harming protected species or habitats are prohibited.
Condities op het water
Live condities
Live mariene en weersmomentopname nabij een kustreferentiepunt in Armenia, van Open-Meteo. Condities variëren langs de kust — beschouw als indicatief.
Live mariene & weerscondities nabij Lake Sevan.
Wie je moet vragen
Autoriteiten
De officiële instanties die verantwoordelijk zijn voor visserij en vergunningen.
Waar dit vandaan komt
Bronnen
Elke bewering op deze pagina is terug te voeren op een van deze referenties.
- [01]
Law of the Republic of Armenia on Fauna (English text, FAOLEX/FAO)
Officieelfaolex.fao.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [02]
Law on Fauna - FAOLEX/ECOLEX record (number, dates, amendments)
Officieelecolex.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [03]
Law of the Republic of Armenia on Specially Protected Natural Areas (FAOLEX)
Officieelfaolex.fao.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [04]
Amateur Fishing Season Launched in Armenia (Ministry of Environment decree details)
Secundairecolur.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [05]
The season of amateur fishing has started in Armenia (Ministry of Environment)
Officieelmnp.amGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [06]
Starting from November 25, Whitefish Fishing Banned in Lake Sevan (Ecolur)
Secundairecolur.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [07]
Armenia Restricts Fishing in Lake Sevan (CivilNet) - 500 g min weight, 500 m from shore, species ban
Secundaircivilnet.amGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [08]
Armenian Government Tightens Lake Sevan Fishing Regulations (Hetq)
Secundairhetq.amGeraadpleegd jun 14
Notities van de onderzoeker
Armenia is landlocked (coastline: false); there is no marine/sea spearfishing. Research therefore focused on freshwater rules. CRITICAL: No Armenian legal text was found that expressly authorises or prohibits spearfishing / underwater hunting (подводная охота) as a method, so legal_status.spearfishing_allowed is set to 'unknown' and data_confidence to 'low'. The governing framework is the Law on Fauna (HO-52, 2000), under which all fishing - including amateur fishing - is a chargeable, licensed use of fauna objects; verbatim articles 19, 23, 24 and 25 are captured from the official FAO/FAOLEX English text. Lake Sevan, the country's principal fishery, is governed by a dedicated Law on Lake Sevan (2001) and annual decrees that ban trout and crayfish, impose whitefish spawning closures and quotas, a reported 500 g minimum harvest weight and a 500 m offshore limit - conditions practically incompatible with recreational spearfishing. Annual Ministry of Environment decrees set per-season permissible quantities and gear rules but their full method/gear text was not retrievable; specific spearfishing gear status is unknown. Several official PDFs (UC Davis law review, FAOLEX detail pages) could not be parsed or returned 403, so secondary news sources (Ecolur, CivilNet, Hetq) were used for Lake Sevan operational rules. Figures and exact decree numbers should be confirmed against the current-year ministerial decree before relying on them.
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