Bosnia and Herzegovina
Europe · Southern Europe
Spearfishing (underwater fishing with a speargun, spear or harpoon) is prohibited in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Fisheries is not a state-level competence; it is regulated by the two entities (the Federation of B&H and Republika Srpska) and by the Brcko District through separate freshwater-fishery laws. Every freshwater-fishery instrument that could be verified expressly forbids catching fish with an underwater gun (podvodna puska), spears (osti) and harpoons (harpuni) and treats this as a punishable offence. B&H has only a very short (~20-24 km) Adriatic coastline around Neum, but it has no marine/sea sport-fishing law or licensing regime; the sea border with Croatia remains unratified (1999 Neum Agreement) and the protected area off Neum (date-mussel ban) further restricts any underwater harvesting. There is therefore no lawful route to recreational spearfishing in either fresh water or the sea.
Laatst bijgewerkt oktober 10, 2025
Geldend kader
- §Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine (Law on Freshwater Fishery of the Federation of B&H), Sluzbene novine FBiH 64/04 (Art. 46 prohibits harpoon/spear fishing)
- §Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Brcko distrikta BiH (Law on Freshwater Fishery of Brcko District), Sluzbeni glasnik Brcko distrikta BiH 35/05 (Art. 54(1)5 prohibits speargun/spear/harpoon fishing)
- §Zakon o ribarstvu Republike Srpske (Law on Fishery of Republika Srpska) - entity-level freshwater fishery law that likewise bans fishing with harpoon, spears and underwater guns
- §Prednacrt Zakona o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Federacije BiH, 2021 (draft revision; Art. 52(1)k retains the speargun/spear/harpoon prohibition)
- Harpoengeweer
- Verboden
- Buitenlanders
- Niet toegestaan
De wet, woordelijk
Wetteksten
De exacte wettelijke en regelgevende bepalingen die speervissen hier reguleren, geciteerd zoals gepubliceerd, met een link naar elke officiële bron.
Prohibited fishing methods - speargun, spears and harpoons (Brcko District)
Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Brcko distrikta BiH (Sluzbeni glasnik Brcko distrikta BiH br. 35/05)
Clan 54 (1) Zabranjeno je: ... 5. loviti ribu podvodnom puskom, ostima, harpunima, elektricnom strujom, drugim nedozvoljenim sredstvima, i tako ulovljenu ribu stavljati u promet,
Penalty for speargun/spear/harpoon fishing (Brcko District)
Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Brcko distrikta BiH (Sluzbeni glasnik Brcko distrikta BiH br. 35/05)
11. ako lovi ribu podvodnom puskom ili ostima ili harpunima ili elektricnom strujom ili drugim nedozvoljenim sredstvima ili ako tako ulovljenu ribu stavi u promet (clan 54 stav 1 tacka 5),
Prohibited fishing methods - speargun, spears and harpoons (Federation of B&H, in force)
Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Federacije Bosne i Hercegovine (Sluzbene novine FBiH br. 64/04)
Clanak 46. Na ribolovnom podrucju i drugoj ribolovnoj vodi zabranjeno je: ... 3. loviti ribu harpunom, ostima i drugim zabranjenim sredstvima i priborom
Prohibited fishing methods - speargun, spears and harpoons (Federation of B&H, 2021 draft)
Prednacrt Zakona o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Federacije BiH (draft, Sarajevo, novembar 2021)
Clan 52. (Zabrane ribolova) (1) Zabranjeno je: ... k) loviti ribu podvodnom puskom, ostima, harpunima i drugim nedopustenim alatima i priborom;
Sport-recreational fishing requires a passed exam and a licence (Brcko District)
Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Brcko distrikta BiH (Sluzbeni glasnik Brcko distrikta BiH br. 35/05)
Clan 17 (1) Ribu na ribolovackim vodama mogu loviti ribolovci: - koji imaju polozen ispit za lov riba u rekreativno-sportskom ribolovu (u daljnjem tekstu: ribolovacki ispit), - koji imaju dozvolu za ribolov u rekreativno-sportskom ribolovu (u daljnjem tekstu: dozvola).
Foreign anglers may fish on the basis of a licence (Brcko District)
Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Brcko distrikta BiH (Sluzbeni glasnik Brcko distrikta BiH br. 35/05)
Clan 67 (4) Strani drzavljani - ribolovci smiju loviti ribe na osnovu dozvole shodno odredbama clana 21 stava 4 ovog zakona.
Wanneer je mag duiken
Seizoenen & tijdsbeperkingen
Gesloten, open en beperkte perioden door het jaar heen. Bevestig soortspecifieke sluitingen altijd lokaal.
- GeslotenFreshwater fish during their spawning closed season (lovostaj); exact dates set per species and per fishing area by the management programme / annual plan of the fishing-rights holder, not fixed in the primary law.
B&H freshwater-fishery laws define lovostaj (closed season) as the period when given fish species may not be caught or placed on the market; concrete species dates are set in subordinate acts and area management programmes. Note: spearfishing is prohibited year-round regardless of season, so closed seasons are not separately relevant to spearfishing.
Toestemming om te vissen
Vergunning
Wat je nodig hebt om het water in te mogen, wat het kost en hoe je het krijgt.
Through the holder of fishing rights for a given fishing area and the competent entity/district authority; requires the angling exam. Does not apply to spearfishing.
Vraag je vergunning aanOpent het officiële portaal · fmpvs.gov.ba
- Type
- Not applicable to spearfishing. For ordinary recreational angling, a sport-recreational fishing licence (dozvola za rekreativno-sportski ribolov) plus a passed angling exam (ribolovacki ispit) are required, issued by the fishing-rights holder/entity authority. No licence authorises spearfishing, which is banned outright.
- Kosten
- unknown
- Geldigheid
- Licences issued as daily, monthly or annual by the fishing-area rights holder (varies by entity/area).
- Hoe te verkrijgen
- Through the holder of fishing rights for a given fishing area and the competent entity/district authority; requires the angling exam. Does not apply to spearfishing.
- Autoriteit
- Federation of B&H: Federalno ministarstvo poljoprivrede, vodoprivrede i sumarstva and cantonal ministries; Republika Srpska: Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, sumarstva i vodoprivrede RS; Brcko District: nadlezno Odjeljenje.
Uitrusting & techniek
Uitrustingsregels
Welke uitrusting is toegestaan, hoe die gebruikt mag worden en welke voorwaarden eraan verbonden zijn.
Beperkingen
- Fishing with an underwater gun (podvodna puska) is prohibited.
- Fishing with spears (osti) is prohibited.
- Fishing with harpoons (harpuni) is prohibited.
- Fishing with explosives, electric current and chemical/poisonous/stunning substances is prohibited.
- Catching fish by hand or by snagging/foul-hooking is prohibited (Brcko District law).
- Permitted recreational fishing is by rod/angling tackle only, with a licence.
Spearfishing gear is categorically banned across all B&H freshwater jurisdictions; the prohibition lists speargun, spears and harpoons explicitly (e.g. FBiH Art. 46(1)3; Brcko District Art. 54(1)5; RS fishery law analogous provision). No marine spearfishing equipment regime exists for the Neum coast.
Wat je mag meenemen
Vangstlimieten & beschermde soorten
Dagquota, minimummaten en soorten die nooit gevangen mogen worden.
Daglimiet
Set per fishing area by the management programme / annual plan of the fishing-rights holder; not fixed in primary law and not applicable to spearfishing (which is banned).
Beschermde soorten — niet meenemen
- BeschermdDate mussel / Lithophaga lithophaga (prstac) - harvesting banned in B&H sea (Neum); EU/IUCN protected, harvesting prohibited
- BeschermdUndersized fish (nedorasle/nerazvijene ribe) may not be caught or traded under freshwater-fishery laws
Concrete minimum sizes and bag limits for individual freshwater species are set in subordinate acts/area management programmes, which were not retrieved verbatim. The most prominent species-specific protection relevant to underwater harvesting is the date-mussel ban in the Neum sea area.
Wie mag vissen
Bezoekers & inwoners
Hoe de regels verschillen voor buitenlandse bezoekers en lokale inwoners.
Buitenlandse bezoekers
Niet toegestaanVereisten
- For ordinary angling, a foreign angler may fish on the basis of a licence (Brcko District Art. 67(4)); foreigners with proof of a passed angling exam are issued a licence (Art. 17(2)).
- No licence or arrangement permits spearfishing for anyone, resident or foreign.
Beperkingen
- Spearfishing (speargun/spear/harpoon) is prohibited for foreigners as for everyone else.
- No marine sport-fishing/spearfishing regime exists on the Neum coast.
Foreigners can lawfully practise rod-and-line freshwater angling with the appropriate licence, but spearfishing is banned outright; there is no foreigner-specific permit that would legalise it.
Inwoners
Sport-recreational freshwater angling licence (dozvola za rekreativno-sportski ribolov) with a passed angling exam (ribolovacki ispit). Applies to rod angling only, not to spearfishing.
Vereisten
- Pass the angling exam (ribolovacki ispit); under-14s and certain accompanied persons exempted (Brcko District Art. 17).
- Hold a valid sport-recreational fishing licence for the relevant fishing area.
Residents have no special pathway to spearfishing; the underwater-gun/spear/harpoon prohibition applies to all persons.
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
- All freshwater fishing waters of Bosnia and Herzegovina (rivers, lakes, reservoirs)statutory prohibition (entire national freshwater domain)
Across the Federation of B&H, Republika Srpska and Brcko District, catching fish with an underwater gun, spears or harpoons is prohibited on all fishing waters by the respective freshwater-fishery laws.
- Neum coastal sea / date-mussel protected area (Adriatic)protected coastal/marine area; no marine sport-fishing regime
B&H's only sea coast (around Neum). Harvesting of date mussels (prstaci / Lithophaga lithophaga) is banned and the area is environmentally protected; there is no marine sport-fishing or spearfishing licensing regime, and the maritime boundary with Croatia (1999 Neum Agreement) is unratified. No lawful recreational spearfishing framework exists here.
Condities op het water
Live condities
Live mariene en weersmomentopname nabij een kustreferentiepunt in Bosnia and Herzegovina, van Open-Meteo. Condities variëren langs de kust — beschouw als indicatief.
Live mariene & weerscondities nabij Neum coastal sea / date-mussel protected area (Adriatic).
Wie je moet vragen
Autoriteiten
De officiële instanties die verantwoordelijk zijn voor visserij en vergunningen.
Federalno ministarstvo poljoprivrede, vodoprivrede i sumarstva (Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry)
fisheries / agriculture authority (Federation of B&H)
Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, sumarstva i vodoprivrede Republike Srpske (Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska)
fisheries / agriculture authority (Republika Srpska)
Vlada Brcko distrikta BiH - Odjeljenje nadlezno za slatkovodno ribarstvo (Brcko District Government - department competent for freshwater fishery)
fisheries authority (Brcko District)
Waar dit vandaan komt
Bronnen
Elke bewering op deze pagina is terug te voeren op een van deze referenties.
- [01]
Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Brcko distrikta BiH (FAOLEX official text, Sl. glasnik Brcko distrikta 35/05) - Art. 54(1)5 bans speargun/spear/harpoon fishing
Officieelfaolex.fao.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [02]
Zakon o izmjenama i dopunama Zakona o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Brcko distrikta BiH (FAOLEX official amendment text)
Officieelfaolex.fao.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [03]
Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu FBiH (Sl. novine FBiH 64/04), official Federation government page - Art. 46 bans harpoon/spear fishing
Officieelfbihvlada.gov.baGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [04]
Prednacrt Zakona o slatkovodnom ribarstvu Federacije BiH (2021 draft), Federal Ministry of Agriculture - Art. 52(1)k bans speargun/spear/harpoon fishing
Officieelfmpvs.gov.baGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [05]
Balkan Insight - 'Neum's Law': Bosnia's Destructive Appetite for Date Mussels (Neum sea, date-mussel ban, enforcement gap, unratified maritime border)
Secundairbalkaninsight.comGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [06]
Wikipedia - Neum Agreement (1999 temporary maritime border B&H-Croatia, unratified)
Secundairen.wikipedia.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14
Notities van de onderzoeker
Bosnia and Herzegovina has no state-level fisheries law; recreational fishing is governed at entity/district level by separate freshwater-fishery laws. Three regimes were checked: (1) Federation of B&H - Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu, Sl. novine FBiH 64/04, Art. 46(1)3 bans harpoon/spear fishing (verbatim retrieved from the official FBiH government page; a 2021 draft Art. 52(1)k keeps and broadens the ban to include 'podvodna puska'); (2) Brcko District - Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu, Sl. glasnik 35/05, Art. 54(1)5 bans 'podvodna puska, osti, harpuni' with a matching penalty in Art. 69 (verbatim retrieved from FAOLEX); (3) Republika Srpska - the entity Zakon o ribarstvu likewise prohibits fishing with harpoon, spears and underwater guns, but a verbatim RS-specific text with a confirmed article number could not be fetched from an authoritative RS source during this research, so no RS law_texts entry is included to avoid fabricating an article number; the RS ban is reflected in legal_framework and summary only. Conclusion: recreational spearfishing is illegal everywhere in B&H fresh waters. On the sea side, B&H's ~20-24 km Adriatic coast at Neum has no marine sport-fishing/spearfishing law or licensing system, the maritime border with Croatia (1999 Neum Agreement) is unratified, and date-mussel harvesting is banned; there is no lawful spearfishing route in the sea either. Confidence is 'medium' (not 'high') because RS verbatim text was not directly retrieved and species-level size/bag limits live in subordinate acts that were not captured.
Stel me op de hoogte wanneer de regels van Bosnia and Herzegovina veranderen
We mailen je wanneer de seizoenen of regelgeving van Bosnia and Herzegovina in onze dataset worden bijgewerkt.