Bhutan
Asia · Southern Asia
Bhutan is a landlocked Himalayan country, so there is no marine spearfishing. For inland (freshwater) waters, all fishing requires a valid government permit/licence issued by the Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS). The only authorised recreational capture method is rod-and-line angling, strictly catch-and-immediate-release, using a single barbless hook with artificial flies/lures; live bait is banned. The Forest and Nature Conservation Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2017 (Rule 392(7)) prohibit destructive/harvesting fishing methods such as poisoning, dynamite/explosives, electrical devices, firearms, large/closed nets, splashing or laving of water, traps, snares and live bait. Spearing / underwater fishing is not an authorised method and no permit is issued for it; spearfishing is therefore effectively prohibited as a recreational activity in Bhutan.
Laatst bijgewerkt juni 14, 2026
Geldend kader
- §Forest and Nature Conservation Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2017
- §Forest and Nature Conservation (Amendment) Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2022 (high-end recreational fishing)
- §Forest and Nature Conservation Act of Bhutan, 1995
- §Bhutan Fishing Rules, 1974 (earlier instrument)
- Vergunning vereist
- Vereist
- Harpoengeweer
- Verboden
- Buitenlanders
- Welkom
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 and seasons (offence list)
Forest and Nature Conservation Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2017
392. The following activities are strictly prohibited: ... (6) fishing shall be strictly prohibited: (a) during the month of October, November and December every year. (b) during Yar-ngo and Mar-ngo Dhuezang falling on 8th, 10th, 15th, 25th and 30th of each Bhutanese calendar month; (c) on Parinirvana, First Sermon and Descending Day of Lord Buddha; (d) on Zhabdrung Kuchhoe; (e) on Birth Anniversary of Guru Rinpoche; (f) during Chhothhruel Dawa or the first month of Bhutanese Calendar; (g) during Saga Dawa or the fourth month of Bhutanese Calendar; (h) fishing within 500 meters of Monastery and Dzong. (7) Fishing by the following means: (a) by poisoning, using dynamite, explosive, electrical device in river, stream, pond, and lake; (b) by building dam for diverting river/stream to trap the fish; (c) by using firearm, large net or splashing or laving of water; (d) by using closed net except for research; (e) by use of live bait, trap and snare.
Fishing governed by the Rule; permit/licence requirement
Forest and Nature Conservation Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2017
271. Fishing in any stream, river, lake or other water bodies shall be governed by this Rule. 272. The Department shall declare and designate restricted areas for fishing. Fishing in non-restricted area shall be permitted with a valid permit/license, and any breach of this Rule shall be treated as an offence. 273. Any interested person shall apply for the fishing permit to the nearest Range office or the Division/Park. 274. The concerned Range Office shall issue fishing permit with a validity not exceeding one week in Annexure XX. 275. The Permittee shall carry the valid fishing permit at the time of fishing and produce on demand by any forest officer. 276. The fishing permit is non-transferable. ... 281. The Department shall levy fishing license and permit fee as prescribed under: [1 day - Nu. 500 nationals / Nu. 1000 foreigners; 1 week - Nu. 1500 / Nu. 3000; 1 month - Nu. 3000 / Nu. 6000; 6 months - Nu. 6000 / Nu. 12000; 1 year - Nu. 10000 / Nu. 20000].
Fishing within a protected area requires a valid permit
Forest and Nature Conservation Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2017
251. Fishing within a protected area shall be permitted with a valid permit obtained in accordance with Technical Regulations.
Bhutan Fishing Rules, 1974 - licence requirement and prohibited means (earlier instrument)
Bhutan Fishing Rules, 1974 (Notification dated 1st January 1974)
2. Catching of fish in any stream, river, pond or lakes in Bhutan is strictly prohibited without possession of a valid Fishing Licence. ... 4. Fishing shall be prohibited during the following periods ...: 1) During the months of October, November and December every year for fishing trout, 2) Fishing on 8th, 15th and 30th of each Bhutanese month is prohibited. 5. Fishing by the following means is strictly prohibited- 1) Fishing by poisoning or dynamiting rivers, streams, ponds or lakes. 2) Erection of weirs, dams for diverting rivers/streams to trap the fish. 3) Fishing by fire-arms, closed nets, large nets, puglep, Phen-Phen or splashing or laving of waters. 6. The Licence holder shall not catch fish which are less than eight inch in length. 7. Fishing within one mile of a Gompa, Temple, Dzong or Lama School and within twenty yards of the main road is strictly prohibited.
Wanneer je mag duiken
Seizoenen & tijdsbeperkingen
Gesloten, open en beperkte perioden door het jaar heen. Bevestig soortspecifieke sluitingen altijd lokaal.
- GeslotenTrout waters (snow trout, brown trout)nov 1 – dec 31
Angling/fishing closed in all trout waters during the spawning season (November and December). Note: the FNCRR 2017 offence list states October, November and December; the 2022 amendment / recreational programme references November and December.
- GeslotenMahseer waters (golden mahseer, chocolate mahseer)jun 1 – aug 31
Angling/fishing closed in all mahseer waters during the spawning season (June, July and August).
- GeslotenAll waters - Buddhist holy days
Fishing strictly prohibited on auspicious Buddhist days: Yar-ngo and Mar-ngo Dhuezang (8th, 10th, 15th, 25th and 30th of each Bhutanese calendar month), Parinirvana / First Sermon / Descending Day of Lord Buddha, Zhabdrung Kuchhoe, Birth Anniversary of Guru Rinpoche, throughout Chhothhruel Dawa (1st month) and Saga Dawa (4th month) of the Bhutanese calendar.
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 nearest Range Office or Division/Park; recreational/tourist permits are issued online via the Online Forestry Services and, for tourists, arranged through licensed Bhutanese tour operators with a certified fishing guide.
Vraag je vergunning aanOpent het officiële portaal · dofps.gov.bt
- Type
- Fishing permit (up to 1 week) or fishing licence (longer, multiple waters); issued by the Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS). Foreign anglers must be accompanied by a nationally certified fishing guide and arrange permits through licensed Bhutanese tour operators.
- Kosten
- Permit/licence fee per FNCRR 2017 Rule 281: nationals - Nu. 500/day, Nu. 1500/week, Nu. 3000/month; licence Nu. 6000/6 months, Nu. 10000/year. Foreigners - Nu. 1000/day, Nu. 3000/week, Nu. 6000/month; Nu. 12000/6 months, Nu. 20000/year.
- Geldigheid
- Permit not exceeding one week (Rule 274); licence more than one month, for multiple waters/areas (Rule 277).
- Hoe te verkrijgen
- Apply to the nearest Range Office or Division/Park; recreational/tourist permits are issued online via the Online Forestry Services and, for tourists, arranged through licensed Bhutanese tour operators with a certified fishing guide.
- Autoriteit
- Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS), Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources
Uitrusting & techniek
Uitrustingsregels
Welke uitrusting is toegestaan, hoe die gebruikt mag worden en welke voorwaarden eraan verbonden zijn.
Beperkingen
- Spearguns / spears / underwater fishing are not an authorised capture method; no permit is issued for spearfishing.
- Only rod-and-line angling is permitted for recreational fishing (fly-fishing or spin-fishing rods and reels).
- Single barbless hook only.
- Only artificial flies or lures; live bait of any kind is strictly prohibited.
- Prohibited methods (Rule 392(7), FNCRR 2017): poison, dynamite/explosives, electrical devices, firearms, large nets, closed nets (except for research), splashing/laving of water, dams to trap fish, traps and snares.
Recreational fishing is strictly catch-and-immediate-release. Possessing a golden mahseer dead or alive is an offence. There is no provision for spearfishing/underwater fishing anywhere in Bhutan's fishing rules.
Wat je mag meenemen
Vangstlimieten & beschermde soorten
Dagquota, minimummaten en soorten die nooit gevangen mogen worden.
Daglimiet
Catch-and-immediate-release only; no fish may be retained for recreational fishing. (Traditional 1974 minimum size was 8 inches; current recreational regime is fully catch-and-release.)
Beschermde soorten — niet meenemen
- BeschermdGolden mahseer (Tor putitora) - catch-and-release only; possession dead or alive is an offence
Recreational fishing is authorised only for four species (golden mahseer, chocolate mahseer, snow trout, brown trout) and all are catch-and-release. Commercial/customary capture fishery exists separately under community customary rights (Rule 283) and a trade licence (Rule 282).
Wie mag vissen
Bezoekers & inwoners
Hoe de regels verschillen voor buitenlandse bezoekers en lokale inwoners.
Buitenlandse bezoekers
ToegestaanSpeciale vergunning vereist
Vereisten
- Obtain a fishing permit/licence from DoFPS (higher foreigner fee schedule under Rule 281).
- Be accompanied by a nationally certified fishing guide.
- Arrange the fishing trip through a licensed Bhutanese tour operator.
- Comply with general visa/tourism entry requirements for Bhutan.
Beperkingen
- Catch-and-release angling only; no spearfishing.
- Same closed seasons, holy days, buffer zones and method prohibitions apply as for nationals.
Foreigners pay roughly double the national permit/licence fees. Spearfishing is not available to foreigners or nationals.
Inwoners
Fishing permit (<=1 week) or fishing licence (longer), DoFPS national fee schedule.
Vereisten
- Apply to nearest Range Office or Division/Park for a permit, or to the CFO/Division for a licence.
- Carry the valid permit/licence while fishing and produce on demand by a forest officer.
Voordelen
- Lower national fee schedule than foreigners (e.g. Nu. 500/day vs Nu. 1000/day).
- Communities with customary rights may harvest fish from designated water bodies under an approved management plan (Rule 283).
Spearfishing is not permitted for residents; only catch-and-release rod-and-line angling under permit.
Waar aan de kust
Toegestane & verboden zones
Genoemde gebieden die open of gesloten zijn voor speervissen. Bekijk het volledige beeld op de interactieve kaart.
Toegestane gebieden
Fishing in non-restricted areas is permitted with a valid permit/license. Since 2022 a high-end recreational (catch-and-release) fly-fishing programme operates on designated mahseer and trout zones (reported as several mahseer high-end zones and around eleven trout zones), only for four species: golden mahseer, chocolate mahseer, snow trout and brown trout. No spearfishing is permitted in any of these zones.
Valid DoFPS permit/licence required; rod-and-line angling only; single barbless hook; artificial flies/lures only; strictly catch-and-immediate-release; no live bait; closed seasons and Buddhist holy days apply.
Verboden gebieden
- Within 500 metres of any Monastery or Dzongcultural/religious buffer zone
Fishing is strictly prohibited within 500 metres of a Monastery and Dzong (Rule 392(6)(h), FNCRR 2017). The earlier 1974 rules used a one-mile buffer around a Gompa, Temple, Dzong or Lama School.
- Department-declared restricted fishing areasrestricted fishing area / conservation area
The Department of Forests and Park Services declares and designates restricted areas for fishing where fishing is not permitted (Rule 272, FNCRR 2017). Conservation areas and certain protected-area waters are restricted.
- Protected areas (national parks, wildlife sanctuaries) without permitprotected area / national park
Fishing within a protected area is only permitted with a valid permit obtained under Technical Regulations (Rule 251, FNCRR 2017). Without such a permit, fishing in protected areas is prohibited.
Wie je moet vragen
Autoriteiten
De officiële instanties die verantwoordelijk zijn voor visserij en vergunningen.
Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS)
forestry / nature conservation authority (regulates inland fishing)
dofps.gov.btMinistry of Energy and Natural Resources, Thimphu, BhutanMinistry of Energy and Natural Resources (formerly Ministry of Agriculture and Forests)
environment / natural resources ministry
moenr.gov.btThimphu, BhutanNational Centre for Riverine and Lake Fisheries (Department of Livestock)
fisheries research / aquaculture authority
Haa, Bhutan
Waar dit vandaan komt
Bronnen
Elke bewering op deze pagina is terug te voeren op een van deze referenties.
- [01]
Forest and Nature Conservation Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2017 (full text PDF, Royal Government of Bhutan)
Officieelbhutan.eregulations.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [02]
Bhutan Fishing Rules, 1974 (FAOLEX archived text, FAO)
Officieelfaolex.fao.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [03]
Bhutan Fishing Rules, 1974 - ECOLEX metadata record
Officieelecolex.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [04]
Forest and Nature Conservation Act of Bhutan, 1995 (AsianLII)
Officieelasianlii.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [05]
Bhutan: Getting popular for leisure fishing (ICSF) - recreational species, methods, seasons
Secundairicsf.netGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [06]
Fishing Rules & Regulations in Bhutan - VisitBhutan.com
Secundairvisitbhutan.comGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [07]
Fly-fishing, a prospective eco-tourism service - Kuensel (national newspaper)
Secundairkuenselonline.comGeraadpleegd jun 14
Notities van de onderzoeker
Bhutan is landlocked (no sea coastline), so there is no marine spearfishing. The relevant law is freshwater (inland) fishing law. Spearfishing / underwater fishing is NOT a recognised or permitted method anywhere in Bhutan: the only authorised recreational capture method is rod-and-line angling, strictly catch-and-immediate-release, with a single barbless hook and artificial lures, and live bait is banned. Destructive methods (poison, dynamite, electric devices, firearms, large/closed nets, traps, snares) are explicitly prohibited by Rule 392(7) of the Forest and Nature Conservation Rules and Regulations of Bhutan, 2017; spearing is not listed by name but is excluded because only rod-and-line angling is authorised and no permit exists for spearfishing. spearfishing_allowed is therefore set to 'no'. Verbatim legal text was extracted from the official FNCRR 2017 PDF (Royal Government of Bhutan) and the FAOLEX-archived 1974 rules; minor OCR artefacts in the 1974 text were silently corrected for readability without changing meaning. The high-end recreational fly-fishing programme (4 species, designated zones) was introduced via the 2022 amendment to the FNCRR 2017; the full verbatim text of the 2022 amendment was not retrievable, so the 2022-specific species list and zone counts rely on secondary (reputable) sources. Confidence is medium: national legal framework and method/season/zone prohibitions are well-sourced from official text; some 2022 amendment specifics and exact zone coordinates are from secondary sources or unavailable.
Stel me op de hoogte wanneer de regels van Bhutan veranderen
We mailen je wanneer de seizoenen of regelgeving van Bhutan in onze dataset worden bijgewerkt.