Dominica
Americas · Caribbean
Recreational spearfishing is not prohibited nationwide in Dominica, but it is regulated under the Fisheries Act (Chap. 61:60, Act 11 of 1987) and its subsidiary regulations. Section 38(1)(h) of the Act expressly empowers the Minister to regulate or prohibit the use of spear guns. Spear-gun fishing is specifically and explicitly prohibited inside the Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve under the Fisheries (Marine Reserve) Regulations 2001 (S.R.O. 7 of 2001), where the fish-nursery zone is fully no-take. Fishing in any declared marine reserve is also an offence under section 22(2) of the Act unless permitted in writing. Outside protected/reserve areas, no verbatim national text prohibiting recreational spear-gun use generally was located, so the activity appears legal but subject to general fisheries controls and licensing/sport-fishing rules made under section 38; confirmation should be sought from the Fisheries Division.
Laatst bijgewerkt juni 14, 2026
Geldend kader
- §Fisheries Act, Chapter 61:60 (Act 11 of 1987)
- §Fisheries (Marine Reserve) Regulations 2001 (Statutory Rules and Orders No. 7 of 2001)
- §Fisheries (Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve) Order 1998 (S.R.O. No. 17 of 1998)
- §National Parks and Protected Areas Act 1975 (Cabrits National Park, marine section)
- Duikfles
- 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.
Power to regulate or prohibit spear guns and to control sport fishing / scuba gear
Fisheries Act, Chapter 61:60 (Act 11 of 1987)
38. (1) The Minister may make Regulations generally for the management and development of fisheries in the fishery waters, and in particular, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, may make Regulations for all or any of the following purposes: ... (f) control and licensing sport fishing in the fishery waters; (g) regulating the use of scuba gear; (h) regulating or prohibiting the use of spear guns or other similar device;
Marine reserves - prohibition on fishing and disturbing flora/fauna without permission
Fisheries Act, Chapter 61:60 (Act 11 of 1987)
22. (1) The Minister may, by Order, declare any area of the fishery waters and, as appropriate, any adjacent or surrounding land, to be a marine reserve where he considers that special measures are necessary (a) to afford special protection to the flora and fauna of such areas and to protect and preserve the natural breeding ground and habitats of aquatic life, with particular regard to flora/fauna in danger of extinction; (b) to allow for the natural regeneration of aquatic life in areas where such life has been depleted; (c) to promote scientific study and research in respect of such areas; or (d) to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of such areas. (2) Any person who, in any marine reserve, without permission granted under subsection (3) (a) fishes or attempts to fish; (b) takes or destroys any flora and fauna other than fish; (c) dredges, extracts sand or gravel, discharges or deposits waste or any other polluting matter, or in any way disturbs, alters or destroys the natural environment; or (d) constructs or erects any buildings or other structures on or over any land or waters within such a reserve, is liable on summary conviction to a fine of five thousand dollars and, in default of payment thereof, to imprisonment for twelve months.
Prohibited fishing methods - explosives, poison or noxious substances
Fisheries Act, Chapter 61:60 (Act 11 of 1987)
24. (1) Any person who (a) permits to be used, uses or attempts to use any explosive, poison or other noxious substance for the purpose of killing, stunning, disabling or catching fish, or in any way rendering fish more easily caught; or (b) carries or has in his possession or control any explosive, poison or other noxious substance in circumstances indicating an intention of using such explosive, poison or other noxious substance for any of the purposes referred to in paragraph (a), is liable on summary conviction to a fine of one thousand dollars and, in default of payment thereof, to imprisonment for six months.
Definition of fishing
Fisheries Act, Chapter 61:60 (Act 11 of 1987)
"fishing" means fishing for or catching or taking or killing fish by any method or placing, searching for or retrieving any fish aggregating device and includes searching for fish;
Prohibition of spear-gun fishing and other activities in the Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve
Fisheries (Marine Reserve) Regulations 2001 (Statutory Rules and Orders No. 7 of 2001)
MADE by the Minister under section 38 of the Fisheries Act, Chap. 61:60. (Gazetted February 15th, 2001.) 1. These Regulations may be cited as the FISHERIES (MARINE RESERVE) REGULATIONS 2001. 2. In these Regulations, "marine reserve" means the Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve established under the Fisheries (Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve) Order 1998. 3. (1) A person shall not operate or engage in scuba diving, snorkeling or any other authorised aquatic activity in the marine reserve unless he pays the fees set out in the Schedule. (2) The fees referred to in subregulation (1) shall be paid to the Local Area Management Authority. 4. A person shall not (a) use a spear gun for the purpose of fishing in the marine reserve; (b) use a jet ski in the marine reserve; (c) water ski in the marine reserve; (d) undertake snorkeling or scuba diving activities in the marine reserve without a special permit issued for that purpose by the Chief Fisheries Officer; (e) moor, anchor or take any vessel or other apparatus used for transporting persons, into the marine reserve without permission to do so; ... (g) dispose of or dump any litter, soil, debris or pollutant in the marine reserve; (h) cause any pollutant to enter the marine reserve; or (i) operate any water sports activity in the marine reserve unless (i) he is registered by the Local Area Management Authority to do so; (ii) he is the holder of a valid licence issued by the Chief Fisheries Officer. ... 6. A person who contravenes any of the provisions of these Regulations commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding three thousand dollars and in default to twelve months imprisonment.
Wanneer je mag duiken
Seizoenen & tijdsbeperkingen
Gesloten, open en beperkte perioden door het jaar heen. Bevestig soortspecifieke sluitingen altijd lokaal.
Geen seizoenssluitingen geregistreerd — controleer lokaal voordat je duikt.
Toestemming om te vissen
Vergunning
Wat je nodig hebt om het water in te mogen, wat het kost en hoe je het krijgt.
Application for a local fishing licence is made in the prescribed form to the Minister (Fisheries Act s.11(3)). Inside the Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve, registration with the Local Area Management Authority and/or a valid licence from the Chief Fisheries Officer is required for water sports/aquatic activities, plus payment of user fees.
Vraag je vergunning aanOpent het officiële portaal · faolex.fao.org
- Type
- Local fishing licence (Fisheries Act s.11); sport fishing controlled/licensed under s.38(1)(f). Vessels used purely for sport fishing are exempt from the local fishing licence requirement (s.11(2)).
- Kosten
- unknown
- Geldigheid
- Local fishing licence: not more than twelve months (Fisheries Act s.12(1)).
- Hoe te verkrijgen
- Application for a local fishing licence is made in the prescribed form to the Minister (Fisheries Act s.11(3)). Inside the Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve, registration with the Local Area Management Authority and/or a valid licence from the Chief Fisheries Officer is required for water sports/aquatic activities, plus payment of user fees.
- Autoriteit
- Fisheries Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy (Chief Fisheries Officer); Local Area Management Authority for the SSMR.
Uitrusting & techniek
Uitrustingsregels
Welke uitrusting is toegestaan, hoe die gebruikt mag worden en welke voorwaarden eraan verbonden zijn.
Beperkingen
- Spear guns are expressly prohibited for fishing inside the Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve (Fisheries (Marine Reserve) Regulations 2001, reg. 4(a)).
- The Minister may by regulation regulate or prohibit the use of spear guns or other similar devices nationwide (Fisheries Act s.38(1)(h)).
- Use of scuba gear may be regulated by the Minister (Fisheries Act s.38(1)(g)); inside the SSMR scuba/snorkel require a special permit from the Chief Fisheries Officer and payment of fees.
- Explosives, poisons and other noxious substances are prohibited fishing methods (Fisheries Act s.24).
No verbatim national text was found stating whether spearfishing while on scuba is allowed or banned outside reserves; combining scuba with spearfishing should be checked with the Fisheries Division. Speargun status is set to null (unknown) outside protected areas because no nationwide prohibition text was retrieved.
Wat je mag meenemen
Vangstlimieten & beschermde soorten
Dagquota, minimummaten en soorten die nooit gevangen mogen worden.
Daglimiet
unknown
The Fisheries Act s.38(1)(b) empowers regulations prescribing minimum species sizes, closed seasons, closed areas and prohibited methods, but specific catch/size limits applicable to spearfishing were not located in the retrieved texts. Dominica is a CITES party and regional/international protections (e.g. marine turtles, marine mammals) apply; confirm current species lists with the Fisheries Division.
Wie mag vissen
Bezoekers & inwoners
Hoe de regels verschillen voor buitenlandse bezoekers en lokale inwoners.
Buitenlandse bezoekers
Beperkingen
- Same marine-reserve prohibitions apply to everyone, including visitors: no spear-gun fishing inside the SSMR, and user fees apply to divers/snorkelers (the fee Schedule distinguishes members vs non-members of the Dominica Water Sports Association).
No specific rule explicitly addressing foreign recreational spearfishers was retrieved. Foreign fishing vessels require a foreign fishing licence under s.8, but this targets commercial/foreign-vessel fishing rather than individual recreational spearfishing from shore or local boats. Confirm visitor rules with the Fisheries Division.
Inwoners
unknown
Voordelen
- Members of the Dominica Water Sports Association (or a similar organisation) pay reduced SSMR fees compared with non-members (Fisheries (Marine Reserve) Regulations 2001, Schedule).
No specific resident-only recreational spearfishing rules were retrieved beyond the SSMR fee differentiation for association members.
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
- Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve (SSMR)marine reserve
Marine reserve on the south-western tip of Dominica covering Scott's Head and Soufriere villages to Anse Bateau near Pointe Michel. Spear-gun fishing is expressly prohibited (Fisheries (Marine Reserve) Regulations 2001, reg. 4(a)); the Soufriere fish-nursery zone is a no-take area where no fishing is allowed. Managed by a Local Area Management Authority (LAMA) established under S.R.O. 17 of 1998; entry/user fees apply and scuba/snorkel require a special permit from the Chief Fisheries Officer.
- Cabrits National Park - Marine Sectionnational park (marine section)
Marine section of the Cabrits National Park in Prince Rupert Bay / Portsmouth on Dominica's north coast (extending from the Lamothe River, Douglas Point, Tube Reef, Toucari, toward 5-Finger Rock). A protected area under the National Parks and Protected Areas Act 1975 and a marine conservation zone; fishing and spearfishing are restricted within the protected marine area. Specific verbatim spearfishing prohibition text was not retrieved, so treat as a protected/restricted zone pending confirmation from the management plan or Fisheries Division.
Condities op het water
Live condities
Live mariene en weersmomentopname nabij een kustreferentiepunt in Dominica, van Open-Meteo. Condities variëren langs de kust — beschouw als indicatief.
Live mariene & weerscondities nabij Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve (SSMR).
Wie je moet vragen
Autoriteiten
De officiële instanties die verantwoordelijk zijn voor visserij en vergunningen.
Fisheries Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy
fisheries authority
dominica.gov.dmChief Fisheries Officer, Roseau, Commonwealth of DominicaLocal Area Management Authority (LAMA), Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve
marine protected area management authority
ssmrdominica.comSSMR office / wardens, Soufriere, Dominica
Waar dit vandaan komt
Bronnen
Elke bewering op deze pagina is terug te voeren op een van deze referenties.
- [01]
Laws of Dominica - Fisheries Act, Chapter 61:60 (Act 11 of 1987) - full text (FAOLEX)
Officieelfaolex.fao.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [02]
Fisheries (Marine Reserve) Regulations 2001, S.R.O. No. 7 of 2001 - full text
Officieelavirtualdominica.comGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [03]
Fisheries Act 1987 - legislation record (InforMEA / UNEP)
Secundairinformea.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [04]
About the SSMR - Soufriere Scotts Head Marine Reserve (official reserve site)
Officieelssmrdominica.comGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [05]
Soufriere-Scott's Head Marine Reserve - a virtual Dominica
Secundairavirtualdominica.comGeraadpleegd jun 14 - [06]
Marine Section of the Cabrits National Park - DOM767 Dompedia
Secundairdom767.comGeraadpleegd jun 14
Notities van de onderzoeker
Spearfishing in Dominica is governed by the Fisheries Act, Chap. 61:60 (Act 11 of 1987) and subsidiary regulations. The Act itself does not impose a blanket national spear-gun ban; instead s.38(1)(h) empowers the Minister to regulate or prohibit spear guns. The only verbatim spear-gun prohibition located is inside the Soufriere/Scott's Head Marine Reserve under the Fisheries (Marine Reserve) Regulations 2001 (reg. 4(a)), where spear-gun fishing is forbidden, the fish-nursery zone is no-take, and divers/snorkelers must pay fees and obtain a special permit from the Chief Fisheries Officer. General marine-reserve fishing is an offence under s.22(2). The Cabrits National Park marine section is a protected area where fishing/spearfishing is restricted, but a verbatim spearfishing prohibition text was not retrieved. Overall status set to 'restricted'. Both primary law PDFs (Fisheries Act and S.R.O. 7/2001) are scanned documents; verbatim text was extracted via the documents' embedded text layer (OCR) and minor OCR artefacts in the original were normalised without altering legal meaning. data_confidence is 'medium' because two primary instruments were obtained verbatim but no current official catch/size limits, licence fees, or an explicit general (non-reserve) spearfishing rule were confirmed; verify with the Fisheries Division before relying on this for legal compliance. Cabrits marine-section coordinates are approximate (Prince Rupert Bay area).
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