SpearfishingMap

Jordan

Asia · Western Asia

Jordan has a single short coastline (~27 km) on the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea), administered by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA). Recreational/amateur fishing from shore and by tourist boats is prohibited, and spearfishing (harpoon hunting by divers) is not permitted along the Aqaba coast. Fishing of all resident species is governed by Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020 on the regulation of fishing of fish and aquatic life in the Gulf of Aqaba, which lists permitted gear (bait nets, lines and hooks) and bans metal traps (sakhawi) and gill nets (shawarat); spearguns/harpoons are not among the permitted gear. The Aqaba Marine Reserve (Jordan's first marine protected area) bans fishing in all forms within its boundaries. A four-month total closed season (1 January to 30 April) applies each year. There is no marine spearfishing fishery and no recognised recreational spearfishing regime; the dead Sea and inland freshwater bodies have no spearfishing provision either.

Prohibited
Betrouwbaarheid van gegevensGemiddelde betrouwbaarheid

Laatst bijgewerkt januari 1, 2026

Geldend kader

  • §Instructions No. (Z/1) for the Regulation of Fishing of Fish and Aquatic Life in the Gulf of Aqaba, 2020 (published in the Official Gazette, April 2020; replaced Instructions No. (G/5) of 2006)
  • §Agriculture Law of Jordan (Law No. 13 of 2015, as amended)
  • §Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority Law (ASEZA mandate over the Aqaba coast and marine environment)
  • §Aqaba Marine Reserve regulatory framework and Management Plan 2022-2026 (Jordan National Protected Areas network)
Vergunning vereist
Vereist
Harpoengeweer
Verboden
Duikfles
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.

01Announced gear prohibitionsAqaba Special Economic Zone (Gulf of Aqaba) · regional

Prohibition of metal traps and gill nets on licensed fishing boats (Aqaba)

ASEZA official announcement applying Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020 on the regulation of fishing in the Gulf of Aqaba

AROrigineel

يمنع حمل الأفخاخ المعدنية ( السخاوي ) والشباك الخيشومية ( الشوارات )

02Announced fishing prohibitionsAqaba Special Economic Zone (Gulf of Aqaba) · regional

Prohibition of all fishing by tourist and glass-bottom boats (Aqaba)

ASEZA official announcement applying Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020 on the regulation of fishing in the Gulf of Aqaba

AROrigineel

يمنع ممارسة الصيد اطلاقاً من قبل القوارب السياحية وذات القاع الزجاجي

03Announced fishing prohibitionsAqaba Special Economic Zone (Gulf of Aqaba) · regional

Prohibition of amateur and visitor fishing from the shore (Aqaba)

ASEZA official announcement applying Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020 on the regulation of fishing in the Gulf of Aqaba

AROrigineel

يمنع الصيد إطلاقاً من قبل الهواة والزوار عن طريق الشاطئ

04Closed-season decisionAqaba Special Economic Zone (Gulf of Aqaba) · regional

Annual four-month suspension of all forms of fishing in the Gulf of Aqaba (2026 season)

ASEZA decision based on Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020 on the regulation of fishing of fish and aquatic life in the Gulf of Aqaba

AROrigineel

أعلنت سلطة منطقة العقبة الاقتصادية الخاصة عن وقف الصيد بمختلف أشكاله، الاحترافي والترفيهي، اعتباراً من صباح اليوم الخميس الموافق 1 كانون الثاني 2026، ولغاية مساء يوم الخميس الموافق 30 نيسان 2026 ... ويستند وقف الصيد إلى تعليمات تنظيم صيد الأسماك والأحياء المائية في خليج العقبة رقم (ز/1) لسنة 2020. ويمنع القرار صيد كافة أنواع الأسماك المتوطنة سواء من المياه الشاطئية أو العميقة، بينما يُسمح للصيادين المرخصين بصيد الأسماك المهاجرة فقط مثل التونا والفرس.

05Article 2 (Definitions)Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan · national

Definition of 'fishing' under Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020

Instructions No. (Z/1) for the Regulation of Fishing of Fish and Aquatic Life in the Gulf of Aqaba, 2020

AROrigineel

الصيد: عملية جمع الأسماك بمختلف أنواعها وأحجامها من البحر

Wanneer je mag duiken

Seizoenen & tijdsbeperkingen

Gesloten, open en beperkte perioden door het jaar heen. Bevestig soortspecifieke sluitingen altijd lokaal.

jan
feb
mrt
apr
mei
jun
jul
aug
sep
okt
nov
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GeslotenBeperktOpen
  • GeslotenAll resident (non-migratory) fish species in the Gulf of Aqaba; all forms of fishing (professional and recreational), from shore and deep waterjan 1 – apr 30

    Annual four-month total fishing ban applied by ASEZA each year (in force for the 2026 season for the 4th consecutive year, 1 January to 30 April 2026) under Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020, to protect resident fish stocks during their spawning and egg-laying period. During the closure only licensed fishers may catch migratory species (tuna varieties and horse mackerel/kingfish, 'al-faras').

Toestemming om te vissen

Vergunning

Wat je nodig hebt om het water in te mogen, wat het kost en hoe je het krijgt.

Vergunning vereistvia Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA)

Through the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) under Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020; licences authorise boat operation and/or fishing with permitted gear only. Spearfishing is not a licensable activity.

Vraag je vergunning aan

Opent het officiële portaal · aseza.jo

Vergunning vereist
Type
Fishing licence issued by ASEZA / Ministry of Agriculture for the Gulf of Aqaba (professional and recreational categories); no recreational spearfishing licence exists.
Kosten
unknown
Geldigheid
unknown
Hoe te verkrijgen
Through the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) under Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020; licences authorise boat operation and/or fishing with permitted gear only. Spearfishing is not a licensable activity.
Autoriteit
Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA)

Uitrusting & techniek

Uitrustingsregels

Welke uitrusting is toegestaan, hoe die gebruikt mag worden en welke voorwaarden eraan verbonden zijn.

HarpoengeweerVerboden
DuikflesVerboden

Beperkingen

  • Harpoon/speargun hunting by divers is not a permitted fishing method in the Gulf of Aqaba
  • Metal traps (sakhawi) prohibited on licensed boats
  • Gill nets (shawarat) prohibited on licensed boats
  • Only nets designated for bait collection, plus lines and hooks, are permitted gear
  • Net fishing on/over coral reefs is banned

Permitted fishing is limited to lines, hooks and bait-collection nets for licensed fishers targeting migratory species; spearguns and harpoons are not listed among permitted gear. Within the Aqaba Marine Reserve all fishing is prohibited regardless of gear.

Wat je mag meenemen

Vangstlimieten & beschermde soorten

Dagquota, minimummaten en soorten die nooit gevangen mogen worden.

Daglimiet

unknown

Beschermde soorten — niet meenemen

  • BeschermdAll resident (endemic) Gulf of Aqaba fish species during the 1 January - 30 April closed season
  • BeschermdCorals and reef-associated organisms (protected within the Aqaba Marine Reserve)

During the annual closed season only migratory species (tuna varieties such as skipjack/yellowfin/bigeye and horse mackerel / kingfish 'al-faras') may be taken by licensed fishers. No published numeric daily bag or minimum-size limits were retrievable from official sources.

Wie mag vissen

Bezoekers & inwoners

Hoe de regels verschillen voor buitenlandse bezoekers en lokale inwoners.

Buitenlandse bezoekers

Niet toegestaan

Beperkingen

  • Amateur/visitor (tourist) fishing from shore is prohibited for everyone, including foreigners
  • Spearfishing/harpoon hunting by divers is not permitted for visitors

Tourists and visitors cannot fish from the shore or from tourist/glass-bottom boats, and spearfishing is not an allowed activity. Dive tourism is reef-conservation oriented; operators state harpoon hunting is not done in Aqaba.

Inwoners

ASEZA professional or recreational fishing licence (Gulf of Aqaba)

Vereisten

  • Hold a valid ASEZA/Ministry of Agriculture fishing licence
  • Use only permitted gear (lines, hooks, bait-collection nets)
  • Observe the annual 1 January - 30 April closure (only migratory species permitted)

Voordelen

  • Licensed fishers who comply with the closed-season suspension receive monthly compensation of 400 Jordanian Dinars during the closure period (announced for the 2026 season)

Recreational and professional categories exist for residents; spearfishing is not a licensable category for residents either.

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

  • Jordan's first marine protected area, managed by ASEZA. Runs along roughly 7 km of the eastern shore near the head of the Gulf of Aqaba, from the southern boundary of the Passenger Port (north) to the southern boundary of the Royal Diving Club (south); marine boundary extends ~350 m west of the shoreline and the land boundary ~50 m east. Fishing is prohibited in all forms within its boundaries: 'Do not fish in any form.' Spearfishing/harpoon hunting by divers is not permitted.

  • Gulf of Aqaba (entire Jordanian coast)regulated coastal fishing zone

    Across the whole Jordanian Aqaba coast, amateur/visitor shore fishing and fishing by tourist and glass-bottom boats are prohibited, and harpoon/spearfishing by divers is not an allowed method; only licensed line-and-hook and bait-net fishing for migratory species is permitted outside the protected reserve, subject to the annual closed season.

Condities op het water

Live condities

Live mariene en weersmomentopname nabij een kustreferentiepunt in Jordan, van Open-Meteo. Condities variëren langs de kust — beschouw als indicatief.

Live mariene & weerscondities nabij Aqaba Marine Reserve (Aqaba Marine Park).

Condities

Wie je moet vragen

Autoriteiten

De officiële instanties die verantwoordelijk zijn voor visserij en vergunningen.

  • Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) - Commissioner of Environment and Public Safety

    maritime/coastal regulatory authority; manager of the Aqaba Marine Reserve

    aseza.joAqaba, Jordan
  • Ministry of Agriculture of Jordan

    fisheries authority (issued Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020 under the Agriculture Law)

    moa.gov.joAmman, Jordan
  • Royal Marine Conservation Society of Jordan (JREDS)

    marine conservation NGO (consultative partner on Aqaba fishing regulations)

    jreds.orgJordan

Waar dit vandaan komt

Bronnen

Elke bewering op deze pagina is terug te voeren op een van deze referenties.

  1. [01]

    Aqaba Marine Reserve - ASEZA official page (prohibited activities, boundaries)

    Officieel
    aseza.joGeraadpleegd jun 14
  2. [02]

    ASEZA official announcement - four-month fishing ban in the Gulf of Aqaba (gear prohibitions, shore/tourist-boat fishing ban)

    Officieel
    aseza.joGeraadpleegd jun 14
  3. [03]

    ASEZA official announcement - application of the 2020 fishing regulation instructions

    Officieel
    aseza.joGeraadpleegd jun 14
  4. [04]

    Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020 on the regulation of fishing of fish and aquatic life in the Gulf of Aqaba (Qistas legal database)

    Officieel
    qistas.comGeraadpleegd jun 14
  5. [05]

    Al-Mamlaka TV - ASEZA suspends fishing in the Gulf of Aqaba until end of April 2026 (2026 closed season, legal basis, compensation)

    Secundair
    almamlakatv.comGeraadpleegd jun 14
  6. [06]

    Hanns Seidel Foundation Jordan - New Fishing Regulations for the Gulf of Aqaba (2020 instructions replacing 2006, Official Gazette April 2020)

    Secundair
    jordan.hss.deGeraadpleegd jun 14
  7. [07]

    Arab Divers - Deep Fishing in Aqaba (states harpoon/diver spearfishing not done; fishing forbidden in Aqaba Marine Park)

    community
    arabdivers.joGeraadpleegd jun 14
  8. [08]

    Wikipedia - Aqaba Marine Reserve (coordinates, managing authority, area)

    Secundair
    en.wikipedia.orgGeraadpleegd jun 14
  9. [09]

    Jordan Times - ASEZA implements four-month fishing suspension for environmental conservation

    Secundair
    jordantimes.comGeraadpleegd jun 14

Notities van de onderzoeker

Jordan's only marine coast is ~27 km on the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea), governed by ASEZA. No recreational spearfishing regime exists: amateur/visitor shore fishing and tourist/glass-bottom-boat fishing are banned, harpoon hunting by divers is not a permitted method, and all fishing is banned inside the Aqaba Marine Reserve. The primary instrument is Instructions No. (Z/1) of 2020 (Official Gazette, April 2020), issued under the Agriculture Law and replacing Instructions No. (G/5) of 2006; an annual 1 Jan - 30 Apr total closure applies (in force for 2026, the 4th consecutive year). Verbatim Arabic provisions on banned gear (metal traps 'sakhawi', gill nets 'shawarat'), the shore/tourist-boat fishing ban, and the closure were captured from the official ASEZA announcement. The full article-by-article text of Instructions No. (Z/1) (e.g. an explicit named spearfishing prohibition) is paywalled on the Qistas legal database; only the title, definitions (Article 2) and committee article (Article 3) were publicly retrievable, so the 'no spearfishing' conclusion rests on (a) only lines/hooks/bait-nets being permitted gear, (b) the total amateur/shore fishing ban, (c) the all-forms fishing ban in the marine reserve, and (d) dive-operator confirmation - rather than on a single verbatim 'spearfishing prohibited' clause. data_confidence set to medium for this reason. Freshwater/inland (e.g. Dead Sea, dams) has no spearfishing provision and no fishery of relevance. Numeric bag/size limits and licence cost were not retrievable from official sources and are marked unknown.

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