SpearfishingMap

Viet Nam

Asia · South-Eastern Asia

Recreational spearfishing is not specifically prohibited under national law and is practised along Vietnam's coast, but it is heavily restricted in practice. There is no spearfishing-specific statute; the activity is governed by the general Law on Fisheries 2017 (18/2017/QH14) and Decree 26/2019/ND-CP. Spearfishing is prohibited inside marine protected areas (MPAs), national parks, nature reserves and their strictly protected sub-zones (e.g. Hon Mun/Nha Trang Bay, Cu Lao Cham, Con Dao, Phu Quoc), and the use of 'destructive methods, means and fishing tackle' as well as banned substances, explosives, electricity and toxins is forbidden nationwide. Catching endangered/precious/rare aquatic species (turtles, marine mammals, many corals, giant clams, etc.) is banned. No recreational licence is generally required, but importing a speargun can be treated as importing a weapon at customs. Exact recreational catch/size limits and zone boundaries are not centrally published, so divers must check with local authorities.

Restricted
Betrouwbaarheid van gegevensGemiddelde betrouwbaarheid

Laatst bijgewerkt juni 15, 2026

Geldend kader

  • §Law on Fisheries No. 18/2017/QH14 (2017, in force 1 January 2019)
  • §Decree No. 26/2019/ND-CP detailing implementation of the Law on Fisheries (2019)
Vergunning vereist
Niet vereist
Duikfles
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.

01Article 7Viet Nam · national

Prohibited actions in fishing activities

Law on Fisheries No. 18/2017/QH14

ENVertaald

Article 7. Prohibited actions in fishing activities 1. Destruction of aquatic resources, aquatic ecosystem, reproductive areas, areas where offspring live and residence of aquatic species. 2. Obstruction of natural migration patterns of aquatic species. 3. Encroachment of or damage to protected zones of aquatic resource and MPAs. 4. Catching of fishery products, aquaculture and construction and other activities that affect the habitats and aquatic resources in subdivisions under strict protection and subdivisions of ecological recovery of MPAs. 5. Illegal operation of fishing vessels and other watercrafts in subdivisions under strict protection of MPAs except for force majeure. 6. Illegal fishing, unreported fishing, unregulated fishing (hereinafter referred to as “illegal fishing”); purchase, sale, transport, storage, preliminary processing and processing of fishery products originating from illegal fishing, fishery products with impurities for commercial fraud purposes. 7. Use of banned substances or chemicals, toxins, explosives, electric impulses, electric currents, destructive methods, means and fishing tackle for extracting aquatic resources.

02Article 15Viet Nam · national

Marine protected areas (MPAs)

Law on Fisheries No. 18/2017/QH14

ENVertaald

Article 15. MPAs 1. MPAs include national parks, nature reserves, species and habitat conservation areas and landscape protection zones. MPAs shall be classified in accordance with regulations of law on biodiversity. 2. Criteria for establishing nature reserves and landscape conservation areas shall comply with regulations of law on biodiversity. 3. Criteria for establishing a national park: a) Its marine ecosystem is significant to Vietnam and the world, is special or represents a natural ecoregion; b) The park is a regular or seasonal natural habitat of at least an aquatic species included in the list of endangered, precious and rare aquatic species that are entitled to prior protection or included in the group of aquatic species banned from extraction of the abovementioned list; c) It has special values to science and education; d) It has environmental landscapes, unique beauty of nature and ecotourism values.

03Articles 7 and 8Viet Nam · national

Management and protection of endangered, precious and rare aquatic species

Decree No. 26/2019/ND-CP detailing the Law on Fisheries

ENVertaald

Article 7. List of endangered, precious and rare aquatic species ... 1. Endangered, precious and rare aquatic species are classified into 2 groups, including Group I and Group II. 4. The List of endangered, precious and rare aquatic species is provided in the Appendix II hereof. Article 8. Management and protection of endangered, precious and rare aquatic species 1. Species classified into Group I shall be caught to serve one of the following purposes: conservation, scientific research, creation of original breeds and international cooperation. 2. Species classified into Group II shall be caught to serve one of the following purposes: conservation, scientific research, creation of original breeds and international cooperation or satisfy the conditions specified in Section II Appendix II hereof. 3. Organizations and individuals catching endangered, precious and rare aquatic species for the purpose of conservation, scientific research, creation of original breeds or international cooperation shall obtain a written approval from the Directorate of Fisheries and submit reports on implementation results to the Directorate of Fisheries.

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.

Geen vergunning vereistvia Directorate of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)
Geen vergunning vereist
Type
No general recreational fishing licence
Kosten
No national licence fee; some private fishing lakes charge a daily fee (reported ~VND 100,000 per rod).
Geldigheid
unknown
Hoe te verkrijgen
No licence is required for recreational fishing in public waters. A written approval from the Directorate of Fisheries is required only to catch listed endangered/precious/rare species (conservation/research purposes).
Autoriteit
Directorate of Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)

Uitrusting & techniek

Uitrustingsregels

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

DuikflesVerboden

Beperkingen

  • Use of 'destructive methods, means and fishing tackle' for extracting aquatic resources is prohibited (Law on Fisheries Art. 7(7)); enforcement to spearguns is at authorities' discretion.
  • Explosives, electric current/impulses, toxins and banned chemicals/substances are strictly prohibited nationwide (Art. 7(7)).
  • Secondary sources report harpooning while using scuba diving equipment is not permitted.
  • Importing a speargun may be treated as importing a weapon at Vietnamese customs and should be declared; weapons import is restricted.

Vietnamese law contains no explicit speargun-specific provision. The legality of speargun use hinges on location (banned in all MPAs/national parks) and the general ban on 'destructive' gear and methods. Customs treatment of spearguns as weapons is the most concrete practical constraint for travellers.

Wat je mag meenemen

Vangstlimieten & beschermde soorten

Dagquota, minimummaten en soorten die nooit gevangen mogen worden.

Daglimiet

unknown

Beschermde soorten — niet meenemen

  • BeschermdEndangered, precious and rare aquatic species Group I and Group II per Decree 26/2019/ND-CP Appendix II (186 species; 126 in Group I banned from commercial exploitation)
  • BeschermdAll marine mammal species in Vietnamese waters (Group I)
  • BeschermdMarine turtles
  • BeschermdCITES Appendix-listed aquatic species

No publicly consolidated recreational daily bag or minimum-size table was located. Catching any Group I endangered/precious/rare species is prohibited except by written approval from the Directorate of Fisheries (Decree 26/2019 Art. 8). Corals, giant clams, seahorses and similar reef organisms are commonly listed and must not be taken.

Wie mag vissen

Bezoekers & inwoners

Hoe de regels verschillen voor buitenlandse bezoekers en lokale inwoners.

Buitenlandse bezoekers

Toegestaan

Vereisten

  • Comply with the same Law on Fisheries / Decree 26 rules as residents.
  • Declare spearfishing/diving equipment at customs; a speargun may be classed as a weapon.

Beperkingen

  • No spearfishing inside MPAs, national parks or nature reserves.
  • The Law on Fisheries applies to foreign individuals engaged in fishery in Vietnam's land, islands, archipelago and sea.

Foreigners are not specifically barred from recreational spearfishing in open, non-protected coastal waters, but the same prohibitions and the customs weapons concern apply. Local guidance is strongly advised.

Inwoners

No general recreational licence

Vereisten

  • Comply with Law on Fisheries 2017 and Decree 26/2019/ND-CP.
  • Do not fish in MPAs / strictly protected zones or take protected species.

Same baseline rules as foreigners; traditional/subsistence coastal fishing exists but commercial capture is licensed separately under the Law on Fisheries.

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

  • Vietnam's first marine conservation area, in Nha Trang Bay, with a strictly protected core zone where fishing/extraction is not allowed. As an MPA, spearfishing is prohibited under Law on Fisheries Art. 7(3)(4).

  • Cu Lao Cham (Cham Islands) MPA / UNESCO Biosphere Reservemarine protected area / biosphere reserve

    Marine protected area and UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve (designated 2009) off Hoi An, established for biodiversity protection. Spearfishing is prohibited as an MPA under Law on Fisheries Art. 7.

  • Con Dao National Park (Con Dao Archipelago)national park / marine protected area

    National marine park and one of Vietnam's most important sites for marine and coastal biodiversity (sea turtles, dugongs, coral). Fishing/extraction in the marine national park is prohibited; spearfishing not allowed under Law on Fisheries Art. 7.

  • Phu Quoc Marine Protected Areamarine protected area

    Marine protected area around Phu Quoc Island (Kien Giang). Spearfishing is reported as illegal/prohibited here; a local tour operator discontinued spearfishing trips after guides were found targeting reef fish in MPA reef areas.

Condities op het water

Live condities

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

Live mariene & weerscondities nabij Hon Mun Marine Protected Area (Nha Trang Bay).

Condities

Wie je moet vragen

Autoriteiten

De officiële instanties die verantwoordelijk zijn voor visserij en vergunningen.

  • Directorate of Fisheries (Tong cuc Thuy san), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)

    fisheries authority

  • Marine protected area management boards (e.g. Hon Mun MPA, Cu Lao Cham MPA, Con Dao National Park)

    marine protected area authority

    unknown

Waar dit vandaan komt

Bronnen

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

  1. [01]

    Law on Fisheries No. 18/2017/QH14 (English) – FAO FAOLEX full text PDF

    Officieel
    faolex.fao.orgGeraadpleegd jun 15
  2. [02]

    Law on Fisheries (18/2017/QH14) record – ECOLEX

    Officieel
    ecolex.orgGeraadpleegd jun 15
  3. [03]

    Decree No. 26/2019/ND-CP detailing the Law on Fisheries (English) – VASEP PDF

    Officieel
    seafood.vasep.com.vnGeraadpleegd jun 15
  4. [04]

    Spearfishing is illegal in Marine Protected Areas and so is Phu Quoc – OnBird

    community
    onbird.vnGeraadpleegd jun 15
  5. [05]

    Spearfishing Rules Worldwide – Vietnam entry – harpune.info

    Secundair
    harpune.infoGeraadpleegd jun 15
  6. [06]

    Hon Mun Island marine conservation area – Vinpearl

    Secundair
    vinpearl.comGeraadpleegd jun 15
  7. [07]

    Cham Islands (Cu Lao Cham) travel guide – Hoi An Day Trip

    Secundair
    hoiandaytrip.comGeraadpleegd jun 15
  8. [08]

    Vietnam National Parks (incl. Con Dao) – Indochina Travel

    Secundair
    indochinatravel.comGeraadpleegd jun 15
  9. [09]

    Vietnam conservation regulations / Decree 26 species groups – Mongabay

    Secundair
    news.mongabay.comGeraadpleegd jun 15

Notities van de onderzoeker

Vietnam has no spearfishing-specific law; legality is inferred from the Law on Fisheries 2017 and Decree 26/2019. Spearfishing is practised in open coastal waters but is prohibited in all MPAs, national parks and nature reserves and where 'destructive' gear/methods are used. Verbatim provisions captured (Law Art. 7, 15; Decree 26 Art. 7-8) are official FAO/government English translations. Specific recreational catch/size limits, closed seasons and precise MPA no-take boundary coordinates were not found in centrally published official form; zone coordinates given are approximate island/bay centroids from secondary sources, not legal boundaries. The customs treatment of spearguns as weapons is a notable practical risk for travellers. Confidence is medium: primary legal texts are solid, but recreational-specific detail relies on secondary tourism/dive sources. fishinginvietnam.com pages (which discuss spearfishing spots and the no-recreational-licence rule and ~VND 100,000/rod lake fees) returned HTTP 403 to direct fetch; their key facts are reflected from search summaries only.

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