Egypt
Africa · Northern Africa
Recreational spearfishing is heavily restricted and in practice effectively prohibited across most of Egypt's waters, especially the Red Sea. Egypt has no specific recreational spearfishing licence regime; underwater fishing is governed by the general fisheries framework (Law No. 146 of 2021 for the Protection and Development of Lakes and Fisheries), which bans fishing without a licence and prohibits destructive methods. Since 1 May 2024 a sweeping prohibition suspended ALL recreational fishing and competitions for five years across the Red Sea, Gulf of Suez and Gulf of Aqaba. Spearfishing inside the network of Red Sea marine protected areas / national parks (Ras Mohammed, the Brothers / El Ikhwa Islands, and other declared protectorates) is forbidden as these are no-take zones. Protected species - including all sea turtles, all sharks, marine mammals (dolphins, whales) and, per dive-industry guidance, Napoleon wrasse - may not be taken under any circumstances. Where any underwater fishing is tolerated, scuba spearfishing is illegal (freediving only). Enforcement varies by area but penalties include heavy fines, gear confiscation and, in Ras Mohammed National Park, possible imprisonment. Travellers and operators are advised not to spearfish.
Sist oppdatert Juni 16, 2026
Styrende rammeverk
- §Law No. 146 of 2021 for the Protection and Development of Lakes and Fisheries (64 articles, 5 chapters)
- §Law No. 124 of 1983 on Fishing, Aquatic Life and the Regulation of Fish Farms (licensing; partly superseded/amended by Law 146/2021)
- §Law No. 4 of 1994 on the Environment (Environmental Law), Article 28 (protection of wildlife and marine living organisms)
- §Decree No. 159 of 2009 (protection of dolphins in the Mediterranean Sea)
- §Resolution No. 1437 of 2021 (ban on fishing of marine mammals)
- §Red Sea recreational and commercial fishing suspension decree, effective 1 May 2024 (five-year ban)
- Lisens påkrevd
- Påkrevd
- Spydgevær
- Forbudt
- Scuba
- Forbudt
- Utlendinger
- Ikke tillatt
Loven, ordrett
Lovtekster
De eksakte lovfestede og regulatoriske bestemmelsene som gjelder for spearfishing her, sitert slik de er publisert, med lenke til hver offisiell kilde.
Protection of wildlife and marine living organisms
Environmental Law (Law No. 4 of 1994 on the Environment)
Hunting, killing, catching birds and wild animals or marine living organisms; as well as possessing, transporting, importing and exporting or offering to sell such birds and animals, either dead or alive, as a whole, in part or their derivatives, or practicing activities that tend to destroy their natural habitats or properties or damage their nests, eggs or their offspring. The Executive Regulation of this law shall determine species of these creatures and sites to which the provisions of the above mentioned paragraph shall apply.
Prohibition of dolphin fishing in the Mediterranean Sea
Decree No. 159 of 2009
Dolphin fishing in the Mediterranean Sea is strictly prohibited with any fishing gear or any means of aggregation during the period from 1 January to 14 August each year.
Når du kan dykke
Sesonger og tidsbegrensninger
Lukkede, åpne og begrensede perioder gjennom året. Bekreft alltid artsspesifikke lukkinger lokalt.
- LukketAll recreational fishing and fishing competitions in the Red Sea, Gulf of Suez and Gulf of AqabaMai 1 – Mai 1
From 1 May 2024 all recreational fishing and competitions are suspended for five years across the Red Sea, Gulf of Suez and Aqaba to reduce pressure on the ecosystem during fish reproduction. Commercial fishing using shanshula and trawl methods is likewise prohibited for five years.
- LukketSale/trade of Red Sea fish in markets, restaurants and shops (breeding-season trade ban)Apr 15 – Jul 15
All trade of Red Sea fish was prohibited in markets, restaurants and shops from 15 April to 15 July 2024 to reduce demand and protect breeding stocks; pleasure boats were restricted to day trips only during this peak breeding season (Red Sea, Gulf of Suez and Aqaba). The HEPCA source states the specific 2024 window within the five-year program; whether the trade ban recurs annually in subsequent breeding seasons is not confirmed by a cited source. This is a commercial/market measure, not a geographic spearfishing zone.
- LukketDolphins (Mediterranean Sea)Jan 1 – Aug 14
Dolphin fishing in the Mediterranean Sea is strictly prohibited with any fishing gear or any means of aggregation from 1 January to 14 August each year (Decree No. 159 of 2009, Article 1).
Tillatelse til å fiske
Lisens
Hva du trenger for å ha lov til å dykke, hva det koster, og hvordan du skaffer det.
Fishing licences are granted by the Agency for the Protection and Development of Lakes and Fish Resources (formerly via the General Authority for Fish Resources Development, GAFRD). Spearfishing is not licensed as a recreational activity and is effectively prohibited.
Skaff lisensen dinÅpner den offisielle portalen · ecolex.org
- Type
- General fishing licence under the national fisheries law; no dedicated recreational spearfishing licence exists. Recreational fishing is currently suspended in the Red Sea (5-year ban from 1 May 2024).
- Kostnad
- unknown
- Gyldighet
- unknown
- Hvordan du får det
- Fishing licences are granted by the Agency for the Protection and Development of Lakes and Fish Resources (formerly via the General Authority for Fish Resources Development, GAFRD). Spearfishing is not licensed as a recreational activity and is effectively prohibited.
- Myndighet
- Agency for the Protection and Development of Lakes and Fish Resources (LPFWDA) / General Authority for Fish Resources Development (GAFRD)
Utstyr og teknikk
Utstyrsregler
Hvilket utstyr som er tillatt, hvordan det kan brukes, og hvilke betingelser som gjelder.
Begrensninger
- Spearfishing is generally prohibited; where any underwater fishing is tolerated, scuba spearfishing is illegal - freediving only
- Fishing nets, harpoons and spearguns are reported as not permitted in the Red Sea by dive-industry guidance
- Use of explosives, toxic/chemical substances and other destructive/harmful fishing methods is prohibited under the fisheries and environmental laws
- A surface dive float with flag is reportedly required and checked by coast guard patrols where freediving is conducted
speargun_allowed and scuba_allowed are set to false because spearfishing is effectively prohibited across Egypt's main (Red Sea) waters and scuba spearfishing is explicitly illegal. Equipment specifics come from dive-industry/community sources rather than verbatim statute; treat as guidance, not codified text.
Hva du kan ta
Fangstbegrensninger og vernede arter
Daglige kvoter, minimumsstørrelser og arter som aldri må tas.
Daglig grense
Recreational fishing (incl. any catch) is suspended in the Red Sea/Gulf of Suez/Aqaba for five years from 1 May 2024. Outside that ban, dive-industry guidance reports informal bag limits of roughly 2-3 fish per person per day for most permitted species.
Vernede arter — skal ikke tas
- VernetAll sea turtles
- VernetAll shark species
- VernetMarine mammals (dolphins, whales) - banned under Resolution No. 1437 of 2021 and Environmental Law Article 28
- VernetNapoleon wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) - reported strictly protected by dive-industry guidance
- VernetSea cucumber
- VernetOrnamental / aquarium reef fish
- VernetCorals
Protection of marine mammals and listed wildlife is codified: a verbatim (translated) provision is held for Article 28 of the Environmental Law and Decree 159/2009 (see law_texts). Marine-mammal fishing is additionally reported to be banned by Resolution No. 1437 of 2021, but only via a third-person summary in the NOAA report - no verbatim wording was retrievable, so that instrument is recorded in legal_status.legal_framework rather than as verbatim law_text. Protection of turtles, sharks and Napoleon wrasse for spearfishing purposes is consistently reported by dive-industry and conservation sources; exact size limits were not retrievable from official statute.
Hvem kan fiske
Besøkende og innbyggere
Hvordan reglene er forskjellige for utenlandske besøkende og lokale innbyggere.
Utenlandske besøkende
Ikke tillattBegrensninger
- Spearfishing is effectively prohibited for everyone, including tourists/foreigners, especially in the Red Sea and all marine protected areas
- Violations can lead to fines (reported from ~USD 500), equipment confiscation, and imprisonment in Ras Mohammed National Park
- Egypt has also moved to restrict foreign fishing boats in its territorial waters
There is no foreigner-specific recreational spearfishing permit; the general prohibition applies to all. Tourists are strongly advised not to spearfish.
Innbyggere
General fishing licence / fishing card under Law No. 146 of 2021 (no recreational spearfishing category)
Krav
- Licensed fishing vessels and fishing cards are required for fishing generally; fishing without a licence is prohibited (Law 124, Article 8)
Residents are subject to the same prohibitions on spearfishing and the same five-year Red Sea recreational fishing suspension.
Hvor langs kysten
Tillatte og forbudte soner
Navngitte områder som er åpne eller lukkede for spearfishing. Se hele bildet på det interaktive kartet.
Forbudte områder
- Ras Mohammed National Parkmarine national park / no-take zone
No-take marine national park at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula near Sharm el-Sheikh, established as a marine reserve in 1983. Fishing, shell/coral collection and harming marine life are prohibited; spearfishing here can incur the heaviest penalties (large fines, confiscation, possible imprisonment).
- The Brothers Islands (El Ikhwa / El Akhawein)marine protectorate / marine park
Two uninhabited rocky islets in the offshore Red Sea, declared natural protectorates / marine park in 1983, about 60 km off El Quseir. Marine park status restricts activities; spearfishing around the islands is prohibited.
- Dolphin Reef (Sha'ab Samadai), Marsa Alammarine protected area
Protected dolphin habitat reef near Marsa Alam where spearfishing is prohibited.
- Red Sea coast marine protected area network (no-take zones)network of marine protected areas
Egypt established a network of marine protected areas along the Red Sea coast with no-take zones for the conservation of sensitive habitats; fishing including spearfishing is prohibited within them.
- Wadi El Gemal - Hamata National Park (marine area)marine national park / managed-resources protected area
National park established in 2003 on the Red Sea coast south of Marsa Alam, with an extensive marine component (reported marine area ~1,600 km2) including coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds and offshore islands (Wadi El Gemal Island, Hamata/Qulan islands). As a declared Egyptian protectorate it is a no-take protected area where fishing including spearfishing is prohibited. Coordinates are a representative coastal point of the park.
- Nabq Managed Resource Protected Areamarine managed-resources protected area
Protected area on the eastern Sinai coast on the Gulf of Aqaba north of Sharm el-Sheikh, declared in 1992. Includes mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass; reported marine area ~121.9 km2. As a declared Egyptian protectorate with no-take marine zones, fishing including spearfishing is prohibited. Coordinates are a representative point on the protected coast.
- Abu Galum Managed Resource Protected Areamarine managed-resources protected area
Protected area on the Gulf of Aqaba coast of South Sinai between Dahab and Nuweiba, declared in 1992 (~500 km2). It has coral reefs and a marine no-take component (reported marine area ~121 km2). As a declared Egyptian protectorate, fishing including spearfishing is prohibited. Coordinates are a representative coastal point.
- Giftun Islands National Parkmarine national park / protected area
Marine protected area off Hurghada (~11 km east) comprising Big and Small Giftun islands and surrounding reefs, one of Egypt's earliest declared Red Sea protected areas. Rich coral reefs and turtle nesting beaches; as a no-take protected area, fishing including spearfishing is prohibited. Coordinates are a representative point at the islands (Orange Bay area).
Betingelser på vannet
Sanntidsbetingelser
Sanntids marin- og væroversikt nær et kystnært referansepunkt i Egypt, fra Open-Meteo. Betingelsene varierer langs kysten — behandle dette som veiledende.
Live marin- og værdata nær Ras Mohammed National Park.
Hvem du skal spørre
Myndigheter
De offisielle organene ansvarlige for fiskeri og lisensiering.
Agency for the Protection and Development of Lakes and Fish Resources (LPFWDA)
fisheries authority
ecolex.orgAffiliated with the Egyptian Cabinet; established under Law No. 146 of 2021General Authority for Fish Resources Development (GAFRD)
fisheries authority
seafoodsource.comMinistry of Agriculture and Land ReclamationEgyptian Environmental Affairs Agency (EEAA) / Nature Conservation Sector
environment authority
en.wikipedia.orgManages Red Sea marine protected areas and national parks (Ras Mohammed, Brothers Islands)
Hvor dette kommer fra
Kilder
Hvert påstand på denne siden kan spores tilbake til en av disse referansene.
- [01]
NOAA NMFS - Marine Mammal Protection Act Import Provisions Comparability Finding Application Final Report: Egypt (2025)
Offisiellfisheries.noaa.govÅpnet Jun 14 - [02]
ECOLEX - Law No. 146 of 2021 for the Protection and Development of Lakes and Fisheries (FAOLEX LEX-FAOC206844)
Offisiellecolex.orgÅpnet Jun 14 - [03]
HEPCA (Hurghada Environmental Protection and Conservation Association) - Red Sea Scores Major Victory in Fight Against Overfishing
Sekundærhepca.orgÅpnet Jun 14 - [04]
SeafoodSource - Egypt moves to ban foreign fishing boats in its territorial waters / enhancing fisheries protections
Sekundærseafoodsource.comÅpnet Jun 14 - [05]
Egypt Independent - Sisi ratifies Law for Protection and Development of Lakes and Fisheries
Sekundæregyptindependent.comÅpnet Jun 14 - [06]
Wikipedia - Ras Muhammad National Park (coordinates, establishment, no-take status)
Sekundæren.wikipedia.orgÅpnet Jun 14 - [07]
Wikipedia - El Ikhwa Islands (The Brothers) marine protectorate, coordinates
Sekundæren.wikipedia.orgÅpnet Jun 14 - [08]
harpune.info - Spearfishing Rules Worldwide (Egypt: strictly prohibited)
communityharpune.infoÅpnet Jun 14
Forskernotater
CONFIDENCE: low. Egypt has no spearfishing-specific statute; legality is inferred from the general fisheries framework (Law 146/2021, Law 124/1983), environmental law, marine protected area designations, and a five-year recreational fishing suspension (Red Sea/Gulf of Suez/Aqaba) effective 1 May 2024. law_texts now contains only the two provisions that are presented as genuine direct (indented) quotations in the source: Environmental Law Article 28 and Decree No. 159/2009 Article 1, both from the NOAA NMFS report and both English translations of the original Arabic, not the Official Gazette text. Three earlier law_texts entries were REMOVED during QA remediation because they were paraphrase/abstract, not verbatim statute: (a) Resolution No. 1437 of 2021 Article Two - the NOAA report only narrates this in third person ('Resolution No. 1437 of 2021, Article Two bans fishing of marine mammals...'), no verbatim wording is quoted; (b) Law No. 124 of 1983 Article 8 - again only a NOAA third-person summary with a trailing '(Articles 3, 4, 9, 23)' citation, not a contiguous quotation; (c) Law No. 146 of 2021 - the entry was the ECOLEX/FAOLEX abstract ('This Law, consisting of 64 articles...'), an explicit summary, not statutory text. The true verbatim Arabic text of these three instruments could not be retrieved; their substance remains recorded in legal_status.legal_framework and below. Operational details (scuba ban, freediving-only, dive-float requirement, ~2-3 fish bag limits, Napoleon wrasse protection, USD 500+ fines) come from dive-industry and community sources, not codified statute, and should be treated as practical guidance, not confirmed law. The breeding-season trade/market ban (15 April - 15 July) is sourced (HEPCA) only for 2024; whether it recurs annually is unconfirmed. Reports consistently describe spearfishing as prohibited/strictly restricted in the Red Sea; enforcement intensity varies by location, being strongest in Ras Mohammed National Park. The operative recreational fishing suspension runs to ~May 2029. No marine zone could be confirmed as a place where recreational spearfishing is positively permitted, hence zones.allowed is empty.
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