Central African Republic
Africa · Middle Africa
The Central African Republic is landlocked, so there is no marine spearfishing; only freshwater (inland) fishing is possible, in rivers, lakes, ponds, floodplains and other water bodies. Fishing is governed by Loi N° 20.944 portant Code de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture de la République Centrafricaine, promulgated on 6 August 2020 by President Faustin-Archange Touadéra (replacing the earlier Ordonnance n° 71-90 of 6 August 1971). The Code recognises 'pêche sportive' (recreational, non-commercial fishing) and requires a permit for it, but it does NOT explicitly mention underwater fishing, spearguns, harpoons or 'fusil sous-marin'. The Code prohibits a list of destructive fishing methods (toxic substances, explosives and firearms, electrocution, small-mesh nets, beating/'battage'); the use of a harpoon or speargun is not named among either the authorised or the prohibited gear, so its legality is undetermined in the primary text. Inland fishing is reserved to nationals (Art.20) except under international agreement, sport-fishing requires a ministerial permit (Art.27), and the Minister in charge of fisheries may set closed seasons, prohibited zones and prohibited techniques by regulation (Art.21). No specific spearfishing rule, season or zone could be located. Confidence is low because no provision specific to underwater/spear fishing exists and the implementing regulations setting gear specifications were not retrieved.
Última atualização junho 14, 2026
Enquadramento legal
- §Loi N° 20.944 portant Code de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture de la République Centrafricaine (promulgated 6 August 2020)
- §Ordonnance n° 71-90 du 6 août 1971 réglementant l'exercice de la pêche et la salubrité des eaux en République centrafricaine (earlier framework, superseded)
- Licença obrigatória
- Obrigatória
- Estrangeiros
- Não permitido
A lei, na íntegra
Textos legais
As disposições legais e regulamentares exatas que regem a pesca submarina aqui, citadas tal como publicadas, com uma ligação a cada fonte oficial.
Definitions – recreational (sport) fishing and biological rest period
Loi N° 20.944 portant Code de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture de la République Centrafricaine
Pêche : toute activité consistant à la capture ou à l'extraction par tout moyen et pour toute utilisation que ce soit, des ressources aquatiques ; [...] Pêche sportive : pêche exercée sans but lucratif à des fins récréatives ; [...] Repos biologique : période pendant laquelle les activités de pêche sont interdites afin de permettre la reproduction des espèces halieutiques ciblées et la production des juvéniles ;
Fishing reserved to nationals
Loi N° 20.944 portant Code de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture de la République Centrafricaine
L'exercice de la pêche dans les eaux visées à l'article 5 du présent Code est réservé aux nationaux. Toutefois, les ressortissants des pays ayant conclu un accord international avec la République Centrafricaine portant en intégralité ou en partie sur la pêche, sont autorisés à pratiquer la pêche dans les eaux visées à l'article 5 du présent Code conformément aux dispositions prévues dans ledit accord.
Ministerial power to set closed seasons, prohibited zones and prohibited techniques
Loi N° 20.944 portant Code de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture de la République Centrafricaine
Le Ministre chargé de la pêche et de l'aquaculture peut prendre sur tout ou partie du territoire centrafricain, toute mesure réglementaire visant à assurer l'exécution des dispositions du présent Code. Les textes réglementaires déterminent les domaines d'application, notamment : - les périodes, saisons et heures pendant lesquelles la pêche de toutes ou certaines espèces est interdite ; - les zones où la pêche est interdite à titre temporaire ou de manière permanente ainsi que certaines techniques de pêche ; - la taille ou le poids en dessous duquel la capture de certaines espèces de poisson est interdite ; - les caractéristiques techniques des embarcations et engins de pêche dont l'usage est autorisé par la Loi ;
Prohibited fishing methods and gear
Loi N° 20.944 portant Code de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture de la République Centrafricaine
Sans préjudice des dispositions réglementaires contraignantes, il est fait interdiction dans l'exercice de la pêche : - d'utiliser des substances toxiques d'origine chimique ou végétale destinées à étourdir, endormir, affaiblir ou tuer les poissons ; - de se servir d'explosifs ou d'armes à feu ; - de faire usage de procédés électroniques ou d'électrocution du poisson, sauf dans un but de recherche scientifique ; - la pêche aux filets de petites mailles ; - la pêche par battage. Un texte règlementaire fixe les caractéristiques des différents types d'engins autorisés ou prohibés.
Permit required for sport (recreational) fishing
Loi N° 20.944 portant Code de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture de la République Centrafricaine
L'exercice de la pêche sportive dans les eaux visées à l'article 5 est soumis à l'obtention d'un permis délivré par le Ministre chargé de la pêche et de l'aquaculture. La délivrance dudit permis est assujettie à l'acquittement d'une redevance dont le montant et les modalités de paiement sont fixés par la loi de finances. Un arrêté du Ministre chargé de la pêche et de l'aquaculture fixe la durée, les critères d'attribution, les conditions de renouvellement, de suspension ou du refus.
Fishing in protected areas
Loi N° 20.944 portant Code de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture de la République Centrafricaine
Dans les Aires Protégées, à l'exception des réserves et des parcs nationaux, des autorisations exceptionnelles et ponctuelles de ramassage de poissons, suite à une calamité naturelle, peuvent être délivrées aux populations locales [...]
Quando pode mergulhar
Épocas e restrições temporais
Períodos de defeso, abertos e restritos ao longo do ano. Confirme sempre localmente os defesos específicos por espécie.
Sem defesos sazonais registados — confirme localmente antes de mergulhar.
Autorização para pescar
Licença
O que precisa para estar autorizado na água, quanto custa e como a obter.
Issued by the Minister in charge of fisheries and aquaculture; subject to payment of a fee set by the finance law. Duration, award criteria, renewal, suspension and refusal conditions are fixed by ministerial order (arrêté). Specific procedure and fee not located.
Obtenha a sua licençaAbre o portal oficial · faolex.fao.org
- Tipo
- Permis de pêche sportive (sport/recreational fishing permit)
- Custo
- unknown
- Validade
- unknown
- Como obter
- Issued by the Minister in charge of fisheries and aquaculture; subject to payment of a fee set by the finance law. Duration, award criteria, renewal, suspension and refusal conditions are fixed by ministerial order (arrêté). Specific procedure and fee not located.
- Autoridade
- Ministry in charge of fisheries and aquaculture (Ministère en charge de la pêche et de l'aquaculture)
Equipamento e técnica
Regras de equipamento
Que equipamento é permitido, como pode ser usado e as condições associadas.
Restrições
- Toxic substances (chemical or plant-based) intended to stun, sedate, weaken or kill fish are prohibited (Art. 23)
- Use of explosives or firearms while fishing is prohibited (Art. 23)
- Electronic processes or electrocution of fish are prohibited except for scientific research (Art. 23)
- Fishing with small-mesh nets is prohibited (Art. 23)
- Fishing by beating ('pêche par battage') is prohibited (Art. 23)
The 2020 Fisheries and Aquaculture Code does not name spearguns, harpoons or 'fusil sous-marin' among either authorised or prohibited gear. Article 23 lists destructive methods that are banned; the technical characteristics of authorised vs prohibited gear are to be fixed by a separate regulation (texte règlementaire) which was not located. Note that firearms are banned while fishing, but a mechanical/spring/elastic speargun is not a firearm and is not addressed. Legality of underwater spearfishing is therefore undetermined in the primary text.
O que pode capturar
Limites de captura e espécies protegidas
Quotas diárias, tamanhos mínimos e espécies que nunca podem ser capturadas.
Limite diário
unknown
Article 21 empowers the Minister to set, by regulation, minimum sizes/weights below which capture of certain species is prohibited, and Article 44 formally prohibits the destruction of spawning grounds (frayères), spawn (frai) and fry (alevins) in the waters covered by the Code. No specific numeric daily limits, species size limits or named protected fish species were located in the retrieved text.
Quem pode pescar
Visitantes e residentes
Como as regras diferem para visitantes estrangeiros e residentes locais.
Visitantes estrangeiros
Não permitidoRestrições
- Under Art. 20, the exercise of fishing in CAR waters is reserved to nationals.
- Foreign nationals may fish only if their country has concluded an international agreement (covering fishing in whole or in part) with the Central African Republic, and then only in accordance with that agreement.
Because inland fishing is reserved to nationals by Art. 20, recreational fishing by foreigners is generally not allowed absent a relevant international agreement. The interaction with the sport-fishing permit of Art. 27 for tourists is not clarified in the retrieved text.
Residentes
Permis de pêche sportive for non-commercial recreational fishing; artisanal fishing also regulated (vessel registration/immatriculation required for pirogues and baleinières).
Requisitos
- Be a national of the Central African Republic to fish in CAR waters (Art. 20)
- Obtain a sport-fishing permit from the Minister in charge of fisheries for recreational fishing (Art. 27)
Fishing is reserved to nationals; local populations may receive exceptional, one-off fish-gathering authorisations in certain protected areas (other than reserves and national parks) following a natural calamity (Art. 28).
Onde na costa
Zonas permitidas e proibidas
Áreas designadas abertas ou fechadas à pesca submarina. Veja o panorama completo no mapa interativo.
Áreas proibidas
- Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Parknational park
UNESCO World Heritage national park in north-eastern CAR. Under Art. 28 of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Code, national parks are excluded even from the exceptional fish-gathering authorisations allowed in other protected areas, i.e. fishing is not permitted. UNESCO records list illegal fishing among the threats to the park, confirming that fishing there is unauthorised.
- Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve / Dzanga-Ndoki National Park complexnational park / special reserve
Protected-area complex in south-western CAR. In the Dzanga-Sangha reserve subsistence use by local populations is tolerated but all other exploitation is prohibited apart from ecotourism and scientific research; the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park component falls under the Art. 28 exclusion of national parks from fishing authorisations.
A quem perguntar
Autoridades
Os organismos oficiais responsáveis pelas pescas e pelo licenciamento.
Ministère en charge de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture (Ministry in charge of Fisheries and Aquaculture)
fisheries authority
faolex.fao.orgunknownFAOLEX Database (FAO) – host of the official legal text
legal database
fao.orgunknown
De onde vem isto
Fontes
Cada afirmação nesta página remete para uma destas referências.
- [01]
Loi N° 20.944 portant Code de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture de la République Centrafricaine (promulgated 6 August 2020) – full text PDF hosted by FAOLEX
Oficialfaolex.fao.orgConsultado em Jun 14 - [02]
Ordonnance n° 71-90 du 6 août 1971 réglementant l'exercice de la pêche et la salubrité des eaux en République centrafricaine – FAOLEX record (earlier, superseded framework)
Oficialfao.orgConsultado em Jun 14 - [03]
FAOLEX scanned text of Ordonnance n° 71-90 (1971)
Oficialfaolex.fao.orgConsultado em Jun 14 - [04]
Documents étatiques – République centrafricaine (Droits africains online) – index of CAR fisheries legislation
Secundáriadroitsafricainsonline.comConsultado em Jun 14 - [05]
UNESCO World Heritage Centre – Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park, state of conservation (illegal fishing listed among threats)
Oficialwhc.unesco.orgConsultado em Jun 14 - [06]
List of national parks, reserves and protected areas in the Central African Republic
communitycentralafricanrepublictours.comConsultado em Jun 14
Notas do investigador
Central African Republic is landlocked (no sea coastline), so marine spearfishing does not apply; only freshwater (inland) fishing is possible. The governing instrument is Loi N° 20.944 portant Code de la Pêche et de l'Aquaculture, promulgated 6 August 2020 by President Faustin-Archange Touadéra, whose official full text is hosted on FAOLEX (caf213146.pdf, image PDF with OCR text layer; verbatim French excerpts above were extracted from that OCR layer and minor OCR artefacts were cleaned without altering substance). The Code recognises 'pêche sportive' = recreational, non-commercial fishing (Art. 5) and requires a ministerial permit for it (Art. 27). It does NOT mention spearfishing, spearguns, harpoons or 'fusil sous-marin' anywhere; Art. 23 bans toxic substances, explosives/firearms, electrocution, small-mesh nets and 'battage' but not spearfishing. Therefore spearfishing legality is recorded as 'unknown' rather than 'yes' or 'no'. Inland fishing is reserved to nationals (Art. 20), so foreigners generally may not fish absent an international agreement. The Minister may set closed seasons, prohibited zones and prohibited techniques by regulation (Art. 21); those implementing regulations and any fee schedule were not located, so seasons[] and numeric limits are empty. National parks (e.g. Manovo-Gounda St Floris, Dzanga-Ndoki) are excluded from fishing authorisations (Art. 28). Data confidence is LOW: the primary law was retrieved and quoted, but no spearfishing-specific provision exists and the subordinate regulations were not found.
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