Malta

Povolené oblasti

• Maltese coastal waters (general, outside protected/swimmer/conservation zones)

  Recreational shore and boat spearfishing is generally permitted in Maltese coastal waters by daylight without scuba, subject to EU minimum sizes and no-sale rules, provided the area is not a marine conservation area, voluntary marine reserve, archaeological zone or designated bathing zone.

  No scuba/aqualung; daylight only; EU Annex IX minimum sizes; catch may not be sold; bluefin tuna catch-and-release for recreational fishers.

  divinginfo.mt

Zakázané oblasti

• Cirkewwa Voluntary Marine Reserve (P29 and Rozi wrecks area)voluntary marine reserve / conservation area around wrecks

  Conservation area around wreck/dive sites near Cirkewwa where spearfishing and bottom-touching fishing gear are prohibited; covers roughly a 200 m coastal stretch around the wreck sites. Established via Notice to Mariners No. 5 of 2008 (Conservation Areas Around Wrecks).

  cirkewwavoluntarymarinereserve.blogspot.com
• Marine conservation areas (general)marine conservation area

  Within conservation areas, spear fishing and the use of fishing gear such as set bottom lines, trammel nets, gill nets and entangling nets are prohibited.

  spearfishing.mt
• Designated swimmers' / bathing zonesswimming / bathing zone

  Any type of fishing gear/implements, including spearfishing equipment, is banned within designated bathing areas (seasonal swimmer zones).

  spearfishing.mt
• Protected archaeological zones at seaarchaeological protection zone

  Spear fishing and the use of fishing gear such as set bottom lines, trammel nets, gill nets are prohibited in archaeological zones at sea; only surface fishing and trolling are allowed.

  spearfishing.mt
• Commercial dive sites and marine parksmarine park / commercial dive site

  Spearfishing is prohibited in Malta's marine parks and at commercial dive sites.

  divinginfo.mt
• Conservation Area around the Um El Faroud wreck (Wied iż-Żurrieq)marine conservation area around wreck / dive site

  Conservation area declared by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaternaculture around the Um El Faroud wreck off Wied iż-Żurrieq on Malta's south coast. This is one of the highest-protection (Category A) zones where spearfishing, trolling, set bottom lines, trammel/gill/entangling nets, demersal pots and traps are prohibited and no navigation or fishing of any type is allowed. Listed in the Conservation Areas Around Wrecks Notice to Mariners.

  divinginfo.mt
• Conservation Area around the Xatt l-Aħmar wrecks (Gozo)marine conservation area around wrecks / dive site

  Conservation area off Xatt l-Aħmar (Red Bay) on the south-eastern coast of Gozo, covering the scuttled wrecks MV Karwela, MV Cominoland and MV Xlendi. A Category A no-fishing/no-navigation conservation zone where spearfishing and the listed fishing gears are prohibited per the Conservation Areas Around Wrecks Notice to Mariners.

  divinginfo.mt
• Conservation Area at Marsascala / Żonqor Pointmarine conservation area around wrecks / dive site

  Conservation area off Marsascala (Żonqor Point) on Malta's south-east coast, covering scuttled tugboat wrecks (St Michael / Tug 10). One of the Category A zones where spearfishing, trolling and other fishing gears are prohibited and no fishing of any type is allowed; the dive-flag exception does not apply here.

  divinginfo.mt
• Conservation Area at Il-Ponta ta' San Ġiljan (St Julian's)marine conservation area around wreck / dive site

  Conservation area off Il-Ponta ta' San Ġiljan (St Julian's Point) on Malta's east coast where spearfishing is prohibited under the Conservation Areas Around Wrecks Notice to Mariners. Classified as a benthic-protection (Category B) zone with a limited trolling exception when no diving vessel displays the Alpha flag, but spearfishing remains banned.

  divinginfo.mt
• Conservation Area around the P31 wreck (Comino)marine conservation area around wreck / dive site

  Conservation area around the scuttled patrol-boat wreck P31 off the west coast of Comino (between Lantern Point and Cominotto). A conservation area around a wreck where spearfishing and benthic fishing gears are prohibited per the Conservation Areas Around Wrecks Notice to Mariners (200 m buffer).

  divinginfo.mt
• Rdum Majjiesa to Ras ir-Raħeb marine protected areamarine SAC / marine protected area (Natura 2000)

  Malta's first marine protected area (designated 2005), a Natura 2000 marine Special Area of Conservation on the north-west coast of Malta between Rdum Majjiesa (Mellieħa) and Ras ir-Raħeb, protecting Posidonia oceanica meadows and reef habitat. As a marine conservation area, spearfishing and benthic fishing gears are subject to conservation measures.

  marineregions.org
• Żona fil-Baħar bejn Il-Ponta ta' San Dimitri (Għawdex) u Il-Qaliet — north-west Gozo marine SACmarine SAC / marine protected area (Natura 2000)

  Marine Natura 2000 Special Area of Conservation (site code MT0000105, ~159 km², 100% marine) along the north-western and northern coast of Gozo from Il-Ponta ta' San Dimitri eastward. Protects Posidonia oceanica beds, reefs and the loggerhead turtle. As a marine conservation area, spearfishing and benthic fishing gears are subject to conservation measures.

  eunis.eea.europa.eu