Burkina Faso
Africa · Western Africa
Burkina Faso is landlocked, so there is no marine/sea spearfishing. Inland (freshwater) fishing in public waters is governed by Book III (Livre III) of the Forest Code, Loi N°003-2011/AN of 05 April 2011. Article 175 expressly prohibits fishing by means of explosives, firearms or bladed/edged weapons ("armes a feu ou d'armes blanches"), as well as toxic substances and electric methods. A speargun or harpoon used to take fish falls within the prohibited categories (firearm/bladed weapon), so recreational underwater spearfishing is effectively not a lawful fishing method. The authorised artisanal gears in national waters are nets (filet maillant, epervier), longlines (palangre), hook-and-line and traps; the law (Art. 179) further empowers the minister to designate prohibited substances and methods. Any sport or commercial fishing also requires a region-specific fishing permit (permis de peche). Fishing in Burkinabe waters is reserved for nationals, with foreigners admitted only under conditions set by regulation (Art. 189).
Last updated June 14, 2026
Governing framework
- §Loi N°003-2011/AN du 05 avril 2011 portant Code forestier au Burkina Faso (Livre III: De la peche et de l'aquaculture)
- §Loi N°006/97/ADP du 31 janvier 1997 portant Code forestier au Burkina Faso (predecessor, now superseded)
- §Arrete N°98-008/MEE/SG/DGEF/DP portant definition des mesures de protection et de conservation des ressources halieutiques
- §Decret N°2014-790/PRES/PM/MRAH/MEF du 16 septembre 2014 portant adoption de la Politique Nationale de la Peche et de l'Aquaculture (PNPA)
- License required
- Required
- Speargun
- Prohibited
The law, verbatim
Legal texts
The exact statutory and regulatory provisions that govern spearfishing here, quoted as published, with a link to each official source.
Prohibited fishing methods (bans firearms and bladed/edged weapons, i.e. spearguns/harpoons, plus explosives, poisons and electrofishing)
Loi N°003-2011/AN portant Code forestier au Burkina Faso
Article 175 Il est interdit, pour exercer la peche : - d'utiliser des substances toxiques naturelles ou chimiques destinees a etourdir, affaiblir ou tuer tout organisme aquatique ; - de se servir d'explosifs, d'armes a feu ou d'armes blanches ; - de faire usage de procedes electromagnetiques ou d'electrocution de tout organisme aquatique ; - d'utiliser des engins confectionnes avec de l'etoffe ou du grillage moustiquaire permettant la capture d'alevins.
Definition of fishing
Loi N°003-2011/AN portant Code forestier au Burkina Faso
Article 171 : Au sens de la presente loi, la peche consiste dans les actes tendant a la capture ou a l'extraction, par tout moyen autorise et pour toute utilisation que ce soit, des ressources halieutiques contenues dans les eaux burkinabe.
Categories of fishing (includes sport/recreational fishing)
Loi N°003-2011/AN portant Code forestier au Burkina Faso
Article 186 : En fonction de sa finalite, la peche peut etre commerciale, de subsistance ou coutumiere, sportive, scientifique ou pedagogique. Article 187 : La peche commerciale est pratiquee dans un but lucratif et donne lieu a la vente de tout ou partie des captures. La peche de subsistance ou coutumiere a pour but fondamental la capture des ressources halieutiques destinees a la consommation du pecheur et de sa famille et ne donne pas lieu a leur vente. La peche sportive est pratiquee sans but lucratif a des fins recreatives. La peche scientifique ou pedagogique a pour but l'etude et la connaissance des ressources halieutiques.
Fishing reserved to nationals; foreigners only under regulatory conditions
Loi N°003-2011/AN portant Code forestier au Burkina Faso
Article 189 : La peche dans les eaux burkinabe est reservee aux seuls nationaux. Cependant l'exercice de la peche peut etre accorde aux ressortissants des autres Etats dans les conditions precisees par voie reglementaire.
Fishing permit required for sport and commercial fishing; region-specific
Loi N°003-2011/AN portant Code forestier au Burkina Faso
Article 190 : L'exercice des differents types de peche est soumis a l'obtention d'un permis de peche sous reserve des exceptions prevues aux articles 202, 203 et 204 de la presente loi ou sur autorisation expresse du ministre charge de la peche. Article 193 : Toute personne desirant se livrer aux activites de peche sportive ou commerciale au Burkina Faso doit posseder le permis de peche specifique a la region dans laquelle s'exerce son activite. Ce permis de peche ne peut etre utilise que dans la region pour laquelle il a ete delivre.
Minister's regulatory powers over closed periods, prohibited zones, gear and prohibited methods
Loi N°003-2011/AN portant Code forestier au Burkina Faso
Article 179 : Le ministre charge des peches et de l'aquaculture peut fixer pour l'ensemble des eaux burkinabe ou pour une partie seulement : - les periodes, les saisons, les heures pendant lesquelles la peche de toutes ou de certaines especes est interdite ; - les zones ou la peche est interdite a titre temporaire ou de maniere permanente ; - les zones ou les periodes pour lesquelles, l'utilisation de certaines techniques de peche est interdite ; - les dimensions en dessous desquelles la capture de certaines especes est interdite ; - les caracteristiques des embarcations, des engins et des instruments de peche dont l'usage est autorise, les dimensions minimales des mailles des filets et la facon de les mesurer ; - les substances et les procedes de peche prohibes ; - toute autre mesure visant a proteger et a conserver les ressources halieutiques.
Permanent ban on fishing in spawning grounds (frayeres)
Loi N°003-2011/AN portant Code forestier au Burkina Faso
Article 176 : La peche dans les frayeres ainsi que la destruction du frais et des alevins sont interdites de maniere permanente. Apres consultation des autres administrations competentes, le ministre charge des peches et de l'aquaculture precise par arrete les delimitations geographiques des frayeres dans lesquelles la peche est interdite. Cet arrete peut etre complete, le cas echeant, par une reglementation des autorites locales.
When you can dive
Seasons & time restrictions
Closed, open and restricted periods across the year. Always confirm species-specific closures locally.
- RestrictedLittoral strip of 2 metres from the bank toward the pelagic zone (national public waters)Jun 15 – Aug 31
Per the FAO national fisheries profile (citing the Forest Code and Arrete N°98-008/MEE/SG/DGEF/DP), in the 2-metre littoral band from the bank toward the pelagic zone, from 15 June to 31 August the use of any gear other than fishing rods (cannes a peche) is strictly forbidden. This protects spawning. It excludes underwater/spear methods.
- ClosedSpawning grounds (frayeres) designated by ministerial order
Fishing in spawning grounds is permanently prohibited under Article 176 of the 2011 Forest Code; geographic delimitation of closed frayeres is set by ministerial order (arrete).
Permission to fish
License
What you need to be allowed in the water, what it costs, and how to get it.
Apply to the competent regional authority designated by ministerial order; the permit is valid only in the region for which it was issued (Art. 193-194). Customary/subsistence fishing is free and requires no permit (Art. 204); scientific/educational fishing is exempt but needs prior written authorisation (Art. 202-203).
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · servicepublic.gov.bf
- Type
- Permis de peche (region-specific fishing permit); separate categories for commercial and sport fishing
- Cost
- Set by ministerial order (arrete); a redevance (fee) is payable. Exact amount not retrieved.
- Validity
- Validity period defined by ministerial order (Art. 196). Strictly personal, non-transferable (Art. 197).
- How to obtain
- Apply to the competent regional authority designated by ministerial order; the permit is valid only in the region for which it was issued (Art. 193-194). Customary/subsistence fishing is free and requires no permit (Art. 204); scientific/educational fishing is exempt but needs prior written authorisation (Art. 202-203).
- Authority
- Ministere charge des peches et de l'aquaculture (currently Ministere de l'Agriculture, de l'Eau, des Ressources Animales et Halieutiques - MAERAH)
Gear & technique
Equipment rules
What gear is permitted, how it may be used, and the conditions attached.
Restrictions
- Explosives, firearms and bladed/edged weapons (armes a feu ou armes blanches) are prohibited for fishing (Art. 175) - this covers spearguns/harpoons
- Toxic substances (natural or chemical) to stun, weaken or kill aquatic organisms are prohibited (Art. 175)
- Electromagnetic / electrocution methods are prohibited (Art. 175)
- Gear made of cloth or mosquito netting that catches fry is prohibited (Art. 175)
- Net mesh smaller than 35 mm knot-to-knot (70 mm stretched) is prohibited (FAO profile / Arrete 98-008)
- Damming/barring more than half the wetted width of waters, electric fishing, water-beating (battue d'eau), drift nets and seine nets are prohibited (FAO profile / Arrete 98-008)
Authorised artisanal gears in Burkinabe public waters are gillnets (filet maillant), cast nets (epervier), longlines (palangre), hook-and-line and traps (nasses). The harpon (hand harpoon) appears in the FAO profile as a minor traditional gear, but the 2011 Forest Code Art. 175 prohibits firearms and bladed weapons for fishing, which removes spearguns/underwater spearfishing as a lawful recreational method.
What you may take
Catch limits & protected species
Daily quotas, minimum sizes, and species that must never be taken.
Daily limit
unknown
The 2011 Forest Code (Art. 179) empowers the minister to set minimum capture sizes by species and protected periods, fixed by ministerial order; specific numeric daily limits and species size limits were not retrievable from the consulted sources. Minimum net mesh of 35 mm knot-to-knot indirectly limits the capture of juveniles.
Who may fish
Visitors & residents
How the rules differ for foreign visitors and local residents.
Foreign visitors
Requirements
- Fishing in Burkinabe waters is reserved for nationals; foreigners may be allowed only under conditions set by regulation (Art. 189)
Restrictions
- Spearfishing as a method is in any case not lawful (Art. 175 bans firearms and bladed weapons for fishing), so the question is moot for underwater fishing
Even where a foreigner could be authorised to fish, only legal gears (nets, longline, hook-and-line, traps) would be permitted; spearguns/harpoon guns are barred for everyone.
Residents
Permis de peche (region-specific), or free customary/subsistence fishing for villagers under traditional authorities
Requirements
- Region-specific fishing permit for sport or commercial fishing (Art. 193)
- Each member of a fishing unit must individually hold a permit (Art. 174)
Benefits
- Nationals have exclusive right to fish in Burkinabe waters (Art. 189)
- Customary/subsistence fishing is free and exempt from the permit requirement (Art. 204)
Customary/subsistence fishing is organised by traditional village authorities under the supervision of decentralised fisheries services.
Where on the coast
Allowed & prohibited zones
Named areas that are open to or closed for spearfishing. See the full picture on the interactive map.
Prohibited areas
- Spawning grounds (frayeres)fisheries conservation zone
All fishing is permanently prohibited in spawning grounds; specific frayeres are delimited by ministerial order (Art. 176, 2011 Forest Code).
- Special protection areas (aires de protection faunique) and classified forests (forets classees)protected area / national park
Within areas under a special protection regime such as wildlife protection areas and classified forests, fishing activities are carried out only in accordance with special provisions (Art. 205, 2011 Forest Code); exploitation may be entrusted to a licensed fishing guide.
Who to ask
Authorities
The official bodies responsible for fisheries and licensing.
Ministere de l'Agriculture, de l'Eau, des Ressources Animales et Halieutiques (MAERAH)
fisheries / agriculture ministry
Direction Generale des Ressources Halieutiques (DGRH)
fisheries authority
Where this comes from
Sources
Every claim on this page traces back to one of these references.
- [01]
Loi N°003-2011/AN du 05 avril 2011 portant Code forestier au Burkina Faso (full text, FAOLEX)
Officialfaolex.fao.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [02]
FAO - Vue generale du secteur des peches national: Burkina Faso (national fisheries profile)
Officialfao.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [03]
UNEP LEAP - Loi nº 003-2011/AN portant Code forestier au Burkina Faso (record)
Officialleap.unep.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [04]
InforMEA - Decret n°2014-790 portant Politique Nationale de la Peche et de l'Aquaculture (PNPA)
Officialinformea.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [05]
ECOLEX - Ordonnance n° 81-0009 portant organisation et reglementation de la peche (historical, repealed)
Officialecolex.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [06]
Service Public Burkina Faso - Demande d'un permis de peche
Officialservicepublic.gov.bfAccessed Jun 14
Researcher notes
Burkina Faso is landlocked (no sea coastline), therefore there is no marine spearfishing; only inland/freshwater fishing exists (rivers, lakes and reservoirs covering ~200,000 ha in the rainy season). The governing instrument is the Forest Code, Loi N°003-2011/AN of 05 April 2011 (signed at Ouagadougou by President Roch Marc Christian Kabore), whose Book III (Livre III, Arts. 170-232) regulates fishing and aquaculture; it superseded the 1997 Forest Code (Loi 006/97/ADP). Recreational underwater spearfishing is treated as 'no' because Article 175 bans the use of firearms and bladed/edged weapons (armes a feu ou armes blanches) for fishing - a speargun/harpoon gun falls within these categories - alongside explosives, poisons and electrofishing. The authorised gears are nets, longlines, hook-and-line and traps. No dedicated spearfishing-specific statute or dive-federation regulation exists for this country. Verbatim French law text was extracted from the official FAOLEX PDF of the 2011 Code; numeric fee amounts, permit validity duration and species-specific size/catch limits are set by ministerial orders (arretes) that were not retrievable, hence those fields are marked unknown. Confidence is medium: the primary law text is authoritative and verbatim, but the spearfishing 'no' conclusion is an interpretation of the general gear prohibition (no Burkina Faso source addresses underwater spearfishing by name).
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