Ghana
Africa · Western Africa
Ghanaian fisheries law does not mention recreational spearfishing, spearguns or harpoons by name. There is no explicit prohibition of spearfishing, but there is also no recreational/sport-fishing exemption: under both the former Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625) and the new Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146) it is an offence to fish in Ghana's fishery waters without a fishing licence (Act 1146 ss. 56, 67, 72). Several harvesting methods are banned outright (explosives, poisons/noxious substances, light attraction, pair-trawling), but a hand-thrown spear or speargun is not among the listed prohibited methods. Ghana's first marine protected area, the Greater Cape Three Points MPA (~700 km2, designated 14 April 2026 under Act 1146), adds zonal restrictions where fishing may be prohibited or regulated. Because no source explicitly addresses recreational underwater hunting, the practical status is treated as restricted/uncertain: a licence requirement applies and zone/season rules must be observed.
Last updated April 14, 2026
Governing framework
- §Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146)
- §Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625), as amended by the Fisheries (Amendment) Act, 2014 (Act 880) and 2015
- §Fisheries Regulations, 2010 (L.I. 1968)
- License required
- Required
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.
Prohibition of fishing or fishing-related activities without a fishing licence
Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146)
Section 56 - Prohibition of fishing or fishing-related activities without a fishing licence. Section 67 - Prohibition of fishing in inland waters without a licence. Section 72 - Prohibition of fishing in coastal waters without a licence. (Section titles as listed in the Act's arrangement of sections; the Act requires a fishing licence to fish in Ghana's coastal and inland fishery waters and does not provide a recreational/sport-fishing exemption.)
Use of explosives, poisons or noxious substances prohibited
Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625)
A person shall not permit to be used, use or attempt to use an explosive, a poison or any other noxious substance for the purpose of killing, stunning, disabling or catching fish, or in any way rendering fish more easily caught, or carry on board or possess or control without lawful authority at a place within a two kilometre radius from a shore or river, an explosive, a poison or any other noxious substance in circumstances indicating an intention of using that substance for any of the purposes referred to in paragraph (a). An explosive, a poison or any other noxious substance found on board a fishing vessel shall be presumed, unless the contrary is proved, to be intended for the purposes referred to in subsection (1)(a).
Prohibited fishing methods
Fisheries Regulations, 2010 (L.I. 1968)
A person shall not within the fishery waters use any fishing method that aggregates fish by light attraction including use of portable generator, switchboard, bulbs beyond 500 watts or bulbs whose cumulative light intensity attracts fish, use bamboo for aggregating fish, use explosives, obnoxious chemicals and any other prohibited fishing methods which render fish more easily caught, or operate pair-trawling.
When you can dive
Seasons & time restrictions
Closed, open and restricted periods across the year. Always confirm species-specific closures locally.
- ClosedMarine fisheries (closed season power retained in new Act)unknown – unknown
The Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146) retains the power to declare a closed season (s. 47), continuing the practice under Act 625. Ghana has applied periodic closed seasons to its marine fisheries in recent years (e.g. month-long July closures for canoe/artisanal and trawl fleets), but exact dates are set annually by the Fisheries Commission and were not confirmed for spearfishing in the sources reviewed.
Permission to fish
License
What you need to be allowed in the water, what it costs, and how to get it.
Fishing licences are issued by the Fisheries Commission. Under Act 1146 it is an offence to fish in coastal (s. 72) or inland (s. 67) waters without a licence; renewal applications follow Form C of the Fisheries Regulations, 2010 (L.I. 1968) on payment of the prescribed fee. No recreational-angler or spearfishing-specific licence product was found in the sources reviewed; prospective spearfishers should contact the Commission directly.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · mofaq.gov.gh
- Type
- Fishing licence (no dedicated recreational/spearfishing licence identified)
- Cost
- unknown
- Validity
- unknown
- How to obtain
- Fishing licences are issued by the Fisheries Commission. Under Act 1146 it is an offence to fish in coastal (s. 72) or inland (s. 67) waters without a licence; renewal applications follow Form C of the Fisheries Regulations, 2010 (L.I. 1968) on payment of the prescribed fee. No recreational-angler or spearfishing-specific licence product was found in the sources reviewed; prospective spearfishers should contact the Commission directly.
- Authority
- Fisheries Commission (Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture)
Gear & technique
Equipment rules
What gear is permitted, how it may be used, and the conditions attached.
Restrictions
- Explosives, poisons and other noxious substances are prohibited for catching fish (Fisheries Act 2002, s. 88).
- Light-attraction fishing (portable generators, switchboards, bulbs over 500 watts), bamboo fish aggregation, obnoxious chemicals and pair-trawling are prohibited (Fisheries Regulations 2010, reg. 11).
No Ghanaian instrument reviewed explicitly authorises or prohibits spearguns, hand spears, harpoons or the use of SCUBA for fishing. Their legality is therefore not directly established in law; absence of an explicit ban does not guarantee permission given the general licence requirement and MPA zoning.
What you may take
Catch limits & protected species
Daily quotas, minimum sizes, and species that must never be taken.
Daily limit
unknown
Protected species — do not take
- ProtectedEndangered, threatened and protected species (fishing for them is restricted under Act 1146, s. 45)
- ProtectedMarine turtles (must be released immediately; turtle excluder devices required for shrimp nets under Fisheries Regulations 2010)
The Fisheries Regulations, 2010 (L.I. 1968) prescribe minimum mesh sizes and minimum landing sizes for commercially important species, but specific minimum landing sizes were not captured verbatim in the sources reviewed. No recreational/spearfishing daily bag limit was found.
Who may fish
Visitors & residents
How the rules differ for foreign visitors and local residents.
Foreign visitors
Restrictions
- Ghana's fisheries policy reserves nearshore and artisanal fishing largely for Ghanaian citizens/communities; foreign participation in fishing is tightly controlled.
- Any fishing requires a licence from the Fisheries Commission; no recreational/visitor spearfishing permit scheme was identified.
No source reviewed specifically addresses foreign recreational spearfishers. Visitors should assume a licence is required and should confirm rules and MPA boundaries with the Fisheries Commission before fishing.
Residents
Fishing licence (general; artisanal/canoe registration for community fishers)
Benefits
- Inshore exclusion zone (12 nm) reserves nearshore waters for artisanal/canoe fishers.
No spearfishing-specific resident provisions were found.
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
- Greater Cape Three Points Marine Protected Areamarine protected area
Ghana's first marine protected area, approximately 700 km2 of ocean and nearshore waters along the Greater Cape Three Points coastline in the Western Region (Gulf of Guinea), formally designated 14 April 2026 under the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146). It uses a zoning approach with conservation-focused (likely no-take) zones alongside multiple-use areas where regulated fishing and community activities continue. Spearfishing in conservation zones would be restricted or prohibited; verify zone boundaries with the Fisheries Commission before any underwater fishing.
- Inshore Exclusion Zone (coastal waters)fisheries exclusion zone
Act 1146 designates an inshore exclusion zone (s. 40) and doubles it from 6 to 12 nautical miles from shore, reserving the nearshore band for artisanal canoe fishing and barring industrial/semi-industrial trawlers. This is a gear/vessel-type exclusion rather than a blanket ban on individual divers, but it confirms that all coastal fishing is regulated and licence-bound.
Conditions on the water
Live conditions
Live marine and weather snapshot near a coastal reference point in Ghana, from Open-Meteo. Conditions vary along the coast — treat as indicative.
Live marine & weather near Greater Cape Three Points Marine Protected Area.
Who to ask
Authorities
The official bodies responsible for fisheries and licensing.
Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MoFA)
fisheries ministry
mofaq.gov.ghunknownFisheries Commission of Ghana
fisheries authority
mofaq.gov.ghunknown
Where this comes from
Sources
Every claim on this page traces back to one of these references.
- [01]
Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146) - full text / arrangement of sections (judy.legal)
Officialjudy.legalAccessed Jun 14 - [02]
Fisheries and Aquaculture Act, 2025 (Act 1146) - FAOLEX (official PDF record)
Officialfaolex.fao.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [03]
Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625) - section 88 (explosives/poison) excerpt, Outlaw Ocean Global Fishing Legislative Database
Secondarytheoutlawocean.comAccessed Jun 14 - [04]
Fisheries Regulations, 2010 (L.I. 1968) - reg. 11 prohibited methods, Outlaw Ocean Global Fishing Legislative Database
Secondarytheoutlawocean.comAccessed Jun 14 - [05]
Fisheries Act, 2002 (Act 625) - FAOLEX official PDF
Officialfaolex.fao.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [06]
Ghana passes landmark legislation to protect artisanal fisheries (inshore exclusion zone 6 to 12 nm) - Mongabay
Secondarynews.mongabay.comAccessed Jun 14 - [07]
Greater Cape Three Points: Ghana's First Marine Protected Area - MICE Travel Advisor
Secondarymicetraveladvisor.comAccessed Jun 14 - [08]
President Mahama assents to Fisheries and Aquaculture Bill, 2025 - Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture
Officialmofaq.gov.ghAccessed Jun 14
Researcher notes
No Ghanaian law, regulation or fisheries-authority source reviewed explicitly mentions recreational spearfishing, spearguns or harpoons. Status is set to 'restricted' (not 'yes') because: (1) a fishing licence is mandatory for all fishing in Ghana's coastal and inland waters with no recreational exemption (Act 1146 ss. 56, 67, 72); (2) MPA zoning (Greater Cape Three Points, designated 14 Apr 2026) and the inshore exclusion zone impose spatial limits; (3) several methods are banned but spearfishing is not named, so its specific legality is undetermined. data_confidence is 'low' because the primary law PDFs (FAOLEX) could not be parsed as text and verbatim provisions were obtained from a secondary legislative database (Outlaw Ocean) and an arrangement-of-sections index; exact licence costs, closed-season dates, minimum landing sizes, and any speargun-specific rule remain unconfirmed. Anyone intending to spearfish in Ghana should confirm current rules and MPA boundaries directly with the Fisheries Commission (Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture).
Notify me when Ghana's rules change
We'll email you when Ghana's seasons or regulations are updated in our dataset.