Guinea-Bissau
Africa · Western Africa
Guinea-Bissau has no statute that explicitly names recreational spearfishing (pesca submarina / caça submarina). It is governed indirectly by the general fisheries law, Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000. That law recognises 'pesca desportiva' (sport/leisure fishing) as a category (Art. 4(5)) and, like all fishing in waters under national sovereignty, it requires a licence except for traditional subsistence fishing. The law bans certain methods - explosives, toxic substances, electric/light-attraction means and suction gear (Art. 26) - and protects marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds (Art. 27). A breath-hold speargun is not itself a prohibited gear under the verbatim law text retrieved, but secondary fishing-operator sources report that in practice SCUBA-assisted spearfishing is banned and only apnea (breath-hold) spearfishing is tolerated, that a recreational licence is required for boat-based fishing, and that the richest grounds lie inside the Bolama-Bijagos Biosphere Reserve and its marine national parks where extra permits/guides are mandatory and turtle/shark/ray protections apply. Verbatim statutory text confirming a SCUBA/spearfishing-specific rule could not be retrieved, so confidence is low; field rules should be confirmed with the Ministry of Fisheries (Ministério das Pescas) and the protected-area authority (IBAP) before any trip.
Last updated June 14, 2026
Governing framework
- §Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000 - Recursos Pesqueiros e Direitos de Pesca nas Águas Marítimas da Guiné-Bissau (General Fisheries Law, 21 Aug 2000)
- §Decreto-Lei nº 9/2011 - Lei Geral das Pescas (General Fisheries Law)
- §Decreto nº 24/2011 - Regulamento da Pesca Artesanal (Artisanal Fishing Regulation, 7 Jun 2011)
- §Decreto-Lei nº 30/2017 - Alteração ao Regulamento da Pesca Artesanal
- §Decreto-Lei nº 2/2022 - Período de Repouso Biológico (Biological Rest Period)
- §Lei nº 13/2013 - Fixação do Espaço Marítimo (Maritime Space Delimitation)
- License required
- Required
- Scuba
- Prohibited
- Foreigners
- Welcome
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.
Types of fishing by purpose (incl. sport/leisure fishing)
Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000 sobre Recursos Pesqueiros e Direitos de Pesca nas Águas Marítimas da Guiné-Bissau
1. Em função da sua finalidade, a pesca pode ser de subsistência, comercial, cientifica e desportiva. 2. A pesca de subsistência é a praticada com artes de pesca tradicionais e tem por objecto fundamental a obtenção de espécies comestíveis para a subsistência do pescador e da sua família. 3. A pesca comercial é a praticada com fins lucrativos. 4. A pesca científica tem por objectivo o estudo e o conhecimento dos recursos, bem como o ensaio de navios, materiais e técnicas de pesca. 5. A pesca desportiva é a pesca exercida a título desportivo ou de lazer.
Criteria distinguishing artisanal and industrial fishing
Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000
Os critérios de distinção entre a pesca artesanal e a pesca industrial serão estabelecidos por diploma regulamentar. Na determinação destes critérios serão tomadas em consideração as características gerais das embarcações, nomeadamente a sua capacidade e autonomia, e as artes de pesca empregues, bem como os critérios de distinção aplicados nos Estados da sub-região.
Prohibited fishing methods (explosives, toxic substances, electric/light means, suction gear)
Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000
É expressamente proibido, no exercício de qualquer actividade de pesca: a) Utilizar lâmpadas, meios eléctricos, materiais explosivos ou substâncias tóxicas susceptíveis de enfraquecer, atordoar, excitar ou matar peixes, bem como a utilização de aparelho de pescas por sucção; c) Deter a bordo das embarcações de pescas materiais ou substâncias mencionadas na alínea precedente.
Protected species (marine mammals, sea turtles, seabirds)
Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000
1. São proibidas, salvo autorização especial da Comissão Internacional das Pescas para fins de investigação científica ou técnica, sob proposta do membro do governo responsável pela área da pesca: a) A pesca, a captura e a detenção de todas as espécies de mamíferos marinhos; b) A pesca, a captura e a detenção de tartarugas marinha; c) A caça, a captura, a detenção de todas as espécies de aves marinha. 2. É proibida toda a comercialização das espécies visadas nas alíneas do número anterior.
When you can dive
Seasons & time restrictions
Closed, open and restricted periods across the year. Always confirm species-specific closures locally.
- ClosedIndustrial fishing in waters under Guinea-Bissau jurisdiction (biological rest period). Not confirmed to apply to recreational spearfishing.Jan 1 – Jan 31
Período de Repouso Biológico established by Decreto-Lei nº 2/2022. The Ministério das Pescas closes industrial fishing activity throughout January each year, the peak fish-reproduction month. Coverage of artisanal/recreational fishing is not explicitly stated in the retrieved official page.
Permission to fish
License
What you need to be allowed in the water, what it costs, and how to get it.
Through the Ministério das Pescas / Direcção-Geral da Pesca Artesanal; in practice lodges and licensed operators handle the paperwork for visitors. Extra protected-area permits via IBAP for parks within the Bijagós reserve.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · pescas.gw
- Type
- Recreational/sport fishing licence (pesca desportiva). Required for fishing in national waters except traditional subsistence fishing (Art. 4 & licensing regime, Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000). Spearfishing-specific licence is not separately defined in law.
- Cost
- Not set in statute. Secondary operator source reports recreational permits arranged via lodges at roughly EUR 45-50, plus park entry fees (~EUR 35/day) for protected areas.
- Validity
- unknown
- How to obtain
- Through the Ministério das Pescas / Direcção-Geral da Pesca Artesanal; in practice lodges and licensed operators handle the paperwork for visitors. Extra protected-area permits via IBAP for parks within the Bijagós reserve.
- Authority
- Ministério das Pescas e Economia do Mar (Ministry of Fisheries)
Gear & technique
Equipment rules
What gear is permitted, how it may be used, and the conditions attached.
Restrictions
- Explosives and toxic/poisonous substances prohibited (Art. 26(a), Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000)
- Electric means and light-attraction lamps prohibited (Art. 26(a))
- Suction fishing apparatus prohibited (Art. 26(a))
- Carrying any of the above prohibited materials aboard a fishing vessel is forbidden (Art. 26(c))
- Secondary source: SCUBA-assisted spearfishing reported banned; only breath-hold (apnea) spearfishing tolerated; monofilament nets reported banned
The verbatim text of Art. 26 retrieved does not name harpoons/spearguns or diving apparatus, so the SCUBA-spearfishing ban and breath-hold-only rule come from a secondary fishing-operator guide (fishingworldguide.com), not from confirmed statute. Treat speargun_allowed as unknown pending official confirmation.
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
- ProtectedAll marine mammals (mamíferos marinhos)
- ProtectedAll sea turtles (tartarugas marinhas)
- ProtectedAll seabirds (aves marinhas)
- ProtectedSharks and rays - capture prohibited under Artisanal Fishing Regulation (Decreto nº 24/2011, reported); reputable lodges enforce catch-and-release for sharks, rays and large tarpon (secondary source)
Art. 27 of Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000 prohibits the fishing, capture, possession and commercialisation of marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds except by special scientific/technical authorisation. Recreational fishers are reported to be barred from selling any part of their catch.
Who may fish
Visitors & residents
How the rules differ for foreign visitors and local residents.
Foreign visitors
AllowedSpecial license required
Requirements
- Obtain a recreational fishing licence (typically arranged through a licensed lodge/operator)
- Obtain additional protected-area permits and use local guides when fishing inside the Bolama-Bijagós Biosphere Reserve / national parks
Restrictions
- May not sell any part of the catch (recreational fishing is leisure/sport only)
- Subject to all protected-species and prohibited-method rules; SCUBA-assisted spearfishing reported banned
No distinct statutory regime separating foreign from national recreational fishers was found in the retrieved law; in practice visiting anglers/spearfishers go through lodges that handle permits. Confirm with the Ministry of Fisheries before travelling.
Residents
Subsistence fishing with traditional gear for the fisher and family is exempt from licensing (Art. 4(2)); other fishing requires a licence.
Benefits
- Traditional subsistence fishing (personal/family consumption, traditional gear) does not require a licence
Subsistence exemption is defined by gear and purpose (traditional gear, non-commercial), not by residency or nationality; it would not cover speargun-based recreational spearfishing.
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
- João Vieira and Poilão Marine National Parkmarine national park
Marine national park (Parque Nacional Marinho João Vieira e Poilão), ~495 km2, established August 2000, comprising João Vieira, Cavalo, Maio and Poilão islands. One of the world's most important green sea-turtle nesting sites. Inside the Bolama-Bijagós Biosphere Reserve; access for fishing is restricted and managed by IBAP, with sea turtles and seabirds protected under Art. 27 of Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000.
- Orango Islands National Parknational park
Parque Nacional das Ilhas de Orango, ~1,582 km2, created in 2000, including Orango, Orangozinho, Meneque, Canogo and Imbone islands. A marine protected area within the Bolama-Bijagós Biosphere Reserve where fishing access is restricted and additional permits/guides are required.
- Bolama-Bijagós Biosphere Reservebiosphere reserve
UNESCO biosphere reserve (recognised 1996) of 88 islands and islets off the Guinea-Bissau coast, containing the country's marine protected areas (Orango, João Vieira e Poilão, Urok Community MPA). Many of the best fishing grounds lie inside it; extra permits and local-zoning guides are required and protected-species rules apply.
- Urok Islands Community Marine Protected Areacommunity marine protected area
Community-managed marine protected area (Área Marinha Protegida Comunitária das Ilhas Urok) within the Bolama-Bijagós Biosphere Reserve, with community fishing restrictions.
Conditions on the water
Live conditions
Live marine and weather snapshot near a coastal reference point in Guinea-Bissau, from Open-Meteo. Conditions vary along the coast — treat as indicative.
Live marine & weather near João Vieira and Poilão Marine National Park.
Who to ask
Authorities
The official bodies responsible for fisheries and licensing.
Ministério das Pescas e Economia do Mar (Ministry of Fisheries and Maritime Economy)
fisheries authority
pescas.gwBissau, Guinea-BissauDirecção-Geral da Pesca Artesanal (DGPA)
fisheries authority
Instituto da Biodiversidade e das Áreas Protegidas (IBAP)
environment / protected areas authority
ibapgbissau.orgManages national parks and marine protected areas in the Bijagós
Where this comes from
Sources
Every claim on this page traces back to one of these references.
- [01]
LEI DAS PESCAS - Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000 (full Portuguese text)
Secondarydidinho.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [02]
Ministério das Pescas - Quadro Legal (official legal framework list)
Officialpescas.gwAccessed Jun 14 - [03]
Ministério das Pescas - Período de Repouso Biológico
Officialpescas.gwAccessed Jun 14 - [04]
The Outlaw Ocean Project - Global Fishing Legislative Database: Guinea-Bissau
Secondarytheoutlawocean.comAccessed Jun 14 - [05]
Fishing in Guinea-Bissau 2026 (fishing-operator guide: spearfishing, licences, parks)
Secondaryfishingworldguide.comAccessed Jun 14 - [06]
UNESCO World Heritage - Coastal and Marine Ecosystems of the Bijagós Archipelago
Officialwhc.unesco.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [07]
Wikipedia - João Vieira and Poilão Marine National Park (coordinates, area, year)
Secondaryen.wikipedia.orgAccessed Jun 14 - [08]
Bio Guinea - Blue Bijagós (marine protected areas overview)
Secondarybioguinea.orgAccessed Jun 14
Researcher notes
Guinea-Bissau has no spearfishing-specific statute. Legal status is inferred from the general fisheries law (Decreto-Lei nº 6 A/2000), which recognises sport/leisure fishing (Art. 4(5)), requires licensing for non-subsistence fishing, bans explosives/poisons/electric-light/suction methods (Art. 26) and protects marine mammals, turtles and seabirds (Art. 27). VERBATIM statutory text retrieved does NOT mention spearguns, harpoons or SCUBA, so the widely-cited 'SCUBA spearfishing banned, breath-hold only' and 'recreational licence required' rules come from a secondary fishing-operator guide rather than confirmed law - hence data_confidence=low and equipment_rules.speargun_allowed=null. Coordinates for João Vieira/Poilão are park-level approximations from Wikipedia. The richest grounds sit inside the Bolama-Bijagós Biosphere Reserve and its marine national parks (Orango, João Vieira e Poilão, Urok) where extra IBAP permits, guides and protected-species rules apply. The official Ministry law-text PDFs (Decreto-Lei nº 9/2011, Decreto nº 24/2011) on pescas.gw were not parsed in full; full verbatim articles on diving/spearfishing could not be located and may not exist. Confirm all field rules with the Ministério das Pescas and IBAP before any trip. Note: the political situation is volatile (transitional government as of 2026) and regulations may change.
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