Iraq · Spearfishing zone
Iraqi Persian (Arab) Gulf coastal waters / Khawr Abd Allah and Al-Faw approaches
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Iraqi Persian (Arab) Gulf coastal waters / Khawr Abd Allah and Al-Faw approaches.
Iraq's narrow Persian Gulf coast and small EEZ off the Al-Faw Peninsula, including the Khawr Abd Allah estuary that forms the Iraq-Kuwait maritime boundary and main shipping channel to Umm Qasr/Khor Al-Zubair. Fishing here is permitted under Law No. 48 of 1976 (Article 9) subject to a fishing licence; it is heavily influenced by the Shatt al-Arab outflow and is also a busy navigational/port and partly militarised channel, so practical access for recreational diving is constrained.
What applies here
Restrictions
Specific rules and limits that apply within this area.
Fishing licence required (Law No. 48/1976); destructive methods banned; navigation/port and security restrictions apply in the Khawr Abd Allah channel and near the Iraq-Kuwait boundary.
When it applies
Seasons
Time-of-year periods that affect spearfishing in this zone.
No spearfishing-specific season published; subject to any administrative closed seasons under Article 2.
On the coast
Location
Approximate reference point for this zone. See the full picture on the interactive map.
29.9800°N, 48.2000°E
View on the mapSource
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Iraq
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
From the General Authority for Fish Resources Development (Ministry of Agriculture) / formerly the State Fisheries Company; amateur fishing and fishing clubs are governed by separate instructions issued by the Minister (Article 12(3)). Detailed application procedure was not retrievable from authoritative sources.
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · faolex.fao.org