The short answer on spearfishing laws in Europe: the sport is legal in most European coastal countries but banned outright in a few — Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden — and everywhere it's legal, it's freediving-only, daytime-only, and kept a couple hundred meters from swimmers. Between those poles sits a patchwork of license systems, from France's €40 annual permit to Croatia's club-membership requirement to Italy and Greece asking for nothing at all. Here's the country-by-country map for planning a spearfishing trip in Europe.
The short answer: legal in most of Europe, banned in a few
Europe splits into three camps. A small group bans spearfishing entirely. A larger group — most of the Mediterranean plus the Atlantic license states — permits it with a paid license. And a third group, including some of the best water on the continent, asks for no license at all and regulates through distances, species and seasons instead. Two rules hold nearly everywhere within the EU: no spearfishing on scuba, and no spearfishing at night. If you learn nothing else before a European trip, learn those two — the rest is detail on top, as our worldwide pillar on where spearfishing is legal lays out.
Countries where spearfishing is banned outright
- Germany — use of a speargun is prohibited; owning one is legal. There is no recreational spearfishery.
- Netherlands — prohibited.
- Sweden — forbidden; harpoon permits exist only for target practice, not for taking fish.
If you live in one of these countries, your spearfishing happens abroad — which is exactly why the license systems below all offer short-term visitor permits.
License countries: France, Spain, Croatia, Portugal and more
Costs and mechanics as of our last check (verify before you travel — these shift):
| Country | Approx. cost | The quirk to know |
|---|---|---|
| France | ~€40 / year | Obtained via clubs or port authorities; accident insurance is required |
| Spain | ~€20–30 + medical certificate | Licenses are regional — each autonomous community issues its own |
| Croatia | ~€60 / 10 days | You must join a spearfishing club; buyable online |
| Portugal | ~€10 / month | Online licensing works for foreigners — the easiest of the bunch |
| Turkey | ~€24 / 2 years | Guest amateur license for foreigners |
| Denmark | ~€25–35 / year | Standard fishing license covers the spear |
| Finland | ~€6 / week | State license plus permission for the specific water area |
Spain deserves a second note: the medical certificate (roughly €50) catches travelers off guard, and rules genuinely differ between, say, the Balearics, Catalonia and the Canaries. Book the paperwork before the flight.
No-license countries: Italy, Greece, UK, Norway
- Italy — no license needed. But: no spearfishing at public beaches, ports, fresh water or military zones, and stay 500 m from frequented beach resorts. Minimum age rules apply.
- Greece — the license was suspended in 2017, so none is currently required. Night hunting and flashlights are banned, and you must stay 200 m from bathing beaches and harbor mouths.
- England, Scotland and Ireland — no license in the sea, but local bylaws matter, freshwater and non-tidal rivers are off-limits, and night and scuba spearfishing were banned in the 2019 rule changes. Sea bass rules change almost yearly — check them.
- Norway — the most liberal water in Europe: no license in salt water, scuba even permitted except for anadromous species (salmon and their kin). Lobster is closed to foreigners.
- Bulgaria — spearfishing allowed in the Black Sea only.
The rules that repeat: 200 m from beaches, no scuba, no night
Wherever you land in Europe, expect these constants:
- Distance: roughly 200 m from bathing beaches and harbor entrances is the standard buffer.
- Method: freediving only — scuba spearfishing is illegal EU-wide (the why is covered in our guide to scuba spearfishing bans).
- Daylight: night spearfishing is banned across the EU.
- Catch limits: typically 3–5 kg per diver per day.
- Protected species: groupers, bluefin tuna, sea bass (seasonally), salmon, lobsters and sturgeon top most lists.
Planning a spearfishing trip across borders
Our pre-trip checklist for Europe: confirm the country's current license system on an official page (not a forum thread); buy the license and any insurance before travel where possible (Portugal and Croatia work online); screenshot the species and distance rules in the local language to show if questioned; and check whether your gear is legal to transport — a speargun in checked luggage is fine nearly everywhere, but a loaded gun on a beach in Germany is a criminal matter, not a fishing infraction.
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