Spearguns - Legal ?

[Keegan]

Are Spearguns legal in all countries?

Are there countries where you would need to report them at time of check in with customs?

Are there contries where they would arrest you if you have one on board that is not reported?

Keegan

[hellosailor]

Nothing is legal in "all countries".

Check the fishing and firearms regulations for each country you plan to visit and don't worry about the rest.

[Keegan]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

Nothing is legal in "all countries".

Check the fishing and firearms regulations for each country you plan to visit and don't worry about the rest.

There are many things legal in ALL COUNTRIES, i.e. going to the bathroom, eating, sleeping, passing gas , to name a few things.

Often times there is no mention of spearguns in the customs info on a particular country so I would think that some of the worlds cruisers on this forum would know alot about this question at least in many countries.

Keegan

There absolutely are countries where spearguns are illegal, or at a minimum require licenses that are only available to locals. A quick google search confirms my memory from years ago travel that the Cayman Is are one such place.

Cayman Islands - Cay Compass News Online - Spear gun owner didn’t carry licence

Cayman Islands - Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, Travel and Tourism Site

In most cases these regulations are less "firearms" kinds of rules than fishery protection.

Bill

[TabbyCat]

FWIW - hawaiian(sp?) slings and pole spears are legal in the Bahamas (get it noted on your fishing permit).

Spearguns that have a 'trigger' mechanism or launch a spear are NOT legal (for visitors).

Keegan - be careful about advertising what is LEGAL in all countries, as legislators may get the wrong idea and pass legislation (fart license?)

[Saildoggie]

They certainly are not legal in the British Virgin Islands!

You may be allowed to have them aboard, but do not get caught using them!

[jaydh]

Hi Keegan,

In New Caledonia it was illegal for a locally or French reggied yacht to have both scuba gear AND spearguns on board at the same time. Foreign yachts were excluded though. But absolutely no-one could scuba and spear.

Everywhere is a little different, but we've never had anyone anywhere ask if we had spearguns aboard (usually had three lying out in the open).

A friend said the Japanese treated his speargun as a firearm and held on to it for him.

best - J

[dtj]

A friend of mine was arrested the other day after arriving on the island of Bonaire while carrying his spearguns to customs.

[Pelagic]

Originally Posted by dtj

A friend of mine was arrested the other day after arriving on the island of Bonaire while carrying his spearguns to customs.

Hi Dtj..... do you have any further explanation of why he was carrying his spear gun to customs and what they charged him with?

[svcambria]

In Mexico, band-type spearguns are legal, pneumatic types are not. Nor are spearguns legal to use within a few hundred meters of national maritime parks.

Michael

[dtj]

He was taking the spearguns to customs because he was told that he wasn't allowed to have them on his boat while moored there. When he was arrested he asked them how he was supposed to get them to customs. I don't know what he was charged with only that he was released. He is on his way to St. Croix now. I'll get all the details when he arrives.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by dtj

...When he was arrested he asked them how he was supposed to get them to customs.
I don't know what he was charged with only that he was released...

The obvious solution it to not bring illegal/restricted items into a Country nor it’s territorial waters.
It sounds like he was not charged, but investigated (for having a restricted spear gun); then released (when investigation revealed no criminal intent). Sounds reasonable, to me.

[Pblais]

Spear guns are regulated in a lot of countries. Some countries consider them weapons but many others as a fishing regulation violation. In all these cases it's having one that is the problem. Fishing regulations can carry a severe penalty in some places. If compounded inside a government marine park the extra penalty can be very costly.

[hellosailor]

"Spear gun" doesn't mean much, there are so many kinds. If they were pneumatic, or used rubber slings with a trigger, they'd be classified as "firearms" in a number of US cities and states as well, and unlicensed possession of them could be a felony offense. This isn't just a Bonaire oddity, it has become a terribly odd world.