Spearfishing in Roatan?????

[riffehunter717]

plan on going to roatan in august, does anyone know if spearfishing is legal in Roatan? ive done some research and was unable to come up with a definite answer, i have heard many differnt things (Yes and NO)

[Farang Shao Ley]

I have been there for a week or little longer in August 1981, but I didn`t spearfish at that time.
I don`t know if spearfishing is legal over there, but I would guess yes, its Honduras .
I don`t know, if its still the same, but
I would recommend to take plenty mosquito-repellent to the island, once I`ve been off the water,
millions of sandflies attacked me, so everytime I had to rub my hole body with that repellent to avoid to look ill with measles
It was here (only swimming, the resort was tooo exspencive for me), the resort has been allready there that time:
Honduras Holidays: Anthony's Key Resort on Roatan Honduras
Spearfishing is forbidden in the Sandy bay marine reserve (13 km), so other parts of the island must be ok ;-)

[ILDiver]

Can you spearfish anywhere outside of the Sandy Bay-West Bay Marine Reserve?
It is confusing to see all those people with fins, spear guns and fish walking on the side of the road in Los Fuertes or Flower's Bay. Is spear fishing really illegal if so many people are doing it? Well, paradoxes abound and contrary to the underwater reality, spear fishing is prohibited anywhere on the Bay Islands. The Marine Reserve is only a place of greater enforcement of protection of the environmental laws. According to Irma Brady, president of Roatan's BICA, the Bay Islands marine protection law is the same everywhere in the department. The fines for spear fishing or net fishing can start with a warning, a fine, confiscation of fishing equipment and, in especially serious cases, a jail term.

source: Bay Islands Voice - News magazine for Roatan, Utila and Gunaja; Bay Islands of Honduras info guide

[Virgili]

Did two freediving/ spearfishing trips to roatan (2005/ 2008)
Need to freedive deep inshore wich is outfished++ by the locals.
Not any reg in my knowledge.

Video on:SpearFishingMotion.com

[sciencemike]

Hot damn, Ill be in Costa Rica from the 18th of this month to the first week of August. Then we are flying to Roatan and ill be there for a week or two. If you want to meet up i would love to have a Dive buddy.

[sciencemike]

Just got back from Roatan.

Vis was 120 ft, fish were everywhere.

For the record, spearfishing is NOT allowed anywhere on the island. But it is only enforced at the south tip of the island - West bay, etc...

I went up to a common spearing spot with two locals to (PM ME), and there were enough triggers, grouper, snapper and Parrot fish to fill a stringer quite fast. Although I brought my gun to the island i never took it out, for respect for the islanders and the marine preserve. Most of my dives were about 60 feet deep.