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Spearfishing Belgium and Netherlands 2020
- Thread starterPierre Joubert
- Start date
Thread Status: Hello
, There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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It can take a long time to get an up-to-date response or contact with relevant users.
Spearfishing is forbidden in the Netherlands as there it's placed in the same category as poaching.
A speargun is considered a weapon of the 4th category, which means you are allowed to have it at home, but you're not allowed to do anything with it or to take it somewhere. So basically a 4th category weapon can only serve as an expensive decoration.
The punishment for carrying a weapon is severe and imo out of proportions. Think 9 months jail for carrying a stiletto.
Double edged knives are forbidden as well, with the exeption of dive knives, and only when accompanied with other diving gear.
For angling a permit is required. This is enforced and checks are regular.
The Netherlands really is an open-air padded room. Everything that can potentially cause something unwanted is forbidden. In many cities there are also 'high-risk zones', which mean you're not allowed to have *anything* (I once almost got busted as I was preparing my peanutbutter sandwich with a normal blunt dinnerknife. They confiscated it.
)
The rules in Belgium I don'y know in detail, but expect them to be much the same. The police in Belgium is a little less strict though.
A speargun is considered a weapon of the 4th category, which means you are allowed to have it at home, but you're not allowed to do anything with it or to take it somewhere. So basically a 4th category weapon can only serve as an expensive decoration.
The punishment for carrying a weapon is severe and imo out of proportions. Think 9 months jail for carrying a stiletto.
Double edged knives are forbidden as well, with the exeption of dive knives, and only when accompanied with other diving gear.
For angling a permit is required. This is enforced and checks are regular.
The Netherlands really is an open-air padded room. Everything that can potentially cause something unwanted is forbidden. In many cities there are also 'high-risk zones', which mean you're not allowed to have *anything* (I once almost got busted as I was preparing my peanutbutter sandwich with a normal blunt dinnerknife. They confiscated it.
)The rules in Belgium I don'y know in detail, but expect them to be much the same. The police in Belgium is a little less strict though.
Hello, about to move to the Netherlands. I want to travel (internationally) with my spearfishing gears (including knives and speargun and shafts), but I know that spearfishing is illegal there (I will be traveling to fish) . What kind of documentation do I need to bring with me? Will these items be confiscated at customs? I hear it is illegal to have in general, but I want to be able to live in the Netherlands and fly to other countries with my gear for fishing for holidays. Any advice would be helpful, thank you.
I believe that although it is illegal in Germany to spearfish, it is not legal to own/possess one but I can't find any information on this online. Hopefully someone can help us!
In Belgium spearfishing is not illegal! Neither is the possession of a speargun or transporting it (in a safe manner) from and to a place where you will legally practice your sport. Either spearfishing or target shooting in a pool.
However i can guarantee you that spearfishing in front of the belgian coast would be an utter waist of your time! There may be one or two days a year where visibility exceeds 30cm you will be hunting on sand with no structure all the time. (I myself have looked into it and explored all possibilities) Very few people including life guards who secure beaches are familiar with Spearfishing or spearguns and in the present climate of overzealous citizens, fear and big brother governmental parenting you can rest assure that you will run into opposition walking down the beach with your speargun.
Safe yourself the effort and travel to Northern France where spearfishing is great.
Just make sure you are aware of local regulations!
For anyone who lives in the Netherlands or Belgium please PM me and i can add you to a private WhatsApp group uniting spearfishermen and women from both countries. In this group you can discuss all of the above in detail with experienced spearos who may not be a member of this forum.
Regarding the laws in Holland I suggest you discuss it there as well with those who have plenty experience with traveling to and from the Netherlands with their spearfishing gear.
However i can guarantee you that spearfishing in front of the belgian coast would be an utter waist of your time! There may be one or two days a year where visibility exceeds 30cm you will be hunting on sand with no structure all the time. (I myself have looked into it and explored all possibilities) Very few people including life guards who secure beaches are familiar with Spearfishing or spearguns and in the present climate of overzealous citizens, fear and big brother governmental parenting you can rest assure that you will run into opposition walking down the beach with your speargun.
Safe yourself the effort and travel to Northern France where spearfishing is great.
Just make sure you are aware of local regulations!
For anyone who lives in the Netherlands or Belgium please PM me and i can add you to a private WhatsApp group uniting spearfishermen and women from both countries. In this group you can discuss all of the above in detail with experienced spearos who may not be a member of this forum.
Regarding the laws in Holland I suggest you discuss it there as well with those who have plenty experience with traveling to and from the Netherlands with their spearfishing gear.
Note: this forum provides a private conversation feature which you guys are welcome to use to converse in private. It also means that you don't need to share your phone number, as you do with WhatApp.
Please be careful communicating personal information to strangers, or on the forum which is public.
Please be careful communicating personal information to strangers, or on the forum which is public.
I will be happy to share my name and personal information first with anyone who likes to join the WhatsApp group.
You can be sure that this is not a scam of some sort! Some members of this forum who know me in person will be happy to attest.
But thanks for your concerns.
That's the one good thing about the Netherlands. You can still get cheap unregistred prepaid cards at nearly every supermarket. No passports, not even a name is required.
Just for clarity sake. The whole point of the fore mentioned chat group is that you meet likeminded people. Preferably in person eventually to go spearfishing together and share adventures. In order to do so you are not going to stay anonymous.
Besides sharing info on locations and meteo we also share recipes, travel stories, gear tips, speargun rigging tips or anything else spearfishing related. We call each other by name and most members know each other in real life and spend considerable time with other members, it is a real community.
If you prefer to miss out on all these great things and remain anonymous please do so but unfortunately this group will not be for you!
If you want to be part of a community it is not going to instill a lot of trust or credibility if your not even willing to share your real name. What’s the point?
It is not a forum but a chatgroup.
Besides sharing info on locations and meteo we also share recipes, travel stories, gear tips, speargun rigging tips or anything else spearfishing related. We call each other by name and most members know each other in real life and spend considerable time with other members, it is a real community.
If you prefer to miss out on all these great things and remain anonymous please do so but unfortunately this group will not be for you!
If you want to be part of a community it is not going to instill a lot of trust or credibility if your not even willing to share your real name. What’s the point?
It is not a forum but a chatgroup.
I support your whatsapp group idea to the fullest. If I still lived in the Netherlands/Belgium I would surely join. My sim card remark was to X's cautioning about giving people your phone number or other personal information. But still, having a 2nd sim card that isn't registred is always a good thing. Sort of like a randomName@gmail.com address for all the webforms.
Thanks for the support! I am sure that both you and mr.X have nothing but good intentions just as all of us.
Both in Belgium and Holland we have a growing community of spearos and it is nice to see how people connect with each other and share some of the most memorable moments while exploring the worlds seas and providing dinner [emoji226].
Both in Belgium and Holland we have a growing community of spearos and it is nice to see how people connect with each other and share some of the most memorable moments while exploring the worlds seas and providing dinner [emoji226].
Useful for terrorism, drug dealing and other nefarious activities too. I think the UK is the same.
You can't stop terrorism by having Gestapo style registers. It's only privacy that you can stop this way.