Spearfishing in Sweden

[Padaxes]

Im visiting a place called Malmo in Sweden. I was shocked to find out that the water temp there is about 16 degrees C in May. I was expecting it to be terribly cold and its as warm as Cornwall gets at the height of the summer!

So Ive suddenly become interested in the idea of spearing there. Does anyone know anything about spearing in Sweden , ideally in the Malmo region ?

Im having trouble finding any info.

 

[K.Johansson]

It's prohibited to spearfish here in sweden, and you also need a licence for the speargun since its concidered a weapon.

 

[Old Man Dave]

While many countries have rules and restrictions on spearfishing as they have with all forms of fishing I have never before heard of a country that totally bans spearfishing. How and when did this happen in Sweden? What on earth could have been the justification?

Dave.

 

[K.Johansson]

To be honest i have no clue why it is banned, probably some stuff about saving certain species.. You are allowed to have a speargun (with licence of course) but only for target practice plus you need to be a member in a diving/freediving club that has a licence for target practice.

ill try and do some research and see what i can find out.

 

[Padaxes]

LOL well that's that idea out of the window isn`t it! What a shame! My friend says the water is nice and clean and there are lots of fish!

 

[K.Johansson]

From what i've read hunting with ljuster (spear with 3 "arrows", no clue what the english word for it is) is banned since the 1900, spearfishing was banned around 1961 (i think, not that good info about it). Guns that use rubber bands and are under 50cm are "legal" and does not require a licence. If it use gas/air/spring you need a licence for it.

Here is a copy/paste from the section about fishing.
In short, it says, every thinkable way of fishing is banned, the few things that are allowed is flyfishing, fishingrod and net. You are also not allowed to catch stuff with your hands (lobster, crabs etc).

Lagen
I förordningen om fiske mm (SFS 1994:1716) så står i kap 2:
Föreskrifter för fisket

5 § Det är förbjudet att fiska mal, flodpärlmussla och sådana
arter av fisk, vattenlevande kräftdjur och vattenlevande
blötdjur som i bilagan till artskyddsförordningen (1998:179)
har markerats med N. Förordning (2001:452).


6 § Fiske får inte bedrivas med gift, sprängämnen eller andra
bedövande eller dödande ämnen, elektrisk ström, skjutvapen
eller sådana redskap som fisken kan spetsas med. Fiske med
ålsax, vars tänder är högst sex millimeter, är dock tillåtet.
Huggkrok får användas för att bärga fisk som har fångats med
andra redskap.

Hummer eller krabba får inte fångas vid dykning.

I fråga om sådana arter av fisk, vattenlevande kräftdjur och
vattenlevande blötdjur som i bilagan till artskyddsförordningen
(1998:179) har markerats med N eller F är det förbjudet att för
fiske använda medel eller metoder som inte är selektiva och som
lokalt kan medföra att populationen av arten försvinner eller
utsätts för en allvarlig störning. Förordning (2001:452).


​

 

[K.Johansson]

My friend says the water is nice and clean and there are lots of fish!

That must be Norway he is talking about, here in Sweden we are happy if we got 10-15m of sight, if even that at times.. maybe late in the summer when there ain't so much algal blooming (correct word?) calm sunny day with little or no wind at all.

From what i read, some of the reason guns are prohibited is because the lack of sight.

 

[Old Man Dave]

Spear with 3 arrows is probably a "trident" a spear with a 3 pointed end often used by poachers for spearing salmon and trout etc in fresh water.

So you cqan dive to catch lobster and crab by hand? What about scallops? Do you have scallops? How about a hand spear rather than a gun. We hand spear our flatfish rather than shoot them. Handspears have a single point not 3 like a trident.

Thanks for the info so far. Always interesting to hear about other parts of the world.

Dave

 

[hunlee]

Hi there!
I lived in Sweden for 6 years, and yes, it is prohibited. However, both neighbouring Norway and Denmark allow it. Norway is some hours away on a train, but yes, deep fjords and good fish. Denmark has quite good spearing if I remember correctly, did an advanced freediving course with a bunch of Danes last summer. And Malmö is just one bridge away from Copenhagen where there are a lot of spearos, really nice guys too. Can give you some names if you're keen.
Hanli

 

[Padaxes]

That is a very good point Hunlee thanks! I will make some enquiries! I will be flying into Copenhagen so i should be ok bringing my speargun in ?

Great blog by the way, I remember seeing some footage of someone body surfing inside the wave years ago on a surf film and thought one day i will have to do that.

 

[hunlee]

Hey, thanks, glad you like my blog!
Yeah, sub surfing... hmmmm!!
Should be fine to fly your gun in, otherwise send me a PM and I'll send you some names and mail addresses of some CPH based spearos.

 

[mortenkv]

You can bring your gun to Copenhagen, but if you bring to Sweden, you might get trouble... Im one of those Danish Spearos and you can hook up with us no problem.

And if you get yourself registered here:

Danish Spearing Forum

(just drop a line in English - we all read/write and speak it)

You could go out and spear with us. The season just started and Nice Codfish, Trouts (nightdiving) and Turbot are caught these days...

You can also have your gun stored in Copenhagen... (maybe good idea)

Morten

villadsen.morten@gmail.com

 

[Old Man Dave]

This is turning into a very interesting thread. How about some of the Danish spearo's putting some reports on DB. I'm sure they would be popular. If there's enough of you I'm sure you could have your own area thread to add to the exsisting ones. Have you seen the Hall of Fame and the Fish of the Month? You seem very helpful and friendly and we are trying to expand DB to encourage spearos like that.

Dave

 

[foxfish]

I would be very interested to see pics of Cod & Turbot?

 

[K.Johansson]

So you cqan dive to catch lobster and crab by hand?

Nope, not legal either i'm afraid

 

[foxfish]

Any of you guys familiar with Pioner boats?
I have just ordered one but I know they are made in Norway.

 

[mortenkv]

Fish of the year 2008 (annual Competetion in Denmark)

Johan Nielsen Cod 10.10kg (dkuvjagt on Medfish.com) shot on 15m depth deep penetration of wreck...

Fish of the year 2008

I dive a lot with Johan and we did some prorper wreck diving agian two days ago. Got 3 good cods. 3, 5 and 8 kg. 16m under an old wooden shipwreck

Morten

 

[devondave]

Hell , never mind Padaxes we'll all come over , I love cod me !

 

[foxfish]

Yep, that fish will raise a few eyebrows!

 

[Old Man Dave]

Fish of the year 2008 (annual Competetion in Denmark)

Johan Nielsen Cod 10.10kg (dkuvjagt on Medfish.com) shot on 15m depth deep penetration of wreck...

Fish of the year 2008

I dive a lot with Johan and we did some prorper wreck diving agian two days ago. Got 3 good cods. 3, 5 and 8 kg. 16m under an old wooden shipwreck

Morten

Why don't you write up the story here on DB and post some pictures. We have no cod in our Hall of Fame so you could be famous!

Dave