Belize fishing licence and catch-and-release rules for bonefish, tarpon and permit
Belize fishing licence: BZ$20/day, BZ$50/week. Bonefish, tarpon and permit are catch and release only. Closed seasons, reserve zones, charter tips. Sourced.
Fishing licence needed?
Yes
Yes, every angler (CZMAI sport licence)
Source: CZMAI (Belize Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute), checked
Cost
BZ$20 for 1 day
BZ$50 for 1 week (both online)
Source: CZMAI (Belize Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute), checked
Catch limit
Bonefish, tarpon and permit: release only
Source: CZMAI (Belize Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute), checked
Checked
28 Oct 2026
8 official, 1 secondary sources
Yes: every guest who fishes in Belize needs a CZMAI sport fishing licence, which costs BZ$20 for a day or BZ$50 for a week, both sold online. Bonefish, tarpon and permit are strictly catch and release, and keeping one is illegal.
Checked 28 Oct 2026 against 8 official sources and 1 secondary source (sources). Anything we could not confirm is labelled (how to read the labels). Rules change: check with the authority or your charter company before you fish.
Do I need a fishing licence on a charter in Belize?
Licence needed: Yes, every angler (CZMAI sport licence).
Issued by: Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute (CZMAI) – Sport Fishing Program (CZMAI (Belize Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute)).
Cost: [Not confirmed in the official text] BZ$20 for 1 day, BZ$50 for 1 week, BZ$100 for 1 year (Sport Fishing Regulations 2009, Schedule II). The annual licence is reportedly residents-only and in person (search summary).
Valid for: 1 day / 1 week / 1 year
Sport Fishing Regulations S.I. 114/2009 (in force 14 Sep 2009).
The licence must be shown on request; the Minister may waive fees.
Day and week licences are sold online.
This is a fishing licence. To skipper the yacht yourself you need a sailing licence or résumé, which is a different document: sailing licence requirements in Belize.
What can I catch in Belize?
| Species | Scientific name | How it is caught | Best months | IUCN status | Endemic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit | Trachinotus falcatus | flats/fly — C&R only | Apr–Sep (peak Jun–Aug) (guide) | Least Concern (LC) | No |
| Bonefish | Albula vulpes | flats/fly — C&R only | year-round (guide) | Near Threatened (NT) | No |
| Tarpon | Megalops atlanticus | flats, lagoon and river — C&R only | migratory peak Jun–Aug; residents year-round (guide) | Vulnerable (VU) | No |
| Nassau grouper | Epinephelus striatus | bottom | Not verified | Critically Endangered (CR) | No |
| Great barracuda | Sphyraena barracuda | flats/trolling | Not verified | Least Concern (LC) | No |
| Mutton snapper | Lutjanus analis | bottom/flats | Not verified | Near Threatened (NT) | No |
| Yellowtail snapper | Ocyurus chrysurus | bottom | Not verified | Data deficient (DD) | No |
| Sailfish | Istiophorus platypterus | offshore trolling | Not verified | Vulnerable (VU) | No |
Notes on these species (local rules and FishBase):
- Nassau grouper: Belize closed 1 Dec–31 Mar, slot 20–30 in.
Threatened on the IUCN Red List (global): Tarpon (VU), Nassau grouper (CR), Sailfish (VU). Best months are from fishing guides (secondary sources); IUCN status from FishBase (how to read the labels).
Catch limits and fishing rules
- Bonefish, tarpon and permit: catch & release only; possession is illegal
- Nassau grouper: closed 1 Dec–31 Mar; slot 20–30 in; landed whole
- Lobster: closed 1 Mar–30 Jun; carapace ≥3.25 in; tail ≥4.5 oz
- Conch: closed 1 Jul–30 Sep; shell >7 in
- Protected: parrotfish, tangs/surgeonfish, angelfish, triggerfish, all rays, whale and nurse sharks. Other sharks need a special licence and are closed 1 May–31 Oct
- Within 2 miles of Turneffe, Glover's and Lighthouse atolls: no shark fishing, no hooks over 12/0, no drifting longlines
- No fishing with scuba, poison or explosives (Turneffe)
Where to fish from a charter yacht
- Turneffe Atoll: permit, grand slam; conservation zones are C&R. Source: Belize booklet + secondary.
- Placencia: permit flats, river tarpon May–Jun. Source: secondary: oneoutdoors.org, marlonleslie.com.
- Ambergris Caye / Hol Chan Bajos: accessible flats; C&R in conservation zones. Source: secondary + holchanmarinereserve.org.
- Glover's Reef (General Use Zone only): atoll. Source: fisheries.gov.bz/grmr (via search summary).
Spots are suggestions from fishing guides and operators unless an official text is named. Check protected areas before you anchor to fish.
Protected areas and no-take zones
- Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve: conservation zones (Mauger Caye, Dog Flea & Blackbird Caye, Calabash Reef, Long Bogue, Caye Bokel) allow catch & release with a sport licence; Zone VII Preservation is no entry
- Hol Chan Marine Reserve: no-take zones; Bajos conservation zones allow catch & release
- Glover's Reef Marine Reserve: fishing only in the General Use Zone
- Port Honduras Marine Reserve: replenishment zone (non-extractive)
- Lighthouse Reef (2-mile shark/hook rules)
Spearfishing rules
We could not confirm spearfishing rules for Belize.
On a charter yacht: what guests need to know
Every guest who fishes buys a CZMAI sport licence online for a day or a week. Release all bonefish, tarpon and permit. Check the reserve zone before anchoring.
Planning the trip around the fish? See the best time to charter in Belize, month by month, and the Belize charter overview.
See boats in Belize
See boats for rent in Belize on SamBoat
Fishing rules apply whoever you book with; listings and prices on SamBoat are SamBoat's own. We may earn a commission if you book through our links, at no extra cost to you (disclosure).
What we could not verify
- Best months for Nassau grouper, Great barracuda, Mutton snapper, Yellowtail snapper, Sailfish
How to read the labels
- [Secondary source]: From a non-government source (guide, club, operator or news); not official.
- [Not confirmed in the official text]: An official rule we could only read in a search summary, because we could not open the official text.
- [Not verified]: We could not confirm it.
- No label: Read in an official source (government, statutory body or the legal text).
Best months come from fishing guides and charter operators (secondary sources), not from regulators: treat them as a guide. IUCN status is the species' global Red List category as FishBase shows it (Red List 2025-2), not a local fishing rule. "Endemic" means FishBase gives a range limited to one sea; "No" means FishBase shows a wide distribution.
Sources
- FAOLEX (FAO legal database): Sport Fishing Regulations 2009 (FAOLEX) (official text, hosted by a third party), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Turneffe Atoll Trust (hosts the Belize Fisheries booklet): Fishing Regulations of Belize booklet (2022) (official text, hosted by a third party), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- CZMAI (Belize Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute): CZMAI licence portal (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- CZMAI (Belize Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute): CZMAI Sport Fishing Program (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Belize Fisheries Department: Fisheries Dept – Hol Chan (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Belize Fisheries Department: Fisheries Dept – Glover's Reef (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Belize Fisheries Department: Fisheries Dept – Port Honduras (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Hol Chan Marine Reserve: Hol Chan zones (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Blue Bonefish Belize (fishing guide): Blue Bonefish calendar (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- FishBase species summaries (reference database, IUCN status as shown, Red List 2025-2), checked 28 Oct 2026: Trachinotus falcatus, Albula vulpes, Megalops atlanticus, Epinephelus striatus, Sphyraena barracuda, Lutjanus analis, Ocyurus chrysurus, Istiophorus platypterus.
Method: methodology. Data: JSON.
More on fishing and Belize
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a fishing licence on a charter yacht in Belize?
Yes: every guest who fishes in Belize needs a CZMAI sport fishing licence, which costs BZ$20 for a day or BZ$50 for a week, both sold online. Bonefish, tarpon and permit are strictly catch and release, and keeping one is illegal.
How much does a fishing licence cost in Belize?
BZ$20 for 1 day; BZ$50 for 1 week (both online).
What fish can you catch in Belize?
Common targets include permit, bonefish, tarpon, Nassau grouper, great barracuda. Local rules: Nassau grouper: belize closed 1 Dec–31 Mar, slot 20–30 in.
Can you spearfish in Belize?
We could not confirm spearfishing rules for Belize.