Can you fish from a charter yacht in Greece? Licence, flag rule and what you can catch
No licence is needed to fish in Greece, but only Greek-flagged boats may fish: guests on a foreign-flag charter yacht cannot. Rules, species, spots. Sourced.
Fishing licence needed?
No
No licence, but only Greek-flagged boats may fish
Source: Hellenic Coast Guard, checked
Checked
28 Oct 2026
4 official, 4 secondary sources
You need no licence for recreational sea fishing in Greece, but only Greek-flagged vessels may fish in Greek waters, so guests on a foreign-flagged charter yacht may not fish at all. On a Greek-flagged yacht you may fish free of charge, but you may not keep bluefin tuna or swordfish, and you may not sell your catch.
Important: Foreign-flagged charter yachts may not fish in Greek waters. The Hellenic Coast Guard says only Greek-flagged vessels may fish there. Before you book, ask the charter company which flag the yacht flies.
Checked 28 Oct 2026 against 4 official sources and 4 secondary sources (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 Greece?
Licence needed: No licence, but only Greek-flagged boats may fish.
Authority: No licence. Rules are enforced by the Hellenic Coast Guard (Λιμενικό Σώμα) (Hellenic Coast Guard).
Cost: Free. No licence needed for recreational sea fishing; individual and boat licences were abolished in 2014 (Law 4256/2014).
Only Greek-flagged vessels may fish in Greek territorial waters, so guests on a foreign-flagged yacht may not fish.
Bluefin tuna and swordfish may only be taken by professional vessels holding a special permit.
A bluefin caught by accident must be released; if it dies, tell the Port Authority.
From Jan 2026, catches of EU-regulated species must be reported through Greece's national e-reporting system.
[Not verified] The name of the app is not verified.
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 Greece.
What can I catch in Greece?
| Species | Scientific name | How it is caught | Best months | IUCN status | Endemic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater amberjack | Seriola dumerili | jigging, live bait | Apr–Aug (Aegean) (guide) | Least Concern (LC) | No |
| Common dentex | Dentex dentex | jigging, bottom fishing | Mar–Jun (guide) | Vulnerable (VU) | No |
| Atlantic bonito | Sarda sarda | trolling | Jun–Sep (Ionian/Corfu) (guide) | Least Concern (LC) | No |
| Dusky grouper | Epinephelus marginatus | bottom fishing, spearfishing | Not verified | Not verified (FishBase) | No |
| Gilthead seabream | Sparus aurata | bottom fishing | Not verified | Least Concern (LC) | No |
| Silver-cheeked toadfish (invasive, toxic) | Lagocephalus sceleratus | bycatch — do not eat | Not verified | Least Concern (LC) | No |
| Atlantic bluefin tuna | Thunnus thynnus | not allowed for recreational fishers (release) | Not verified | Least Concern (LC) | No |
Notes on these species (local rules and FishBase):
- Silver-cheeked toadfish (invasive, toxic): Lessepsian invasive in the E. Mediterranean (FishBase).
- Atlantic bluefin tuna: Professional permit only.
Threatened on the IUCN Red List (global): Common dentex (VU). Best months are from fishing guides (secondary sources); IUCN status from FishBase (how to read the labels).
Catch limits and fishing rules
- Selling the catch is prohibited
- Remote-controlled bait droppers and shore longlines are banned; electric reels are allowed for vertical lines
- [Not verified] Daily catch limits and minimum sizes: not verified
Where to fish from a charter yacht
- Cyclades (Naxos, Small Cyclades): amberjack, dentex, grouper, bonito. Source: secondary: fishradar.ai, local trip operators.
- Ionian / Corfu: amberjack, bonito, dentex in summer. Source: secondary: fishingworldguide.com.
- Northern Sporades (Alonissos) zone A9: line fishing and trolling only. Source: fishlab.bio.auth.gr flyer; 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
- [Not verified] National Marine Park of Alonissos & Northern Sporades: spearfishing banned in Zone A; recreational line fishing and trolling allowed only in sub-zone A9, excluding 1.5 nm around Psathoura (partially verified; park site returned 500)
Spearfishing rules
- [Not confirmed in the official text] Spearfishing (PD 373/1985, from a search summary; PDF not opened): banned in May and at night, banned for under-16s, and banned within 200 m of swimmers, ports or marked nets. Freediving only (no scuba). Marker buoy required and you must stay within 50 m of it
- [Not verified] National Marine Park of Alonissos & Northern Sporades: spearfishing banned in Zone A; recreational line fishing and trolling allowed only in sub-zone A9, excluding 1.5 nm around Psathoura (partially verified; park site returned 500)
On a charter yacht: what guests need to know
No licence. Check that the charter yacht is Greek-flagged; a foreign-flagged boat may not fish. Do not keep bluefin tuna or swordfish, and do not sell the catch.
Foreign-flagged yacht = no fishing. Only Greek-flagged vessels may fish in Greek waters (Hellenic Coast Guard). This is the first thing to check if fishing matters to you.
Planning the trip around the fish? See the best time to charter in Greece, month by month, and the Greece charter overview.
See boats in Greece
See catamarans for rent in Greece on SamBoat
If you plan to fish, ask the owner which flag the boat flies before you book. 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
- The name of the app is not verified.
- Daily catch limits and minimum sizes: not verified
- National Marine Park of Alonissos & Northern Sporades: spearfishing banned in Zone A; recreational line fishing and trolling allowed only in sub-zone A9, excluding 1.5 nm around Psathoura (partially verified; park site returned 500)
- Best months for Dusky grouper, Gilthead seabream, Silver-cheeked toadfish (invasive, toxic), Atlantic bluefin tuna
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
- Hellenic Coast Guard: Hellenic Coast Guard fishing FAQ (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace: PAMTH – abolition of amateur licence (2014) (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food: Ministry: Ερασιτεχνική Αλιεία (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Hellenic Coast Guard: PD 373/1985 (official), checked 28 Oct 2026. We could not read this page; facts from it are marked as not verified.
- National Marine Park of Alonissos: Alonissos park zones (official), checked 28 Oct 2026. We could not read this page; facts from it are marked as not verified.
- European Commission: EU RecFishing Q&A (official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (FishLab): NMPANS flyer (AUTh) (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Fishradar (fishing guide): Fishradar Cyclades (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Fishfindr (fishing guide): Page cited for best months by species (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- Fishing World Guide: Page cited for best months by species (secondary, not official), checked 28 Oct 2026.
- FishBase species summaries (reference database, IUCN status as shown, Red List 2025-2), checked 28 Oct 2026: Seriola dumerili, Dentex dentex, Sarda sarda, Epinephelus marginatus, Sparus aurata, Lagocephalus sceleratus, Thunnus thynnus.
Method: methodology. Data: JSON.
More on fishing and Greece
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a fishing licence on a charter yacht in Greece?
You need no licence for recreational sea fishing in Greece, but only Greek-flagged vessels may fish in Greek waters, so guests on a foreign-flagged charter yacht may not fish at all. On a Greek-flagged yacht you may fish free of charge, but you may not keep bluefin tuna or swordfish, and you may not sell your catch.
How much does a fishing licence cost in Greece?
Free.
What fish can you catch in Greece?
Common targets include greater amberjack, common dentex, Atlantic bonito, dusky grouper, gilthead seabream. Local rules: Silver-cheeked toadfish: lessepsian invasive in the E. Mediterranean (FishBase); Atlantic bluefin tuna: professional permit only.
Can you spearfish in Greece?
Spearfishing (from a search summary; we could not open the official text): banned in May and at night, banned for under-16s, and banned within 200 m of swimmers, ports or marked nets. Freediving only (no scuba). Marker buoy required and you must stay within 50 m of it National Marine Park of Alonissos & Northern Sporades: spearfishing banned in Zone A; recreational line fishing and trolling allowed only in sub-zone A9, excluding 1.5 nm around Psathoura (partially verified; park site returned 500)
Can you fish from a foreign-flagged charter yacht in Greece?
No. The Hellenic Coast Guard says only Greek-flagged vessels may fish in Greek territorial waters, so guests on a foreign-flagged yacht may not fish. Ask the charter company which flag the yacht flies.