Victoria Spearfishing Regulations: Complete Guide for Freedivers
Victoria offers some of Australia's most diverse spearfishing opportunities, from the calm waters of Port Phillip Bay to the rugged coastline of Wilsons Promontory. However, the regulations governing spearfishing in this state are among the most detailed in the country. Understanding these rules is essential for staying legal and avoiding fines that can exceed $4,000 for equipment violations alone.
This guide covers everything Victorian spearfishers need to know: licensing requirements, equipment rules, prohibited waters, size and bag limits, protected species, marine parks, and safety obligations.
Licensing Requirements
Who Needs a Licence
Anyone between 18 and 70 years old must hold a valid Victorian Recreational Fishing Licence (RFL) to spearfish in Victorian waters. The licence covers all forms of recreational fishing, including spearfishing.
Licence Exemptions
The following groups do not need to purchase a licence:
Children under 18 years old
Adults 70 years and over
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
Victorian Seniors Card holders (or interstate equivalent)
DVA Gold Card holders
Veterans' Affairs TPI pensioners
Note that ordinary Health Care Cards, JobSeeker payment cards, and DVA White and Orange Cards do not exempt you from needing a licence.
Licence Options and Costs (July 2025)
3-day: $10
28-day: $20
1-year: $35 online ($40 at agent)
3-year: $95 online ($105 at agent)
Purchasing online through Service Victoria offers the cheapest rates. Digital licences can be stored in the Service Victoria app.
Equipment Regulations
Spearguns
A speargun is defined as any mechanical device capable of imparting propulsive energy to a spear or arrow. This includes rubber-powered spearguns, pneumatic spearguns, and Hawaiian slings.
Critical restriction: The use or possession of a speargun is prohibited:
Within 30 metres of any jetty
Within 30 metres of the mouth of any creek or river
In any marine national park or marine sanctuary
In all inland waters
The 30-metre rule is strictly enforced. Fines for possessing a speargun within 30 metres of a jetty or creek mouth are approximately $407 as of 2025-26.
What You Cannot Take With a Spear
Regardless of the type of spear equipment, you must never use any spear or speargun to take:
Rock lobster (crayfish)
Abalone
These species can only be taken by hand while freediving, subject to their own specific regulations and seasons.
Transporting Spearguns
Spearguns are classified as controlled weapons under Victoria's Control of Weapons Act 1990. While you have a lawful excuse to possess a speargun for recreational fishing, you must carry it in a safe and secure manner.
Never load a speargun out of the water
Never shoot a speargun out of the water
Always unload your speargun before taking it out of the water
Never carry a loaded speargun in a populated place
Fisheries Officers can enforce the Control of Weapons Act as it relates to spearguns. Carrying a speargun unsafely or in prohibited areas can result in criminal charges, not just fisheries infringements.
Prohibited Waters
Marine Waters Where Spearguns Are Banned
The following inlets and estuaries are completely closed to speargun use and possession:
Anderson Inlet
Corner Inlet (specific boundary)
Curdies Inlet
Gippsland Lakes (with limited exceptions)
Lake Tyers
Mallacoota Inlet (Lower Lake, Upper Lake, and rivers)
Shallow Inlet
Tamboon Inlet
Wingan Inlet
All Inland Waters
Spearfishing is completely prohibited in all Victorian inland waters. This includes all rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and freshwater bodies.
Marine National Parks and Sanctuaries
Victoria has 13 marine national parks and 11 marine sanctuaries covering approximately 63,000 hectares, representing about 5.3% of Victorian state marine waters. All forms of fishing, including spearfishing, are completely prohibited in these areas.
Complete Ban on Fishing
Within marine national parks and sanctuaries, you must not:
Fish, net, spear, or take any marine life
Take or damage animals, plants, or objects
Possess a speargun (see limited exception below)
The 13 Marine National Parks
Bunurong Marine National Park (South Gippsland)
Cape Howe Marine National Park
Corner Inlet Marine National Park
Discovery Bay Marine National Park
Ninety Mile Beach Marine National Park
Point Addis Marine National Park
Point Hicks Marine National Park
Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park
Twelve Apostles Marine National Park
Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park
French Island Marine National Park
Yaringa Marine National Park
Churchill Island Marine National Park
The 11 Marine Sanctuaries
Barwon Bluff Marine Sanctuary
Beware Reef Marine Sanctuary
Eagle Rock Marine Sanctuary
Jawbone Marine Sanctuary
Marengo Reefs Marine Sanctuary
Merri Marine Sanctuary
Mushroom Reef Marine Sanctuary
Point Cooke Marine Sanctuary
Point Danger Marine Sanctuary
Ricketts Point Marine Sanctuary
Sandringham Marine Sanctuary
Heavy penalties apply for fishing in marine national parks and sanctuaries. Fines can reach thousands of dollars.
Size and Bag Limits
Common Spearfishing Targets
Snapper (Pagrus auratus)
Minimum size: 28cm
Bag limit: 10 per person per day
Special rule: Maximum of 3 fish may be 40cm or over
King George Whiting (Sillaginodes punctatus)
Minimum size: 27cm
Bag limit: 20 per person per day
Yellowtail Kingfish (Seriola lalandi)
Minimum size: 60cm
Bag limit: 2 per person per day (reduced from 5 in October 2025)
Australian Salmon
Minimum size: 21cm
Bag limit: 20 per person per day
Flathead (various species)
Dusky flathead: Minimum 30cm, maximum 55cm, bag limit 5
Other flathead: Minimum 27cm, bag limit 20 combined
Squid/Calamari
No minimum size
Bag limit: 10 per person per day
Default Limits
For any species not specifically listed in the regulations, a bag limit and possession limit of 5 fish applies.
Protected Species
Absolutely Protected Species
Great White Shark (Carcharodon carcharias)
Protected under both the Fisheries Act 1995 and the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988. Substantial penalties apply.
Syngnathidae (Seahorses, Pipefish, Sea Dragons)
All species in this family are declared Protected Aquatic Biota in Victoria. This includes the iconic Weedy Sea Dragon and Leafy Sea Dragon. Fines can exceed $9,000.
Blue Groper (Eastern Blue Groper, Achoerodus viridis)
Blue groper are completely protected in Victoria. These large, curious wrasse (not actually gropers) are commonly encountered by divers around rocky reefs. Blue groper can live over 35 years and are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning they all begin life as females and some change to males. If you encounter a blue groper while spearfishing, enjoy the interaction but do not take it.
Abalone and Rock Lobster
While you cannot use spearguns or hand-held spears to take abalone or rock lobster, these are popular targets for freedivers.
Abalone
Season: In Central Victorian waters, abalone can only be taken on specified open days—every Saturday and Sunday between 16 November and 30 April, plus declared public holidays.
Bag and Possession Limits:
Blacklip abalone: 5 per person per day
Greenlip abalone (Port Phillip Bay): 2 per person per day, minimum 12cm
Statewide possession limit: 10 abalone
Rock Lobster (Crayfish)
Season: 16 November to 30 September (closed 1 October to 15 November)
Bag Limit: 2 per person per day
Key Rules:
Females in berry (carrying eggs) must be released immediately
Soft-shell lobsters must be released
Must report catch via the GoFishVicRL app
Must register intent to fish before heading out
Diver Safety Requirements
Dive Flags
Any vessel with divers operating from it must display the International Code Flag 'A' (white and blue swallowtail), which must be at least 750mm long and 600mm wide.
Speed Restrictions Around Divers
A 5-knot speed limit applies to all vessel operators within 100 metres of a vessel or buoy displaying a diver-below flag.
Mandatory Safety Practices
Victorian Fisheries Authority recommends:
Never dive alone; always dive with a buddy
Have a dive plan and let someone know what it is
Never tether fish to your body
Always carry a dive knife
Check forecast conditions, including swell, before leaving home
Scuba Spearfishing in Victoria
Unlike most other Australian states, Victoria does not prohibit using scuba equipment while spearfishing. This is a significant difference from NSW, Queensland, Western Australia, and South Australia, where spearfishing on scuba is illegal.
However, the freediving community generally considers spearfishing on scuba to be unsportsmanlike, and many spearfishing clubs and competitions exclude scuba use.
Penalties and Enforcement
Common Infringements and Fines (2025-26)
Speargun within 30m of jetty or creek mouth: ~$407
Speargun in prohibited waters: ~$407
Taking undersized fish: ~$198 per fish
Exceeding bag limit: ~$198 per fish
Taking protected species: $790 - $9,880+
Fishing in marine national park: $3,000+
Reporting Illegal Fishing
To report illegal fishing activity, call 13FISH (13 3474). You can report anonymously.
Summary: Key Points
Licence: Required for ages 18-70. Purchase online through Service Victoria.
30-Metre Rule: Never possess a speargun within 30 metres of a jetty or creek mouth.
Prohibited Waters: No spearguns in Anderson Inlet, Corner Inlet, Gippsland Lakes (mostly), Lake Tyers, Mallacoota Inlet, Shallow Inlet, Tamboon Inlet, Wingan Inlet, or any inland water.
Marine Parks: Complete fishing ban in all 13 marine national parks and 11 marine sanctuaries.
Protected Species: Never take great white sharks, seahorses, pipefish, sea dragons, or blue groper.
Abalone and Crayfish: Cannot use spearguns. Hand collection only with strict seasons and limits.
Size and Bag Limits: Check current limits before every trip.
Dive Flag: Display International Code Flag 'A' when divers are in the water.
Controlled Weapon: Transport spearguns safely. Never load out of water.
Stay Current: Regulations change. Verify with official sources.
This guide is provided for educational purposes. While we strive for accuracy, regulations change and this guide may not reflect the most current rules. Always verify current regulations through the Victorian Fisheries Authority before fishing.