Is spearfishing allowed at Cape Greco?

The Cape Greco headland west of Ayia Napa is described as a reserve. Do not treat it as an open city spot; confirm boundaries before diving.

Do you need a license to spearfish in Cyprus?

Yes. You need the dedicated SPEAR GUN licence, obtained online at licence.dfmr.moa.gov.cy. It costs 35 EUR.

How much does a Cyprus spearfishing licence cost?

The SPEAR GUN licence costs 35 EUR and is valid to 31 Dec of the year of issue. Non-residents can apply online.

Is there a May spearfishing ban in Cyprus?

No. Unlike Greece, Cyprus has no May spearfishing ban.

How far from swimmers and ports must you spearfish in Cyprus?

Treat distance rules as DFMR guidance rather than a single consolidated act. Confirm current conditions with DFMR before entering, especially at busy beaches such as Grecian Bay.

What fish can you spearfish in Ayia Napa?

The local notes list sea bream, octopus and mullet. National species guidance also covers dentex, gilthead, grouper, lionfish and pufferfish cautions.

Ayia Napa spearfishing forecast — Cyprus

Q: Where can you spearfish in Ayia Napa?

The listed entries are Ayia Napa harbour east rocks, Nissi / Makronissos rocks, Ayia Thekla reef and Grecian Bay east rocks, outside the no-take boundaries.

Ayia Napa · Cyprus

8.5

wave 0.2 m

visibility7m

Dive today — wave, wind and visibility.

Sources: MeteoAlarm · Open-Meteo · Copernicus · Sentinel-2 — high confidence · data 05:09

Sources & confidence

Sources: MeteoAlarm · Open-Meteo · Copernicus · Sentinel-2
Method: spearo sea-state engine: consensus of up to 6 models + satellite clarity (ZSD) + buoy-bias checks
Freshness: Re-read every hour, per coast

Compiled by the spearo sea-state engine · How it works →

The verdict comes from seven water factors and hard safety gates — not ten tabs. Go or stay.

How we score the water

Our own model

Our own forecast engine — not a third-party widget. It weighs these water factors into one go-or-stay verdict for this coast; the 0–10 dial is that verdict, read out as a number.

Swell & wave memory: Height, period and direction of the swell, plus the wake of recent storms — an old storm still stirs the water, and the engine remembers.
Wind & gusts: Speed and gusts, hour by hour — wind speed and an onshore push chop the surface and cut visibility.
Tide phase: Timing and range of the tide, calibrated per coast — big spring tides pull the verdict toward caution.
Water temperature: Sea-surface temperature — sharply cold water vetoes a green verdict.
Currents & outflow: Direction and drift of the current — it pushes you, and it drags turbid coastal water across where you dive.
Rain runoff & air clarity: Rain muddies the water inshore through land runoff, while fog and haze cut visibility at the surface.
Coast shape & exposure: How the coast faces the swell — a sheltered cove keeps the water clean; an exposed, head-on point takes a penalty.

Safety gates

Thunderstorm forecast — an instant red, no exceptions.
An official warning (MeteoAlarm / IPMA) — yellow, or red for the higher ranks.
Missing input data — a would-be green is capped to yellow rather than overstated.
Strong disagreement between forecast models — a green day is pulled back to yellow.
Night hours — where night spearfishing is banned by law the window is forced red; where it is legal (Australia outside NSW, New Zealand, South Africa) it is capped at yellow, never green.

It all folds into a single 0–10 score and one verdict: go or stay.

A forecast, not a guarantee — the sea has the last word.

Where to get in, where to hunt

Entry points with coordinates

Seabed relief — promising ground

This verdict — in your pocket. Open the app for the week's window.

Google Play — QR code — point your camera

0 m

Surface

Wind, wave and the swell windows — when to go and the best hours.

spearo.app

MeteoAlarm no dataupdated 05:09

Ayia Napa — solo, off the rocks

BEST WINDOW

best weather window · solo, stay careful, run the checklist · calm conditions: swell, wind and visibility all normal

wave 0.2 mwind 11 km/hvisibility ~7 mwindow 06:00–18:00

today, best window 06:00–09:00

fish · Visibility 7 m · Water 24.4°C

confidence high · verdict for the selected day

Before entering, check the camera and the surge

Whole week — tap a day. is driving swell right now.

Solo risk: carry a float · tell someone your plan and exit time · doubt = don't go. A model-based planner; the call is made on site.

Selected day

Windows, hours
and the day's trends.

The day is picked above, in the hero. Here are that day's windows, the hour-by-hour map and the trends. Tap a window to break down the conditions.

Sunday · today2026-10-25

05:58–16:57 · full moon

▼ 03:00▲ 09:00▼ 15:00▲ 21:00 · 0.4 m

Hours (06→20)

Day's trends

Tide-0.26 m

Wave0.12 m

Wind7 km/h

Water24 °C

fish activity: moonset 04:59 · moderate · moon underfoot 10:40 · high · moonrise 16:15 · moderate · moon overhead 23:10 · high

Conditions window06:00–09:00

best weather window · solo, stay careful, run the checklist fish

Hs 0.16 m · calmperiod 3.3 swind 11→17surge 0viz 7 m

0.16 mcalm · up to ~0.32 · 241° at an angle

3.3 sswell moderate

11→17gusts 17 km/h

0weak surge

0.11m/s

7 mrecent swell

24.4°C5 mm + hood

▲09:00tide turn near

Atmosphere32 kmlandmarks visible

lowoff the lunar peaks

calm conditions: swell, wind and visibility all normal
dawn/dusk

confidence hightwilight

Open the seafloor map with entry points

More spots

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Look at the water
right now.

Check the cam BEFORE you leave. Foam, brown/green murk, or waves washing the entry rocks = No-go. At night/in fog the cam is useless — treat it as «unknown», NOT «green».

connecting to the stream…

● LIVE↗

Ayia Napa — Nissi Beach (Windy)Live Windy webcam — Nissi Beach, Ayia Napa. Official keyless player, plays inline. Read the water and the SE swell before you go.camera: windy ↗Webcams provided by windy.com - add new webcam

connecting to the stream…

● LIVE↗

Ayia Napa — beach/coast (Windy)Live Windy webcam — Ayia Napa beach/coast. Read the water before you go.camera: windy ↗Webcams provided by windy.com - add new webcam

What's in season,
what the law says.

In season now

white grouper
Epinephelus aeneus · 15–45 m · ⚠️ release
Grouper (sfyrida/rofos): min 40–45 cm (DFMR). Vulnerable — release the big ones. Amateur limit 5 kg + 1 fish/day.
dusky grouper
Epinephelus marginatus · 8–35 m · ⚠️ release
Grouper (sfyrida/rofos): min 40–45 cm (DFMR). Vulnerable — release the big ones. Amateur limit 5 kg + 1 fish/day.
white seabream
Diplodus sargus · 0–12 m
gilthead seabream
Sparus aurata · 2–20 m
common dentex
Dentex dentex · 12–40 m
lionfish
Pterois miles · 5–40 m · invasive
Eastern-Med invasive (lionfish/pufferfish). Pufferfish ☠️ DO NOT eat (TTX toxin). Lionfish — venomous spines, handle carefully.
pufferfish
Lagocephalus spp. · 2–40 m · invasive
Eastern-Med invasive (lionfish/pufferfish). Pufferfish ☠️ DO NOT eat (TTX toxin). Lionfish — venomous spines, handle carefully.

Law

✓Fishing recreationally without a licence is an OFFENCE, not a formality: NO ONE may fish recreationally at sea, or in lakes, rivers and reservoirs, without first obtaining the licence the Regulations under this Law require (ΚΕΦ. 135, art. 3Β(1)); breaching it carries up to 2 years' imprisonment or up to €10,000, or both (art. 3Β(2)). The speargun is its own licence class: €35, valid to the end of the calendar year of issue; apply through the DFMR platform (gov.cy → «Apply and pay for a recreational fishing license») and pay by JCC via the SMS link. The fee itself is set by the Regulations made under art. 6(2)(η).
•The speargun is set by the ACT, not by practice: 5 kg in total plus one specimen of any weight, per fishing trip and per 24 hours (ΚΔΠ 416/2019, reg. 17Β(1)(ε)(ii)). The same regulation prohibits commercial exploitation of the recreational catch (reg. 17Β(1)(α)). Gear and closed areas come from the Regulations too. The minimum grouper size and the marker-buoy duty, by contrast, were NOT found in the text we read — those are DFMR practice and guidance, so confirm them before you dive.
✓☠️ Speargun + any breathing apparatus is a CRIMINAL offence, not a fine: up to 2 years' imprisonment and/or up to €50,000 (ΚΕΦ. 135, art. 5(δ) — the same article as dynamite and poisons). The 2019 regulation replaced the old rules outright and removed the former «with the Director's written permission» carve-out — it is GONE (ΚΔΠ 416/2019, reg. 17). The speargun is now prohibited: from sunset to sunrise; while diving with any auxiliary apparatus; IN COMBINATION WITH LIGHT SOURCES; in bathers' areas; and in areas the Director designates by decision published in the Gazette (reg. 17(2)) — that is the instrument behind the DFMR no-take map. Separately prohibited: possessing or carrying an apparatus and a speargun TOGETHER on ANY vessel, and carrying a speargun on a vessel from sunset to sunrise (reg. 17(3)). Age: reg. 17(1)(α) allows the speargun to «persons older than fifteen (15) years», while reg. 17(1)(β) separately regulates the «15 to 17» band — the licence issues only in a guardian's presence and the minor must be accompanied on trips by an adult spearfishing licence holder. The two sub-paragraphs do not read the same way; that wording is the act's own and we do not resolve it for it — check with DFMR if you are 15.
✓In the two British Sovereign Base Areas — Akrotiri (Cape Gata, Lady's Mile) and Dhekelia (Cape Pyla, Ayios Nikolaos) — a SEPARATE legal regime applies — not the Republic's rules plus something, but its own instrument: the SBA Fisheries Regulations 2012. A spear gun licence is required (reg. 44(1)); the WHOLE OF MAY is closed (reg. 44(2)); sunset to sunrise is closed (reg. 44(3)); with the gun you may use no other fishing gear, no aqualung and no means of lighting (reg. 44(4)), and you may not have a speargun and an aqualung on the same vessel (reg. 44(5)). Stay within 50 m of a float or vessel flying a red flag with a white diagonal stripe, visible from 300 m (reg. 44(6)–(7)). Selling the catch is prohibited (reg. 7).

Safety protocol

Sets: watch the wave trains ≥15 min before entering; Hmax ≈ 2×Hs, the wash can run 50 m past the foam line. A lull >10 min with period >12 s = a big set «overdue», do NOT enter; enter right after a full set passes and re-check at minute 30.
Exit FIRST: find your exit AND a backup before entering. On a rocky/boulder shore a 0.5 m rise in swell can make the exit impossible — getting pinned/unable to climb out is the main killer.
Headland rip: prominent points often have a permanent topographic rip regardless of the model — locate it, enter/exit on the windward side, never swim against it.
Cold: wetsuit per the SST chip; the first shiver = a metabolic surge and a drop in breath-hold → get out at the first steady shiver. Cap the session at 45–60 min below 15 °C.
Solo discipline: buoy up; tell someone the spot and exit time; conservative breath-hold (never push it in cold/murky/surfy water); visibility <3 m — don't enter.
Afternoon wind: on many coasts the wind builds from midday — plan to be out of the water by midday; the chop builds — get out.
UV 11:00–15:00 (UVI ≥6): sunscreen and cover up on the surface interval.
Solo is a fundamental risk (hypoxic blackout with no buddy). Any doubt = No-go.

Spearfishing in Ayia Napa: spots, seasons and rules

Updated 2026-07-09 · By Oleksandr, spearfisher

Spearfishing in Ayia Napa is about staying on the right side of very clear boundaries. The practical entries are the harbour east rocks, Nissi / Makronissos rocks, Ayia Thekla reef and Grecian Bay east rocks. The Ayia Napa MPA around MUSAN sits to the west of the harbour entry and is strict no-take; Cape Greco farther west is also a reserve, not a casual extension of the city list. First, get the Cyprus SPEAR GUN licence online for 35 EUR. Then treat the in-water details, including bag, buoy, grouper size and beach distance, as DFMR guidance to confirm before you enter.

TL;DR

Ayia Napa is Cyprus's sheltered, clear southeast corner, with listed rocky entries mostly in 3-10 m and visibility often noted at 25-35 m.

You need the dedicated SPEAR GUN licence. It costs 35 EUR, is obtained online at licence.dfmr.moa.gov.cy, runs to 31 Dec of the issue year and is open to non-residents.

Unlike Greece, Cyprus has no May spearfishing ban. Do not import the Greek May closure into a Cyprus plan.

Water rules such as bag guidance, marker buoy, grouper size and swimmer distance should be treated as DFMR guidance. Confirm current conditions with DFMR before diving.

Best spearfishing spots in Ayia Napa and Cape Greco

The Ayia Napa entries are shallow, bright and close to busy water. That is useful only if the boundaries are respected. The harbour east rocks are east of the MUSAN / Ayia Napa MPA no-take area. Nissi / Makronissos and Ayia Thekla are low reef or rock-sand settings. Grecian Bay is explicitly a busy beach setting, so the swimmer-distance question belongs in the DFMR confirmation step. Cape Greco draws searches, but the headland west of town is a reserve rather than an extra open spot.

Spot	Type	Depth	Level	Access	Notes
Ayia Napa harbour E rocks	Rock	3-10 m	Not separately rated	Access note not specified	Sea bream and octopus are listed. Keep east of the MUSAN / Ayia Napa MPA no-take boundary to the west.
Nissi / Makronissos rocks	Reef	3-10 m	Not separately rated	Access note not specified

Surface

Windows, hours
and the day's trends.

Spots in Cyprus

🇨🇾Cyprus

Famagusta

Larnaca

Limassol

Polis

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Help us make it better

The water column

A marine instrument,
go / no-go for solo hunting.

The seabed

The forecast is the plan.
The call is on the rock.

Where to get in
off the rocks.

Surfacing

Look at the water
right now.

What's in season,
what the law says.

Spearfishing in Ayia Napa: spots, seasons and rules

TL;DR

Best spearfishing spots in Ayia Napa and Cape Greco

Spearfishing conditions in Ayia Napa today

Is spearfishing allowed at Cape Greco MPA?

Spearfishing white bream, dentex and grouper in Ayia Napa

Do you need a licence to spearfish in Cyprus?

FAQ

Sources

Nearby towns

Ayia Napa spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility & live cameras

Windows, hours and the day's trends.

Get the go / no-go verdict for Ayia Napa by email

Spots in Cyprus

🇨🇾Cyprus

Famagusta

Larnaca

Limassol

Polis

Paphos

Help us make it better

A marine instrument, go / no-go for solo hunting.

The forecast is the plan.The call is on the rock.

Where to get in off the rocks.

Look at the water right now.

What's in season, what the law says.

TL;DR

Best spearfishing spots in Ayia Napa and Cape Greco

Spearfishing conditions in Ayia Napa today

Is spearfishing allowed at Cape Greco MPA?

Spearfishing white bream, dentex and grouper in Ayia Napa

Do you need a licence to spearfish in Cyprus?

FAQ

Sources

Nearby towns

Windows, hours
and the day's trends.

A marine instrument,
go / no-go for solo hunting.

The forecast is the plan.
The call is on the rock.

Where to get in
off the rocks.

Look at the water
right now.

What's in season,
what the law says.