Ilhabela spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras

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◈Ilhabela · Brazil
2.5
thunder
visibility~1m

Nottoday

Today — sit it out — thunder, wave and wind.

Sources: INMET · buoys · Open-Meteo · Copernicus — high confidence · data 00:14

Sources & confidence

Sources
INMET · buoys · Open-Meteo · Copernicus
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.

01
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.
02
Wind & gusts
Speed and gusts, hour by hour — wind speed and an onshore push chop the surface and cut visibility.
03
Tide phase
Timing and range of the tide, calibrated per coast — big spring tides pull the verdict toward caution.
04
Water temperature
Sea-surface temperature — sharply cold water vetoes a green verdict.
05
Currents & outflow
Direction and drift of the current — it pushes you, and it drags turbid coastal water across where you dive.
06
Rain runoff & air clarity
Rain muddies the water inshore through land runoff, while fog and haze cut visibility at the surface.
07
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.

Entry pointsNo-take zones

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.

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0 m

Surface

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

spearo.app
INMET no dataupdated 00:14
Open water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória — solo, off the rocks
DON'T GO
don't go · wind 6 km/h, gusts to 46 — caution
thunderwave 1 mwind 6, gusts 46 km/hsurge pounding the rocks
today, best window 06:00–09:00
fish · Visibility 1 m · Water 23.5°C
confidence medium · verdict for the selected day
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
05:20–18:11 · full moon
▲ 02:00▼ 08:00▲ 14:00▼ 20:00mid-range tides · 1.1 m
Hours (06→20)
06
09
12
15
18
Day's trends
Tide0.33 m
Wave1.48 m
Wind9 km/h
Water23 °C
fish activity: moon overhead 00:00 · high · moonset 04:35 · moderate · moon underfoot 11:10 · high · moonrise 17:51 · moderate
Conditions window06:00–09:00
don't go fish
Hs 0.98 m · roughperiod 6.5 swind 6→46surge 2.4viz 1 mthunder
0.98 mrough · up to ~1.96 · 110° at an angle
6.5 sswell moderate
6→46gusts 46 km/h
2.4pounding the rocks
0.36m/s
1 mrecent swell
23.5°C5 mm + hood
▼08:00tide turn near
Atmosphere1 kmovercast
lowoff the lunar peaks
  • wind 6 km/h, gusts to 46 — caution
  • current 0.36 m/s
  • low water — slack
confidence mediumtwilight
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São Paulo Coast

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Paraná Coast

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spearo.app · a private marine instrument · Ilhabela · a planner, not a safety guaranteePrivacy
Today
Notify me
Map
Best window · next 3 days

Next 3 days — not divable: wave up to 2.1 m

transparency nearby ~9 m · satellite, 2 days agosatellite estimate · may differ right at the shore

↑ high tide 01:37 · slack water ~00:52–02:22 bite times: 10:10–12:10 · 17:21–18:21

Tell me when it's on

Just your email — nothing else needed.

Your best window — with you. Forecast in your pocket.

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−10 m

The water column

Visibility and what drives it — post-storm clearing, river plume, temperature and the thermocline.

What it is

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

spearo.app folds wind, wave, swell period, visibility, tides, water temperature and risk into a single verdict — go to the spot or not. It computes 7 days ahead from open marine models (Open-Meteo, IPMA), with no sign-up and no accounts. Built for solo spearfishing off the rocks, where any mistake costs dearly.

Now live: 3016 spots across 406 stretches of coast — mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores.

See all spots →
−20 m

The seabed

Relief and bottom type, tides, and the depths of each spot.

On the rock

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

The models set the window. Whether you go in is read only at the water: count the sets, watch the surge on the entry. If in doubt, you don't get in.

Entry points

Where to get in
off the rocks.

Scouted entries, coloured by today. The colour is the sea state at the spot, not a guarantee: the wash and a slippery entry you judge on site.

Open the seafloor map →
CabaraúSheltered water — Ilhabela – Ilha de Búzios
dangerous
swell on the quarter today
window
—

Shoal forming a crown ringed by sand, 3–10 m; rays and turtles. Sheltered from E, SE and S.

Google Maps
Costão do Quebra CocoSheltered water — Ilhabela – Ilha de Búzios
dangerous
swell on the quarter today
window
—

Big-boulder shoreline with many holes and a shoal beyond, 3–16 m; sheltered from SE, S and SW.

Google Maps
🔒 Ilha da Vitória — Saco do HilárioSheltered water — Ilhabela – Ilha de Búzios
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
swell on the quarter today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilha de Búzios — Saco da CorujaSheltered water — Ilhabela – Ilha de Búzios
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
swell on the quarter today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilha de Búzios — Saco do UrubuSheltered water — Ilhabela – Ilha de Búzios
dangerous
Ultra · subscribers
swell on the quarter today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
Ilhas GalhetasSheltered water — Ilhabela – Ilha de Búzios
dangerous
swell on the quarter today
window
—

Islands ringed by large rocks forming holes, with sand at the bottom; 5–19 m per the official SP guide. Turtles are common; sheltered from SE, S and SW.

Google Maps
🔒 Naufrágio AymoréSheltered water — Ilhabela – Ilha de Búzios
dangerous
Ultra · subscribers
swell on the quarter today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
Saco da Professora – AquárioSheltered water — Ilhabela – Ilha de Búzios
dangerous
swell on the quarter today
window
—

Checked against the act (Decreto SP nº 9.414/1977 — the perimeter is drawn on land), the point lies outside every known ban polygon; Brazil's coverage is partial — the status is not confirmed, check on the spot. Sheltered bay, 5–10 m: rocky shore with holes and passages, corals and sea fans, sand with rays at the bottom. Great variety of fish; sheltered from SE, S and SW.

Google Maps
Ilha da SerrariaOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

Checked against the act (Decreto SP nº 9.414/1977 — the perimeter is drawn on land), the point lies outside every known ban polygon; Brazil's coverage is partial — the status is not confirmed, check on the spot. Big-boulder shoreline with a sandy bottom, 6–15 m; the spot gets current and works only in very calm sea.

Google Maps
🔒 Ilha da Vitória — Pedra das TartarugasOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilha de Búzios — Costão das EstátuasOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilha de Búzios — Costão do AquárioOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Ultra · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilha de Búzios — Ilha SumíticaOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilha de Búzios — PacuíbaOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilha de Búzios — Parcel da CoroaOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Ultra · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilha de Búzios — Parcel da Ponta OesteOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Ultra · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilhabela — Ponta do UrubuOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilhabela — Saco do PoçoOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilhotas Codó e FigueiraOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Ilhote das Cabras (Vitória) — Face SulOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Naufrágio DartOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Ultra · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Naufrágio HathorOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Ultra · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Naufrágio São JanecoOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Ultra · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Naufrágio TherezinaOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
🔒 Naufrágio VelasquezOpen water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
Pro · subscribers
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

The full spot briefing is part of the subscription: entry, bottom, hazards, tide window.

Open in the app →
Ponta das Arraias (Ilha Vitória)Open water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

Checked against the act (Decreto SP nº 9.414/1977 — the perimeter is drawn on land), the point lies outside every known ban polygon; Brazil's coverage is partial — the status is not confirmed, check on the spot. Rocky shore of large stacked boulders with sand at the bottom, 10–30 m; several ray species. Dived with the current, for experienced divers.

Google Maps
Saco do Funil (Ilha Vitória)Open water — Codó e Figueira – Ilha da Vitória
dangerous
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

Checked against the act (Decreto SP nº 9.414/1977 — the perimeter is drawn on land), the point lies outside every known ban polygon; Brazil's coverage is partial — the status is not confirmed, check on the spot. Southern tip of the island: flat rock and a vertical wall, 8–40 m, dropping abruptly past 40. Surge and strong currents — very calm sea only.

Google Maps

SOLO is the biggest risk: underwater you can black out from lack of oxygen silently and fatally, with no one around. Solo is never truly «safe». Below are the best weather windows; carry a buoy, tell someone your plan and exit time, and any doubt — don't go.

One morning glance — and you know.

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point your camera
≈

Surfacing

Cameras, map and reference — to hand as you come up.

Live cameras, map & reference
Open the seafloor map →
Reference

What's in season,
what the law says.

In season now
  • fat snook
    Centropomus parallelus · 0–15 m · legal
    State closed seasons: BA 15 May–31 Jul; ES 1 May–30 Jun; PR 1 Nov–31 Dec; SP — none.
  • common snook
    Centropomus undecimalis · 0–15 m · legal
    State closed seasons: BA 15 May–31 Jul; ES 1 May–30 Jun; PR 1 Nov–31 Dec; SP — none.
  • dusky grouper
    Epinephelus marginatus · 8–40 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
    ⚠️ Closed season 1 Nov–28 Feb (national, Port. Interm. 41/2018). Slot 47–73 cm — a minimum AND a maximum (art. 3º). Vulnerable — go easy.
  • gag grouper
    Mycteroperca microlepis · 5–40 m · legal
  • black grouper
    Mycteroperca bonaci · 5–40 m · 🚫 no-take
    🚫 On the 2026 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026) — integrally protected by 1.666/2026, art. 3º: taking, transporting, keeping and selling are prohibited. Do not shoot.
  • comb grouper
    Mycteroperca acutirostris · 3–30 m · 🚫 no-take
    🚫 On the 2026 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026) — integrally protected by 1.666/2026, art. 3º: taking, transporting, keeping and selling are prohibited. Do not shoot.
  • snowy grouper
    Hyporthodus niveatus · 20–60 m · 🚫 no-take
    🚫 On the 2026 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026) — integrally protected by 1.666/2026, art. 3º: taking, transporting, keeping and selling are prohibited. Do not shoot.
  • yellowedge grouper
    Hyporthodus flavolimbatus · 30–80 m · 🚫 no-take
    🚫 On the 2026 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026) — integrally protected by 1.666/2026, art. 3º: taking, transporting, keeping and selling are prohibited. Do not shoot.
  • greenbeak parrotfish
    Scarus trispinosus · 2–25 m · 🚫 no-take
    🚫 On the 2026 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026) — integrally protected by 1.666/2026, art. 3º: taking, transporting, keeping and selling are prohibited. Do not shoot.
  • Brazilian agile parrotfish
    Sparisoma amplum · 2–25 m · 🚫 no-take
    🚫 On the 2026 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026) — integrally protected by 1.666/2026, art. 3º: taking, transporting, keeping and selling are prohibited. Do not shoot.
  • cubera snapper
    Lutjanus cyanopterus · 5–40 m · 🚫 no-take
    🚫 On the 2026 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026) — integrally protected by 1.666/2026, art. 3º: taking, transporting, keeping and selling are prohibited. Do not shoot.
  • grey triggerfish
    Balistes capriscus · 5–40 m · 🚫 no-take
    🚫 On the 2026 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026) — integrally protected by 1.666/2026, art. 3º: taking, transporting, keeping and selling are prohibited. Do not shoot.
  • bluefish
    Pomatomus saltatrix · 0–20 m · legal
  • whitemouth croaker
    Micropogonias furnieri · 2–25 m · legal
  • black drum
    Pogonias courbina · 2–25 m · 🚫 no-take
    🚫 On the 2026 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026) — integrally protected by 1.666/2026, art. 3º: taking, transporting, keeping and selling are prohibited. Do not shoot.
  • lebranche mullet
    Mugil liza · 0–12 m · ⚠️ closed season/limit
    Managed by annual quotas/seasons. Min 35 cm; estuary bars may be restricted in season.
  • king mackerel
    Scomberomorus cavalla · 2–30 m · legal
  • serra Spanish mackerel
    Scomberomorus brasiliensis · 1–25 m · legal
  • mahi-mahi
    Coryphaena hippurus · 0–30 m · legal
  • greater amberjack
    Seriola dumerili · 5–40 m · legal
  • crevalle jack
    Caranx hippos · 0–25 m · legal
  • silver porgy
    Diplodus argenteus · 0–15 m · legal
  • lionfish
    Pterois volitans · 3–40 m · invasive — target
    Invasive, spreading in NE Brazil. Culling encouraged. Venomous spines — careful; flesh edible.
  • Atlantic goliath grouper
    Epinephelus itajara · 1–30 m · 🚫 no-take
    🚫 CR on the 2026 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026) — integrally protected by art. 3º of Portaria GM/MMA 1.666/2026; moratorium since 2002, indefinite. Do not take, release it. Fine R$700–100,000 + gear seizure.
Law
  • ✓A is REQUIRED, issued on gov.br by the . There are exactly two sub-categories and what chooses between them is WHETHER YOU USE A BOAT: from the shore — Desembarcada, R$ 20/year; from a boat — Embarcada, R$ 60/year. There is no «Subaquática» sub-category (Decreto 8.425/2015, art. 3º § 1º II). Exempt: under-18 accompanied, men 65+ and women 60+.
  • ✓Apnea only: «Fica proibido o uso de aparelhos de respiração artificial durante a prática da pesca subaquática» (Portaria SAP/MAPA 616/2022, art. 4º § 3º). The vessel supporting the fishing may not even CARRY cylinders, a compressor or any underwater breathing apparatus — except where the maritime authority requires it (§ 4º).
  • ✓Goliath grouper (mero, Epinephelus itajara): CR on the 2026 national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026) and integrally protected by art. 3º of Portaria GM/MMA 1.666/2026; the moratorium dates from 2002 and is renewed. Never a legal target — capture, transport or sale is an environmental offence.
  • ✓Closed seasons: true grouper 1 Nov–28 Feb nationwide (slot 47–73 cm); sirigado/badejo/caranha 1 Aug–30 Sep; bluefish in the S/SE 1 Dec–31 Mar; robalo — ES 1 May–30 Jun, BA 15 May–31 Jul; lobster 1 Nov–30 Apr, BUT WHILE DIVING IT IS CLOSED ALL YEAR (Portaria SAP/MAPA 221/2021, art. 6º III). Mind minimum sizes.
  • ✓The speargun and the arbalete are expressly permitted amateur gear: «espingarda de mergulho ou arbalete com qualquer tipo de propulsão e qualquer tipo de seta» (Portaria SAP/MAPA 616/2022, art. 4º IV). The act sets NO limit on power, length, tip or reel.
  • ✓Selling the catch is prohibited: «É vedada a comercialização do recurso pesqueiro capturado» (Portaria SAP/MAPA 616/2022, art. 6º). Nor may you store or carry the fish in a way that hinders inspection — in steaks, fillets or headless (art. 12).
  • ✓The amateur sea limit is 15 kg plus one specimen (Portaria SAP/MAPA 616/2022, art. 8º); in inland and estuarine waters, 10 kg plus one (art. 7º). THIS IS THE FEDERAL FLOOR: inside a protected unit that unit's own regime applies. In the RESEX Marinha do Arraial do Cabo it is 10 kg plus one and no more than 100 kg per boat per day, amateur spearfishing is open only to «Beneficiários C» on an ICMBio authorisation, twelve named places are closed and you must stay 300 m off them (Portaria ICMBio 895/2020, items 63, 65 and 69).
  • ✓Licence and reporting: carry personal ID and a valid Licença de Pescador Amador ou Esportivo under the RGP, and it does NOT displace state and municipal rules (Portaria SAP/MAPA 616/2022, art. 17). Every fishing day is reported on the
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.
Local guide · Ilhabela

Spearfishing in Ilhabela: spots, seasons and rules

Updated 2026-07-09 · By Oleksandr, spearfisher

Spearfishing in Ilhabela is an archipelago operation, not a casual beach entry. The verified registry list has six named spots: Saco do Funil, Ponta das Arraias and Saco da Professora - Aquário around Ilha Vitória, plus Ilhas Galhetas, Costão do Quebra Coco and Ilha da Serraria. The broader local summary mentions 30+ points between Ilhabela, Búzios and Vitória, with clear water and walls from 8 to 40 m. For a visiting spearo, the practical rule is support boat, float, traffic check and national compliance. Brazil requires the MPA recreational licence, spearfishing is apnea only, and goliath grouper is under a total moratorium. Do not shoot mero, even if you see one on a clean wall.

TL;DR

  • Headline caveat: goliath grouper, the Brazilian mero, is under a total moratorium. It is not a legal target in Ilhabela or anywhere else in Brazil.
  • Ilhabela is a serious São Paulo archipelago base, with verified spots at Ilha Vitória, Ilhas Galhetas, Costão do Quebra Coco and Ilha da Serraria.
  • The source data gives summer visibility around 20 m and winter around 10 m. The west channel is sheltered but trafficked.
  • The bigger dives are offshore and need a support boat, visible float and conservative return plan. The registry does not give per-spot fish, shelter or hazard prose.

Best spearfishing spots in Ilhabela

This table uses only verified spots from the registry. Only these fields are verified name, coordinate, type and depth, but no desc_* prose by spot; the notes therefore avoid invented shelter, species and hazard claims. Treat the list as a starting point for checking sea state, boat plan, local permission and GPS on the day.

SpotTypeDepthLevelAccessNotes
Saco do Funil (Ilha Vitória)Wall8-40 mNo local rating; depth demands experienceBoat to Ilha VitóriaVerified registry spot. Treat it as a deep wall entry without assuming shelter or fish detail from the data.
Ponta das Arraias (Ilha Vitória)Reef slab10-30 mNo local rating; better with buddy and boatBoat to Ilha VitóriaVerified registry spot. The depth range makes current, boat pickup and float discipline part of the plan.
Ilha do Mel
  • Pontal do Paraná
  • Paranaguá
  • Matinhos
  • Guaratuba
  • South Coast

    • São Francisco do Sul
    • Balneário Barra do Sul
    • Barra Velha
    • Penha
    • Itajaí
    • Balneário Camboriú
    • Bombinhas
    • Itapema
    • Porto Belo
    • Governador Celso Ramos
    • Florianópolis
    • Palhoça
    • Garopaba
    • Imbituba

    Espírito Santo Coast

    • Itapemirim
    • Piúma
    • Anchieta
    • Guarapari

    All 103 spots → · spearo.app — All countries

    form by the fifth working day of the following month (art. 14).
  • ✓Santa Catarina runs its own regime: spearfishing along the state's coast is permitted EXCLUSIVELY on a breath hold (IN MMA 21/2005, art. 1º); closed is the 50 m strip from the low-water line IN THE AREAS OF BEACHES, island beaches included, plus the first 50 m of the rocky costões ADJOINING those beaches (IN MMA 21/2005 art. 4º, in the IN MMA 41/2005 redaction) — a costão with no beach beside it is not closed by this article; a signalling buoy is MANDATORY (IN MMA 21/2005, art. 5º); catch and effort are reported to IBAMA/CEPSUL quarterly (art. 3º). The strip is set by the norm but has no coordinates — it is a text rule, not a zone on the map.
  • ✓In the Proteção Integral group (national park, biological reserve, ecological station and others) only INDIRECT use of the natural resources is admitted — no taking, collecting or damage (Lei 9.985/2000, art. 7º and art. 2º). Spearfishing is direct use, so it is closed there. The saving «com exceção dos casos previstos nesta Lei» is real: arts. 12 and 13 preserve private holdings in a Monumento Natural and a Refúgio de Vida Silvestre. An APA carries no fishing ban of its own (art. 15) — its managing body sets the rules.
  • •Rio de Janeiro state runs a text rule, not a zone: spearfishing — and carrying a loaded speargun past bathers — is banned within 200 m of the arrebentação (the surf break) on beaches frequented by bathers (Resolução SSP-RJ nº 0451/1981, art. 4º V). The same act EXPRESSLY PERMITS spearfishing along the state's rocky costões that bathers do not frequent (art. 2º item 5). Itaúna in Saquarema is listed by the act as a surf beach «em toda a sua extensão» (art. 2º item 3 al. f), which makes the rule very likely to apply there — but the act does NOT give Itaúna the status of a «praia freqüentada por banhistas». Neither the surf break nor the edge of a «bathing beach» has coordinates, so this is not drawn on the map — it is a text rule. There is no Itaúna-specific prohibition, state or municipal, and no state statute on spearfishing exists at all.
    • ⛔ 🚫 Goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) — indefinite moratorium (CR). Not a legal target: do not take, release.
    • ⛔ Hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini/zygaena) and angel sharks (Squatina spp.) — red list, take banned. Don't shoot.
    • ⛔ Sea turtles, whales/dolphins, seahorses — protected, taking/disturbing prohibited.
    • ⛔ 🚫 The 2026 list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.666 & 1.667/2026), integral protection — do not shoot, keep or sell: Mero (Epinephelus itajara), Garoupa-de-São-Tomé (Epinephelus morio), Badejo-Quadrado (Sirigado) (Mycteroperca bonaci), Badejo-Amarelo (Mycteroperca interstitialis), Badejo-Mira (Mycteroperca acutirostris), Cherne-Verdadeiro (Hyporthodus niveatus), Cherne-Queimado (Hyporthodus nigritus), Cherne-Amarelo (Hyporthodus flavolimbatus), Cherne-Poveiro (Polyprion americanus), Vermelho (Lutjanus cyanopterus), Vermelho (Lutjanus purpureus), Budião-Azul (Scarus trispinosus), Budião-Banana (budião-palhaço) (Scarus zelindae), Budião-Cinza (budião-ferrugem) (Sparisoma axillare), Budião-Cinza (budião-batata) (Sparisoma frondosum), Budião (Sparisoma amplum), Budião (Sparisoma rocha), Miragaia (Pogonias courbina), Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus), Bagre (Genidens barbus), Batata (Lopholatilus villarii), Guaiamum (Cardisoma guanhumi), Cação, Atum-Azul (Thunnus thynnus), Agulhão-Preto (Makaira nigricans), Peroá (Balistes capriscus).
    • ⛔ 🚫 Not taken with amateur diving gear (Portaria SAP/MAPA 616/2022 — the gear, not the species list): Polvo (Octopus spp.), Lagosta.

    Rules change and vary by state. Before heading out, check on gov.br (recreational licence, MPA) and the state closed seasons/sizes; apnea only, goliath grouper is banned.

    Saco da Professora – AquárioCove5-10 mNo local rating; shallower in the registryBoat to the Ilha Vitória sectorVerified registry spot. The name points to a cove, but the source has no shelter or fauna detail, so confirm locally.
    Ilhas GalhetasIsland/reef slab3-15 mNo local ratingBoatVerified registry spot. Use only the stated type and depth; there is no face-by-face description in the data.
    Costão do Quebra CocoRocky headland3-16 mNo local ratingBy sea; no dry entry detail in the registryVerified registry spot. Without exposure notes, the day call is swell, wind and a clear exit.
    Ilha da SerrariaIsland6-15 mNo local ratingBoatVerified registry spot. Carry a visible float and confirm traffic because island dives sit in boat routes.

    Spearfishing Ilhabela conditions today

    Ilhabela is sheltered compared with open coast, but it is not fixed calm water. The registry marks it as sheltered and flags a bad sector from 20 to 120 degrees, with the worst direction near 70 degrees. East to northeast wind and sea therefore need respect, especially when the plan reaches Ilha Vitória, Búzios or another offshore point. The west side in the channel can be calmer, but it is also trafficked. Check swell, wind, boat route and pickup before loading the gun. The float is not decoration here; it is part of staying visible among launches, fishing boats and tour traffic.

    Underwater visibility in Ilhabela today

    The local base gives roughly 20 m visibility in summer and around 10 m in winter. Treat that as a reference, not a promise. Rain, a bad wind angle and channel traffic can all reduce bottom reading. Clearer water is often the reason to run toward islands and slabs, but those are also the dives that need a boat and return plan. If visibility drops, scale the dive down. A 30 or 40 m wall is not a target just because the coordinate is saved.

    Spearfishing Ilhabela Saco do Funil and Ilha Vitória

    Ilha Vitória holds three of the supported names: Saco do Funil, Ponta das Arraias and Saco da Professora - Aquário. Their registry depths run from 5-10 m at the shallower cove to 8-40 m on Saco do Funil's wall. That changes the whole dive plan. A shallow check dive and a deep wall drop are not the same risk. Because the source gives no per-spot fish, current or shelter prose, treat Ilha Vitória as a boat, buddy, float and local-confirmation operation rather than a catch promise.

    Fish and rules in Ilhabela

    The local summary names grouper, badejo, amberjack, snook and leerfish. The national table also includes fat snook, common snook, bluefish, croaker, mullet, king mackerel, serra Spanish mackerel, mahi-mahi, crevalle jack and porgy, each subject to any minimum size or closed season that applies. True grouper is sensitive, with a closed season and size window. Goliath grouper is different: total moratorium since 2002, no recreational exception. If identification is not clean, do not shoot.

    Spearfishing licence Ilhabela Brazil

    Use the MPA recreational fishing licence for the relevant category and keep proof available. Spearfishing is apnea only; using scuba or an artificial breathing device to spear fish is prohibited under the IBAMA rule. Also check protected areas, regional closed seasons and species limits before boarding. The Ilhabela record has no local zoneNote, but that does not override nearby restrictions, enforcement or maritime instructions.

    FAQ

    Where can you spearfish in Ilhabela?

    The supported list is Saco do Funil, Ponta das Arraias, Saco da Professora - Aquário, Ilhas Galhetas, Costão do Quebra Coco and Ilha da Serraria.

    What is the underwater visibility in Ilhabela today?

    It depends on wind, rain, traffic and swell. The base reference is around 20 m in summer and 10 m in winter.

    What fish can you spear in Ilhabela?

    The local summary names grouper, badejo, amberjack, snook and leerfish. Goliath grouper is excluded by Brazil's total moratorium.

    When is the best season to spearfish in Ilhabela?

    Summer has the better visibility reference in the source data. The final call is still wind, sea state and boat logistics on the day.

    Do you need a licence to spearfish in Brazil?

    Yes. The MPA recreational fishing licence is required for the relevant spearfishing category.

    Can you spearfish on scuba?

    No. In Brazil, spearing with scuba or any artificial breathing device is prohibited.

    Can you spear goliath grouper in Ilhabela?

    No. Goliath grouper, mero in Brazil, has a total moratorium and is never a legal recreational target.

    Sources

    • MPA, recreational fishing licence
    • IBAMA, environmental rules and enforcement
    • ICMBio, protected areas and species
    • Windy, Ilhabela webcam

    Nearby towns

    • Spearfishing in São Sebastião
    • Ubatuba spearfishing guide
    • Dive spots near Guarujá
    • Angra dos Reis spearfishing guide
    • Rio de Janeiro spearfishing guide
    Data partners
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