Kea spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility & live cameras

• dusky groupermin 45 cm
  Epinephelus marginatus · 8–35 m · EU 1967/2006
  Grouper: max 1/day (shared genus-Epinephelus limit).
• common dentex
  Dentex dentex · 12–40 m · min 150 g
  Premier reef target. No EU size — the 150 g minimum only. Ethical ≥40 cm (not law).
• red porgymin 18 cm
  Pagrus pagrus · 15–40 m · EU 1967/2006
• white seabreammin 23 cm
  Diplodus sargus · 0–12 m · EU 1967/2006
• saddled seabream
  Oblada melanura · 3–15 m · min 150 g
  No EU size — only the 150 g minimum applies.
• greater amberjack
  Seriola dumerili · 5–30 m · min 150 g
  No EU size — only the 150 g minimum applies.
• common octopus
  Octopus vulgaris · 0–15 m · weight ≥750 g
  Minimum by weight: ≥750 g (ΠΔ 62/2024). Don't take egg-bearing females.
• white groupermin 45 cm
  Epinephelus aeneus · 15–45 m · EU 1967/2006
  Grouper: max 1/day (shared genus-Epinephelus limit).
• goldblotch groupermin 45 cm
  Epinephelus costae · 10–35 m · EU 1967/2006
  Grouper: max 1/day (shared genus-Epinephelus limit).
• wreckfish / stone bassmin 45 cm
  Polyprion americanus · 30–60 m · EU 1967/2006
  Deep wreck species. Does NOT count toward the grouper limit (different genus). 45 cm — to verify.
• Mediterranean barracuda
  Sphyraena viridensis · 3–25 m · min 150 g
  No EU size — the 150 g minimum only. Histamine: bleed and chill at once.
• Mediterranean parrotfish
  Sparisoma cretense · 2–20 m · min 150 g
  Eastern-Med delicacy (Crete/Dodecanese). No EU size — the 150 g minimum only.
• striped seabreammin 20 cm
  Lithognathus mormyrus · 2–15 m · EU 1967/2006
• brown meagre / corbmin 25 cm
  Sciaena umbra · 5–30 m · EU 1967/2006
• striped red mulletmin 11 cm
  Mullus surmuletus · 3–30 m · EU 1967/2006
• devil firefish (lionfish)
  Pterois miles · 5–40 m · invasive
  ⚠️ Invasive — removal encouraged, excellent flesh. Venomous spines: never grab bare-handed, cut the spines, treat a sting with hot water (>45 °C).
• silver-cheeked toadfish
  Lagocephalus sceleratus · 5–40 m · invasive
  ☠️ Invasive — kill, but DO NOT EAT: deadly toxin (TTX). Sale banned (Reg. 853/2004, Annex III Sect. VIII Ch. V(E)). Powerful beak bites — never string it live on a stringer.
• rabbitfish
  Siganus rivulatus / luridus · 2–20 m · invasive
  Invasive — removal encouraged, edible and tasty. Venomous dorsal/anal/pelvic spines — remove carefully, treat a sting with hot water.
• gilthead seabreammin 20 cm
  Sparus aurata · 2–20 m · EU 1967/2006
• European seabassmin 25 cm
  Dicentrarchus labrax · 0–15 m · EU 1967/2006
• leerfish / garrick
  Lichia amia · 2–20 m · min 150 g
  No EU size — only the 150 g minimum applies.
• flathead grey mullet
  Mugil cephalus · 0–8 m · min 150 g
  No EU size — only the 150 g minimum applies.

• ✓⚠️ MAY — a TOTAL spearfishing ban for the whole month, every year (ΠΔ 373/1985, art. 3§1α). This is law in force, not a draft.
• ✓No licence required: the recreational permit was abolished in 2014 (Ν. 4256/2014) — every standing prohibition stays in force all the same.
• •Recreational-fisher registry (ΟΣΠΑ / Μητρώο Ερασιτεχνών Αλιέων): Reg. (EU) 2023/2842 obliges member states to register recreational fishing, and the Greek registry is described as being prepared. We found neither an act in force nor a working registry as of 08.2026 — not confirmed. Check gov.gr before you travel.
• ✓Age: 16+ (under-16 spearfishing is forbidden; ΠΔ 373/85, art. 3§1γ).
• ✓Daytime only: sunrise to sunset. Night is forbidden (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 3§1β).
• ✓Freediving only: scuba/any air-supply apparatus is banned — it may not even be carried aboard (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 3§2γ).
• ✓Distances: ≥200 m from bathers, harbours, moored vessels and marked nets; no hunting in fairways or harbour entrances/exits (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 3§1δ/ε).
• ✓Buoy MANDATORY: a yellow float + a yellow flag with a red diagonal stripe and the letters «Υ.Δ.», visible from ≥300 m; stay within 50 m of the buoy (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 3§3).
• ✓Limit: 5 kg/day (or one trophy heavier than the limit). Grouper (Epinephelus) — max 1/day, not banned (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 2§2).
• ✓Sale/trade of the recreational catch is prohibited (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 1§7).
• ✓Load the speargun only in the water — never keep it loaded out of the water (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 3§2β). Underwater light while hunting is forbidden (art. 3§2ζ).
• ✓Sea urchins — 20/day per person and 30/day per boat (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 2§2). Nets at any stage of the hunt are banned, and you may not take the catch out of somebody else's gear or nets (art. 3§2). Sponges and corals are off limits to the recreational fisher (art. 1§6).
• ✓Pneumatic and band guns are ALLOWED (a myth in English guides). Only spears with an explosive/chemical charge — powerheads — are banned (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 3§2δ).
• ✓Min. sizes: seabass 25 cm · gilthead 20 cm · white seabream 23 cm · grouper 45 cm · octopus 750 g (ΠΔ 62/2024). Any fish — not under 150 g (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 3§2στ). No-size species (dentex, amberjack, barracuda, parrotfish) — the 150 g minimum only. See the species card.
• ✓Full ban on taking: Pinna nobilis (πίννα), corals and sponges (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 1§6 + Habitats Directive 92/43).
• ✓Invasives: taking the lionfish (λεοντόψαρο) is encouraged — ⚠️ venomous spines. The silver-cheeked toadfish (λαγοκέφαλος) ☠️ DO NOT EAT — deadly toxin (TTX), sale banned (Reg. 853/2004, Annex III Sect. VIII Ch. V(E)), it bites. The rabbitfish (γερμανός) is edible — venomous spines.
• ✓In ANY declared underwater archaeological site, and in the submerged historic sites, spearfishing is BANNED — the act names ψαροντούφεκο in so many words (ΚΥΑ ΥΠΠΟ/ΓΔΑΠΚ/ΑΡΧ/Α1/Φ41/11228/1865, ΦΕΚ 336/Β/2004, part Α §2 δ + part Β). It reaches the sites our map does not draw, too. Do not touch antiquities (Ν. 3028/2002). Map of the zones — the ENALIA geoportal (thalchor-2.ypen.gov.gr/layers/geonode:ENALIA).
• •The national marine parks of Alonissos/N. Sporades and Zakynthos (Laganas): spearfishing is BANNED in the park. But Alonissos zone Β4 is not solid — ΦΕΚ 1741/Β/2011 reopened four stretches inside it (the N shore Αγ. Δημήτριος–Άκρο Απύθμενο, Μηλιά–Σπαρτίνες, όρμος Κλήμα on Περιστέρα, the Μεγάλος Αδελφός shore), while the same act creates the ΕΕΑΧ Περιστέρας, where fishing IS banned. Our layer paints the park whole, i.e. stricter than the act. Check the limits with the park authority.
• •The Southern Kynouria/Arcadia diving park: Ν. 4688/2020 establishes underwater parks, but we have not read a spearfishing prohibition inside it in the act — we treat that as NOT PROVEN rather than as confirmed. The park's boundary is not on our map either (the act publishes no coordinates). Ask the Leonidio/Tyros λιμεναρχείο before you go.
• •Local Λιμεναρχείο bans: on top of the national rules, every port authority issues its own (ΓΚΛ/ΕΚΛ and λιμενάρχης decisions). In the ΛΣ-ΕΛ.ΑΚΤ registry we counted ~163 of them that reach a speargun, across 48 ports — our map does NOT draw them. Check your own port: alieia.hcg.gr/prohibitions/local/local17.php.
• •Locally STRICTER than the national rule: Corfu (Kerkyra) — from 01.04 to 31.10 spearfishing is banned within 200 m of the shore, even where nobody is swimming (απόφαση Λ/Χ Κέρκυρας 2141.1/2939/2024, ΦΕΚ Β΄3269/2024). In practice that closes shore entry on Corfu for the season. We read the act in the registry, not in the ΦΕΚ — confirm with the λιμεναρχείο.
• •Locally STRICTER: Lefkada — 300 m instead of 200, and not only the speargun: ψαροντούφεκο, nets and longlines are banned within 300 m of those sea areas, beaches and shores of the port district THAT ARE USED BY BATHERS (απόφαση Λ/Χ Λευκάδας 2131.13/1477/2022, in its own words «όπου χρησιμοποιούνται από λουόμενους»). The act ran to 30.09.2022 and we found no extension; an expired act is not proof that the ban is gone. Ask the Lefkada λιμεναρχείο.
• •Locally STRICTER: Symi — from 15.06 to 15.09 fishing BY ANY MEANS is banned within 200 m of beach areas and in inhabited coastal areas WHERE BATHERS ARE PRESENT OR GATHER (απόφαση Λ/Χ Σύμης 2131.13/882/2016). Separately, year-round: fishing by any means is banned inside the port and its sea zone, except line/rod fishing from land (ΓΚΛ Σύμης, art. 151, ΦΕΚ 362/Β/2004). The acts were copied from the registry, not checked against the ΦΕΚ.
• •Locally: inside the ports of Lavrio and Kea spearfishing is banned across the WHOLE port water, not merely under the 200 m rule; separately, in front of the hotel beaches (ΓΚΛ Λαυρίου, art. 240, ΦΕΚ 460/Β/1978). The act was copied from the registry, not checked against the ΦΕΚ.
• •Coming: two new national marine parks are being created (Ionian + South Cyclades, ~27,500 km²). NOT yet in force (ΠΔ under review, mid-2026). Once live — a trawl ban + a seasonal coastal closure 15.04–31.05; in the strict zones spearfishing will be banned. Check before the season.

• ⛔ Pinna nobilis (πίννα, fan mussel) — full ban on taking/killing (Habitats Dir. 92/43 Annex IV; critically endangered).
• ⛔ Corals and sponges — recreational taking PROHIBITED (ΠΔ 373/85, art. 1§6).
• ⛔ Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) — strictly protected, keep your distance.
• ⛔ Sea turtles (Caretta caretta, Chelonia mydas) — protected, taking/disturbing is PROHIBITED.
• ⛔ Seahorses (Hippocampus) — protected.

Rules change, and the local Λιμεναρχείο (port authority) may impose local restrictions. Before heading out, check the current rules and the declared archaeological zones (ENALIA).

• 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.