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

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◈Ubatuba · Brazil
5.2
wave 0.8 m head-on
visibility~2m

Marginal

Today — right on the edge — wave, wind and noticeable surge.

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 zonesLive cams

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
Ubatuba — solo, off the rocks
BORDERLINE
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site · wind 7 km/h, gusts to 36 — caution
wave 0.8 m head-onwind 7, gusts 36 km/hnoticeable surgevisibility ~2 m
today, best window 06:00–09:00
fish · Visibility 2 m · Water 23.8°C
confidence low · 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
05:18–18:09 · full moon
▲ 02:00▼ 08:00▲ 14:00▼ 20:00mid-range tides · 1.2 m
Hours (06→20)
06
09
12
15
18
Day's trends
Tide0.36 m
Wave0.80 m
Wind6 km/h
Water23 °C
fish activity: moon overhead 00:00 · high · moonset 04:34 · moderate · moon underfoot 11:10 · high · moonrise 17:49 · moderate
Conditions window06:00–09:00
caution — solo off the rocks is risky, check on site fish
Hs 0.84 m · roughperiod 5.4 s head-onwind 7→36surge 1.4viz 2 m
0.84 mrough · up to ~1.68 · 102° head-on
5.4 sswell moderate
7→36gusts 36 km/h
1.4noticeable surge
0.14m/s
2 mrecent swell
23.8°C5 mm + hood
▼08:00tide turn near
Atmosphere4 kmovercast
lowoff the lunar peaks
  • wind 7 km/h, gusts to 36 — caution
  • murky water (visibility ~2 m)
  • low water — slack
confidence lowtwilight
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São Paulo Coast

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Rio de Janeiro Coast

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Paraná Coast

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spearo.app · a private marine instrument · Ubatuba · a planner, not a safety guaranteePrivacy
Today
Notify me
Map
Best window · next 3 days
borderlineTuesday · 18:00–21:00
you can see ~3 m ahead fish

transparency ~8 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 · 17:19–18:19

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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 →
Costão de Fora (Couves)Ubatuba
borderline
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

Rocky face on the outer side of Ilha das Couves, 5–15 m, by boat; currents at the turn of the tide. Marine APA: breath-hold only.

Google Maps
Ilha CompridaUbatuba
borderline
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

Rocky shoreline sloping gently to sand at 6 m, 3–12 m; sheltered from E and SE. At the far end there are currents in the channel with Ilha das Couves.

Google Maps
🔒 Ilha da RapadaUbatuba
borderline
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 do Mar ViradoUbatuba
borderline
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 do PrumirimUbatuba
borderline
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 da CompridaUbatuba
borderline
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

Rocky islet next to Ilha Comprida, 3–12 m, by boat. Marine APA: breath-hold only.

Google Maps
Ilhote das Couves – Face OesteUbatuba
borderline
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

Vertical wall from the surface to the bottom, 12–23 m, with a large hall of big rocks; groupers here. Strong currents in the channel at the turn of the tide.

Google Maps
ParcelzinhoUbatuba
borderline
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

Rocky shoreline with morays and crustaceans and a small shoal alongside, 3–10 m; sheltered from E, SE and S.

Google Maps
Paredinha das MiriquitesUbatuba
borderline
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

Sheltered spot: sand at 3 m rising to the rocky shore, 3–11 m. Watch the currents in the narrow channel by the islet and the boat traffic.

Google Maps
Pedra da CachorraUbatuba
borderline
exposed head-on to the swell today
window
—

Tip of a large rock ledge: shallower shoal to the east and an abrupt drop to the southwest, 3–18 m. Reef fish here; many stingrays in September and October.

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.

Download on theApp StoreGET IT ONGoogle Play
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≈

Surfacing

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

Live cameras, map & reference
Cameras · live

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↗
Ubatuba (SP) — Praia das Toninhas, canto direito (UBACAM)YouTube live — Ubatuba (SP) — Praia das Toninhas, canto direito (UBACAM). The camera looks at the rocky point and the swell. Embeddable under YouTube's terms (the owner left embedding on). Read the water before you go.camera: youtube ↗
connecting to the stream…
● LIVE↗
Ubatuba (SP) — Praia do Tenório, canto direito (UBACAM)YouTube live — Ubatuba (SP) — Praia do Tenório, canto direito (UBACAM). The camera looks at the rocky point and the swell. Embeddable under YouTube's terms (the owner left embedding on). Read the water before you go.camera: youtube ↗
connecting to the stream…
● LIVE↗
Ubatuba (SP) — Perequê-Açu, canto direito (UBACAM)YouTube live — Ubatuba (SP) — Perequê-Açu, canto direito (UBACAM). The camera looks at the rocky point and the swell. Embeddable under YouTube's terms (the owner left embedding on). Read the water before you go.camera: youtube ↗
connecting to the stream…
● LIVE↗
Ubatuba (SP) — Prumirim, canto esquerdo (UBACAM)YouTube live — Ubatuba (SP) — Prumirim, canto esquerdo (UBACAM). The camera looks at the rocky point and the swell. Embeddable under YouTube's terms (the owner left embedding on). Read the water before you go.camera: youtube ↗
connecting to the stream…
● LIVE↗
Ubatuba (SP) — Praia Grande / Baguari (UBACAM)YouTube live — Ubatuba (SP) — Praia Grande / Baguari (UBACAM). The camera looks at the beach and the surf line. Embeddable under YouTube's terms (the owner left embedding on). Read the water before you go.camera: youtube ↗
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 · Ubatuba

Spearfishing in Ubatuba: spots, seasons and rules

Updated 2026-07-09 · By Oleksandr, spearfisher

Spearfishing in Ubatuba is a north-coast island and headland plan, but two limits come first. The national one: Brazil requires the MPA recreational licence, spearfishing is apnea only, and goliath grouper is under a total moratorium. The local one: Ilha Anchieta State Park is no-take, with hunting and fishing fully prohibited. The supported spots in the registry sit outside that park: Ilha Comprida, Costão de Fora (Couves), Ilhote das Couves – Face Oeste, Pedra da Cachorra and Paredinha das Miriquites. The local conditions note points to clear island water, roughly 20 m summer visibility and the best window from December to March, as long as the sea is calm and the float is visible.

TL;DR

  • Headline Brazil caveat: goliath grouper, the Brazilian mero, is under a total moratorium and is not a legal target in Ubatuba.
  • Ilha Anchieta State Park is no-take: hunting and fishing are fully banned. Keep any spearfishing plan outside the park.
  • The supported verified spots are Ilha Comprida, Costão de Fora (Couves), Ilhote das Couves – Face Oeste, Pedra da Cachorra and Paredinha das Miriquites.
  • The base data favours December to March in calm seas, with summer visibility around 20 m and winter around 10 m. A float is essential with speedboat traffic.

Best spearfishing spots in Ubatuba

This table uses only the five verified verified spots. The source provides name, coordinate, type and depth, but no desc_* prose by spot; the notes therefore avoid invented species, shelter or specific hazard claims. Check sea state, boat plan, GPS and distance from Ilha Anchieta State Park before diving.

SpotTypeDepthLevelAccessNotes
Ilha CompridaIsland/headland3-12 mNo local rating; shallow to mid-depth in the registryBoatVerified spot. Use the stated type and depth as the data limit; confirm face, current and pickup route on the day.
Costão de Fora (Couves)Rocky headland5-15 mNo local ratingBoat to CouvesVerified spot. The registry does not describe shelter or fish by face, so wind, swell and exit control the dive.
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

    Espírito Santo Coast

    • Itapemirim
    • Piúma
    • Anchieta
    • Guarapari
    • Vila Velha
    • Vitória

    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.

    Ilhote das Couves – Face OesteWall12-23 mNo local rating; deeper in the registryBoat to CouvesVerified spot. The west face and depth are supported by the name and registry; do not assume calm water without checking conditions.
    Pedra da CachorraReef slab3-18 mNo local ratingBoatVerified spot. As a slab, it needs a high-visibility float and traffic awareness, but the registry gives no current or fauna detail.
    Paredinha das MiriquitesReef slab3-11 mNo local rating; shallow in the registryBoatVerified spot. Plan it as a shallow to mid-depth slab and confirm it is outside any local restriction on the day.

    Spearfishing Ubatuba conditions today

    Ubatuba is more exposed than Ilhabela in the registry. The coast faces east-southeast, and the local bad sector runs from 150 to 220 degrees, with the worst direction near 190 degrees. When south to southwest sea is running, islands and slabs can be washed, exits can get poor and visibility can drop. The base data favours December to March in calm seas. The day call needs wind, swell, recent rain, boat route and traffic. In Ubatuba, a visible float is practical survival equipment, not a box-tick.

    Underwater visibility in Ubatuba today

    The local reference is strong for the São Paulo north coast: around 20 m in summer and near 10 m in winter. It changes quickly with rain, wind and bad-angle swell. Islands such as Comprida and Couves are often the reason to make the run, but clear island water comes with logistics: boat, buddy, contact with the pilot and pickup timing. If visibility drops, reduce range and depth. Rock and slab with speedboats nearby demand margin.

    Spearfishing Ubatuba Ilha Comprida and Couves

    Ilha Comprida is registered as island/headland in 3-12 m. Around Couves, the supported names are Costão de Fora, Ilhote das Couves – Face Oeste and Paredinha das Miriquites, ranging from 3-11 m to 12-23 m. Those numbers already separate a check dive, a headland session and a deeper wall. Because the registry gives no fish or shelter prose by spot, do not turn the name into a catch promise. Use the points as verified coordinates and finalise the call with someone reading that day's sea.

    Ilha Anchieta State Park spearfishing allowed

    No. The local note is direct: Ilha Anchieta State Park is no-take, with hunting and fishing fully banned. Clear water, underwater trails or recreational diving do not change that. Keep spearfishing outside the park and confirm the boundary before entering the water. Do not accept a vague boat plan sold as Anchieta-adjacent. Ask for the exact point, compare it with the park area and drop any plan inside the park.

    Fish and rules in Ubatuba

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

    Spearfishing licence Ubatuba Brazil

    Brazil's national frame applies in Ubatuba. The MPA recreational fishing licence is required for the category that covers apnea spearfishing. Using scuba or any artificial breathing device to spear fish is prohibited. Also check regional closed seasons, minimum sizes and protected areas before boarding. If a park boundary, exclusion area or enforcement question is unclear, confirm with the competent authority before entering the water.

    FAQ

    Where can you spearfish in Ubatuba?

    The supported list is Ilha Comprida, Costão de Fora (Couves), Ilhote das Couves – Face Oeste, Pedra da Cachorra and Paredinha das Miriquites.

    What is the underwater visibility in Ubatuba today?

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

    What fish can you spear in Ubatuba?

    The local summary names grouper, badejo, snook, leerfish and serra Spanish mackerel. Goliath grouper is prohibited by Brazil's moratorium.

    Can you spearfish in Ilha Anchieta State Park?

    No. The park is no-take, with hunting and fishing fully banned. Keep the plan outside the park boundaries.

    When is the best season to spearfish in Ubatuba?

    The base data points to December to March in calm seas. The day still depends on wind, swell and recent rain.

    Do you need a licence to spearfish in Brazil?

    Yes. The MPA recreational fishing licence is required for the category that covers apnea spearfishing.

    Can you spearfish on scuba?

    No. Spearing with scuba or another artificial breathing device is prohibited.

    Sources

    • MPA, recreational fishing licence
    • IBAMA, environmental rules and enforcement
    • São Paulo Protected Areas Guide, PE Ilha Anchieta

    Nearby towns

    • Dive spots near Ilhabela
    • São Sebastião: forecast and spots
    • Angra dos Reis: forecast and spots
    • Guarujá conditions today
    • Rio de Janeiro spearfishing guide
    Data partners
    dive centres that send us real visibility readings
    Águas VivasMilfontes · Sagres