Fishing Spot Japan

Fishing rules in Kagoshima

What Kagoshima adds on top of national law, and what we still do not hold for it. Rules stack downwards: the prefecture may restrict more than the nation, and a cooperative more than the prefecture. None may permit what a layer above forbids.

Legal gear

These are the gear a non-professional may use in Kagoshima’s sea areas. The list is exhaustive: anything not shown here may not be used at all, which catches out visitors who assume a speargun or diving apparatus is merely restricted rather than banned.

Kagoshima

×Trolling△Cast net○Hand line & rod fishing○Landing net○Scoop net○Fishing spear (excluding harpoons)○Rake / clam tool○Hand gathering
○ Permitted● Permitted, but lights / fish-attracting lamps are prohibited△ Permitted, but not from a vessel※ Permitted, but chumming is prohibited▲ Permitted, but chumming from a vessel is prohibited× Prohibited
Source: https://www.jfa.maff.go.jp/j/yugyo/y_kisei/kisoku/todo_huken/index.htmlAs of 2026-03-31✓ checked 2026-08-25

If you are not a Japanese national

Under the Act on the Regulation of Fishing Operations by Foreign Nationals (Act No. 60 of 1967), recreational fishing by foreign nationals in Japanese waters is limited to 'gathering or catching of aquatic animals or plants on a minor scale'. What you may use depends on the size of the boat you are on.

Method / gearShore (no vessel)Vessel under 3 GTVessel 3 GT or more
Rod fishing, handlineyesyesguide-only
Landing net, scoop net, fishing spear, clam rake or knifeyesyesguide-only
Cast netyesnono
Trollingn/ayesguide-only

On a vessel of 3 gross tons or more, a foreign national may fish ONLY when the trip is run by a Japanese vessel under the control of a Japanese fisher — that is, a registered charter (yugyosen) or fishing boat. Most serious offshore boats are over 3 GT, so for offshore fishing a licensed Japanese guide is not a convenience. It is the law.

Up to 3 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to ¥30,000,000, or both — for breaching the gear and method rules that apply specifically to foreign nationals.

This is national law and applies in Kagoshima exactly as everywhere else. It sits on top of the prefecture’s gear list above — you need to clear both.

Size limits and closed seasons

Kagoshima VERIFIED

Up to 6 months' imprisonment or a fine of up to ¥100,000 (Rules art. 59).

Applies to: Sea and inland. The source regulation covers both sea and inland waters. Cooperatives add further rules on rivers and lakes.

Closed seasons

Abalone1 Nov – 31 DecAlso a nationally protected species — see the rules above.
Tokobushi abalone1 Oct – 30 Apr
Spanner crab1 Jun – 31 Jul
Spiny lobster1 May – 20 Aug
Ayu (sweetfish)1 Jan – 31 May
Yamame (cherry salmon)1 Oct – 31 Dec
Ryukyu ayu1 Nov – 31 May

May not be taken at or under this size

Japanese eel21 cm total length or under
Amberjack (juvenile, mojako)15 cm body length or under
Common carp20 cm total length or under
Crucian carp10 cm total length or under
Spiny lobster13 cm body length or under
Abalone10 cm shell length or under
Tokobushi abalone5 cm shell length or under
Hen clam5 cm shell length or under
Satsuma ark shell3 cm shell length or under
Moon scallop8 cm shell length or under
Japanese baking scallop8 cm shell length or under
Black-lip pearl oyster9 cm shell length or under
Winged pearl oyster12 cm shell length or under

Prohibited methods

  • Sea and inland — Passing an electric current through the water
  • Inland — Draining a stretch of river to strand fish (sehoshi)
  • Inland — Upstream weir traps
  • Inland — Underwater guns

Permitted for non-professionals: rod and handline (not trolling or longline), landing and scoop nets, cast net (not from a boat), spears and gaffs, and hand gathering without diving apparatus. Spearguns, spears that leave the hand, and detachable-head spears are all excluded. Diving apparatus, including aqualungs, may not be used to take anything.

The prefecture publishes a handbook for people using its seas and rivers.

Source: Kagoshima Prefecture — regulations under the Fisheries Adjustment Rules (updated 2026-02-20) http://www.pref.kagoshima.jp/af05/suisan/gyochou/kisoku.html✓ checked 2026-08-26

Places we list here

What we do not hold, and who to ask

Being explicit about the gap is the point of this page. What is missing:

  • Sea-area and inland committee directives, which close specific waters or periods. We hold these for a few prefectures only.
  • Port and municipal rules. Posted on signs at the water, in Japanese, and published nowhere centrally.

Kagoshima Inland Fisheries Federation
099-251-2313

National rules apply on top of everything here — see Before you fish. How every figure is graded is set out in Data & sources.