Fishing Spot Japan

Fishing rules in Kochi

What Kochi 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 Kochi’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.

Kochi

×Trolling●Landing net●Scoop net●Fishing spear (excluding harpoons)○Hand line & rod fishing○Cast net○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 Kochi 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

Kochi SOURCED

Possessing or selling anything taken in breach of these rules is also prohibited.

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

Closed seasons

Ayu (sweetfish)31 Dec – 15 MaySea areas.
Japanese eel, 21 cm total length or underAll year
Amberjack juvenile, 15 cm or underAll year
Spiny lobster, 13 cm body length or underAll year
Spiny lobster over 13 cm1 May – 15 Sep
Abalone, 9 cm shell length or underAll year
Abalone over 9 cm1 Sep – 31 Mar
Tokobushi, 3 cm shell length or underAll year
Tokobushi over 3 cm1 Sep – 31 Mar
Horned turban1 Sep – 31 Mar
Tengusa seaweeds1 Sep – end of Feb
Arame kelp1 Oct – 30 Jun
Funori seaweed1 Oct – end of Feb

May not be taken at or under this size

Prohibited methods

    Kochi expresses its limits as closed seasons rather than a separate size table: undersized fish are closed all year, and the legal-sized ones get a seasonal closure on top. Read the two together — an abalone over 9 cm is still off limits from September to March. Inland, ayu opens 15 May and amago 1 March, and only fish over 10 cm total length may be taken.

    Source: Kochi Prefecture Fisheries Management Division — Fisheries Adjustment Rules art. 34. The table arrived de-structured; the species-to-period pairing below is our reading of a consistent pattern and should be checked against the page. https://www.pref.kochi.lg.jp/doc/2020092800072/✓ checked 2026-08-26

    Cooperatives that sell a permit online

    3 in Kochi. Buying before you travel matters: on many rivers the price doubles if you buy it on the bank.

    Monobegawa Fishery Cooperative

    Lure OKWinter
    Buy permit →

    Nonegawa Fishery Cooperative

    Buy permit →

    Kagamigawa Fishery Cooperative

    Buy permit →

    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.

    Kochi Inland Fisheries Federation
    0887-55-2220

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