Fishing Spot Japan

Yellowfin Tuna fishing in Muroto & Tosa Bay

June, July, August and September are the prime months. No permit is required for recreational sea fishing.

When

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

Season grading is our editorial judgement, not a sourced figure. It says when the fish is catchable, not when the water is legally open — for that, read the closed seasons below.

Do you need a permit?

No permit is required for recreational sea fishing.

Water
Saltwater
Prefecture
Kochi
Region
Shikoku
Getting there
2 h from Kochi Airport

How far our answer goes here

  • ✓National lawApplies everywhere. Foreign-national gear limits, protected species, bluefin controls.
  • ✓PrefectureMinimum sizes, closed seasons and legal gear. This is a floor — local rules add to it, never subtract.
  • ~Sea-area / inland committeeDirectives that close specific waters or periods. We hold these for a few prefectures only.
  • —Cooperative permitSea fishing needs no cooperative permit. A Common Fishery Right still covers the shore — see the rule above.

Rules stack. Everything above the line we hold; everything below it you still need to confirm on the ground. That gap is exactly what a local guide is for.

Legal gear in Kochi

○Hand line & rod fishing×Trolling●Landing net●Scoop net○Cast net●Fishing spear (excluding harpoons)○Rake / clam tool○Hand gathering

Sea areas only, as of 2026-03-31. Anything not listed — diving apparatus, spearguns — may not be used at all. Full table & footnotes

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

    About Yellowfin Tuna

    Summer and autumn, often on casting tackle over bait schools.

    Japanese
    · kihada
    Scientific name
    Thunnus albacares
    Typical size
    60–150 cm (24–59 in)

    How it is fished here

    Shore & popper casting, Jigging

    Elsewhere

    Yellowfin Tuna is also listed at Tokyo Bay, Hachijo-jima, Kumejima. Everything caught in Muroto & Tosa Bay.