FISHING GUIDE · GALÁPAGOS ISLANDS, ECUADOR

Galápagos Islands Fishing Guide

Galápagos is a marine reserve, not an open sport fishing ground. Only local artisanal fishers hold fishing rights, and tourists can fish only on a licensed Pesca Vivencial day tour with one of those fishers, keeping limited 'white fish' to eat on board. Large areas, such as the Darwin and Wolf sanctuary, are closed to all fishing.

📍 Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, in the Pacific. Each Pesca Vivencial boat is tied to a fixed home port on the inhabited islands. The sea around the islands is the Galápagos Marine Reserve, joined in 2022 by the Hermandad reserve.

Map: spots, ramps and marinas

★ Fishing hot spot · ● Boat ramp · ● Marina · ▭ Protected area (solid red = no fishing, dashed = fishing with rules)

Open the full Galápagos Islands map →

Quick facts

The Galápagos Marine Reserve covers 138,000 km², and the Hermandad reserve added 60,000 km² in January 2022, for 198,000 km² protected in total.
A 38,000 km² no-fishing sanctuary around Darwin and Wolf islands was created in 2016.
Visitors can fish only on a 'Pesca Vivencial' tour, which only Galápagos artisanal fishers may run (Acuerdo Ministerial 170 of 2012).
Each Pesca Vivencial trip may keep no more than 50 pounds of fish; marlin and swordfish are catch and release only.
The Galápagos National Park Directorate is not issuing new Pesca Vivencial permits because all slots are taken.

What you can catch

Wahoo (guaho)
Offshore species valued in Galápagos fishing.
Yellowfin tuna (albacora)
Offshore catch.
Dolphinfish / mahi-mahi (dorado)
Offshore catch.
Galápagos grouper (bacalao, Mycteroperca olfax)
Traditional local fish, dried and salted; main catch Dec-Apr.
Snappers (pargo)
Several snapper species taken by hook and line.
Sailfish and marlin (picudos)
On Pesca Vivencial tours these may only be caught and released.
Pacific sierra
Coastal mackerel caught locally.

Month by month

January	Pesca Vivencial tours run 6 am - 6 pm. Bacalao season (Dec-Apr).
February	Bacalao season. Langostino closed through Feb 28, 2027.
March	Bacalao season.
April	Pesca Vivencial permit year renews Apr 1. Bacalao season ends.
May	Tours run; only white fish on the park fishing calendar may be kept.
June	Tours run; check the park fishing calendar.
July	Tours run; check the park fishing calendar.
August	Red and green lobster season opens Aug 1 for local artisanal fishers only (2026).
September	Lobster season (artisanal fishers only).
October	Lobster season (artisanal fishers only).
November	Lobster season (artisanal fishers only).
December	Lobster season ends Dec 31 (2026). Bacalao season starts.

Tips

Book only with an authorized Pesca Vivencial operator; there is no other legal way for a visitor to fish.
Fish you keep cannot be sold or given away; it may be eaten only on board by the people on the trip.
Each boat carries up to 10 passengers, plus captain, crew and a licensed guide.
Any fish not on the park's fishing calendar, and any bycatch, must be released.
No fishing at tourist visit sites, and never take anything for the aquarium trade.

Rules and license

Dirección del Parque Nacional Galápagos (Galápagos National Park Directorate), Ministry of Environment of Ecuador · Official rules page ↗

Only Galápagos artisanal fishers may run Pesca Vivencial; fishers who switch give up their artisanal fishing permit.
Only fishing types listed in the reserve's fishing regulation are allowed.
Pesca Vivencial: day trips only, 6 am - 6 pm, one trip per boat per day, max 10 passengers.
Keep only white fish on the park fishing calendar, max 50 lb per trip; release the rest alive.
Marlin, sailfish and swordfish: catch and release only.
Gear: trolling lines, rods and handlines with 1-4 hooks.
No fishing at visit sites; no fishing in the Darwin-Wolf sanctuary.
Lobster and sea cucumber are for licensed local fishers (PARMA licence) only.

Rules change. Always check the official page before you fish.

Boat ramps and marinas

The map above shows 2 boat ramps and 0 marinas from OpenStreetMap. Tap any dot for directions.

Sources

Checked October 2026. BigJoe does not invent facts: every number on this page comes from the sources listed above.