Countries › Uruguay › Guide › 12. Sectors › Fisheries and aquaculture in Uruguay: permits, ownership limits, flag rules, permit terms and fines

Fisheries and aquaculture in Uruguay: permits, ownership limits, flag rules, permit terms and fines

Last verified: 2026-10-27 · Status: Stable

Commercial fishing needs a permit tied to a specific vessel, issued by the aquatic resources directorate (DINARA) to persons domiciled in Uruguay; companies qualify only if all shares or quotas are registered and owned by individuals, unless the Executive grants an exception (Ley Nº 19.175 art. 9 and 28). Permits last 5 years, 10 years for vessels of companies with continuous processing plants in Uruguay, or a one time 15 years with a vessel replacement project; they cannot be sold or traded, and lapse after up to 180 days of inactivity or loss of the national flag (art. 22, 35, 36 and 37). Aquaculture uses authorisations and concessions with a single file procedure and investment promotion benefits, and infringements are fined from 10 to 2,000 UR (art. 62, 68 and 82).

USD figures use UYU 40.21 per US dollar, the BCU quotation for DLS. USA BILLETE on 27 October 2026; amounts in Unidades Indexadas (UI) use UYU 6.6792 per UI, the BCU quotation for 27 October 2026; amounts in Unidades Reajustables (UR) use UYU 1,940.77, the September 2026 value published by IMPO (Decreto Nº 229/026), the latest available on 27 October 2026. Conversions are for orientation only.

Key facts

Standard fishing permit term	5 yearsLey Nº 19.175 art. 35, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Permit term for vessels of companies with local processing	10 yearsLey Nº 19.175 art. 35 B), as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum inactivity before permit lapses	180 daysLey Nº 19.175 art. 37, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Companies holding fishing permits	All shares registered and owned by individuals, unless Executive exception Ley Nº 19.175 art. 28, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Maximum fisheries fine	2000 URLey Nº 19.175 art. 82, as of 2026-10-27 · in force
Trading of fishing permits	Prohibited and void Ley Nº 19.175 art. 36, as of 2026-10-27 · in force

The rule

1. Access is granted through fishing permits (a right of a person for a specific vessel, for a set term, to fish certain species under conditions; commercial artisanal, commercial industrial, sport and scientific), authorisations (processing, transport, sale or aquaculture) and concessions (exclusive or quasi exclusive use of public waters or seabed for aquaculture). The Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries sets policy and DINARA administers it.
Cost to do it: Fees for permits, concessions, authorisations and inspections are set yearly by the Executive (art. 34).
Example: A fish processing plant needs a processing authorisation even if it does not own vessels. / Same in USD.Ley Nº 19.175 (Fisheries and Aquaculture Law) of 20 December 2013, Art. 9, 10 and 12, 2013-12-20 official text · verified 2026-10-27

2. Access to fishery and aquaculture resources is only for natural or legal persons domiciled in Uruguay with the relevant permits. Private legal entities may hold fishing permits only if all their capital is registered quotas or shares owned entirely by individuals; the Executive may grant a reasoned exception where the number of shareholders or the nature of the business prevents this. A sufficient guarantee is required for fishing permits (except subsistence and artisanal), and additional obligations apply if the applicant does not own the vessel.
Cost to do it: Guarantee amount set by regulation (art. 33).
Example: A fishing company held by a foreign corporate parent needs an Executive exception to hold permits. / Same in USD.Ley Nº 19.175, Art. 28 and 33, 2013-12-20 official text · verified 2026-10-27

3. Fishing permits last five years, extendable for equal periods. They may last 10 years for vessels of companies with processing facilities in Uruguay that continuously process fish products, and, exceptionally and once, 15 years for industrial fishing permits tied to an investment project replacing the vessel.
Cost to do it: Annual fees set by the Executive.
Example: A company that builds a new trawler to replace an old one can seek a one time 15 year permit. / Same in USD.Ley Nº 19.175 art. 35 as worded by Ley Nº 20.075 art. 198, Art. 35, 2022-10-20 official text · verified 2026-10-27 · changed: Ley Nº 20.075 of 20 October 2022, art. 198, reworded art. 35 adding the one time 15 year term for industrial permits tied to vessel replacement.

4. Any legal transaction involving permits, concessions or authorisations is prohibited and absolutely void, whether or not it transfers title, with the maximum sanctions; changes in a company's share capital do not change the holder of the permit (limited exceptions exist for artisanal permits on death or absence). Inactivity of a vessel for the period set by regulation, which may not exceed 180 days, causes the permit to lapse except for force majeure or justified reasons.
Cost to do it: Not tradable, so no market price for permits.
Example: Selling a vessel with its permit is void as to the permit; but a share sale of the permit holding company keeps the permit with the company. / Same in USD.Ley Nº 19.175 art. 36, and art. 37 as worded by Ley Nº 20.075 art. 200, Art. 36 and 37, 2022-10-20 official text · verified 2026-10-27

5. Fishing vessels must be on the national register and fly the Uruguayan flag; the Executive may, on reasoned grounds, grant permits to foreign flagged vessels under regulation. Losing the national flag automatically voids the permit for that vessel. Transshipment of fish products at sea or in port is prohibited except for exports, which must be transshipped in port under control.
Cost to do it: No fee in these articles.
Example: Reflagging a trawler abroad cancels its Uruguayan fishing permit by operation of law. / Same in USD.Ley Nº 19.175, Art. 20, 22 and 38, 2013-12-20 official text · verified 2026-10-27

6. Aquaculture applications are handled in a single file procedure; the Executive prepares national aquaculture zoning. Aquaculture benefits from the Ley Nº 16.906 investment promotion exemptions for five years: for existing ventures from the law's promulgation, and for new ones from approval of the project.
Cost to do it: Ley Nº 16.906 benefits as granted for each project.
Example: A new fish farm gets five years of investment promotion benefits counted from project approval. / Same in USD.Ley Nº 19.175, Art. 58, 62 and 68, 2013-12-20 official text · verified 2026-10-27

7. Infringements are minor, serious or very serious. Fines range from 10 to 2,000 UR: minor 10 to 99 UR, serious 100 to 999 UR, very serious 1,000 to 2,000 UR, and accumulated fines may not exceed 2,000 UR. Other sanctions include warnings, suspension, closure and revocation; permit holders and shipowners are jointly liable, and final fines are enforceable titles.
Cost to do it: Fine range UR 10 (about UYU 19,408, US$483) to UR 2,000 (about UYU 3,881,540, US$96,532).
Example: A very serious infringement can cost up to UYU 3,881,540. / About US$96,532 at most.Ley Nº 19.175 art. 82 as worded by Ley Nº 20.075 art. 217; art. 80 and 85, Art. 76 to 85, 2022-10-20 official text · verified 2026-10-27

Class	Range in UR	Approximate UYU	Approximate US$
Minor	10 to 99	19,408 to 192,136	483 to 4,778
Serious	100 to 999	194,077 to 1,938,829	4,827 to 48,218
Very serious	1,000 to 2,000	1,940,770 to 3,881,540	48,266 to 96,532

Fisheries fines (Ley Nº 19.175 art. 82)

Worked example

Fine exposure: fishing with an industrial vessel in a zone reserved to artisanal fishing is a very serious infringement (Ley Nº 19.175 art. 77), fined between UR 1,000 (about UYU 1,940,770, US$48,266) and UR 2,000 (about UYU 3,881,540, US$96,532).
Acquisition: a foreign investor buys the shares of a Uruguayan fishing company; the permits stay with the company (art. 36), but the company must still meet the individual ownership rule or obtain an Executive exception (art. 28).

Step by step

1. Choose the vehicle and check ownership: registered shares held by individuals, or apply for an Executive exception (art. 28).
2. Register and flag the vessel in Uruguay (art. 38).
3. Submit the management project to DINARA and post the guarantee (art. 32 and 33).
4. Obtain the permit for the vessel and keep it active within the regulatory inactivity limit (art. 37).
5. For processing, transport or sale, obtain DINARA authorisations; for aquaculture, use the single file procedure and request Ley Nº 16.906 benefits (art. 62 and 68).

Common traps

Contracts that trade or lease fishing permits are void and attract maximum sanctions (art. 36).
Inactivity beyond the regulatory period (180 days at most) voids the permit (art. 37).
Reflagging a vessel abroad cancels its permit automatically (art. 22).
Transshipment at sea is prohibited; export transshipment must be in port (art. 20).

Sources

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