The Sea of Galilee presents a variety of fishing options, and is a major source of fish for both professional and amateur fishermen. Every year, more than two thousand tons of fish are caught in the Sea of Galilee, including”musht” (tilapia), sardine (the Kinneret bleak, Acanthobrama terraesanctae), “biny” (carp-like), and catfish. The tilapia species include the Galilean tilapia (Sarotherodon galilaeus), the blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus), and the redbelly tilapia (Tilapia zillii).
So where can you fish in the Sea of Galilee, and when is it forbidden? Keep reading.
The Sea of Galilee (known as “Kinneret” in Hebrew) is the largest freshwater lake in Israel. In the past, it supplied most of the water consumption in Israel, but due to the drop in water levels as a result of years of drought and the construction of desalination facilities, today it is barely used and provides only about 3 percent of the drinking water in Israel. This change contributed to the rise in sea level, and increased the fishing opportunities in the Sea of Galilee.
Where to Fish in the Sea of Galilee
If you are looking for where to fish in the Sea of Galilee, it is likely that one of the following beaches will meet your need:
- Beit Tsaida Valley, east of the Arik Bridge
- Dekel Beach
- Magdalene Beach
- Arbel Beach
- Hawaii Beach
- Nirvana Beach
- Ginosar anchorage
- Hukok Beach – Karey Deshe
- Kiner Beach
- Duga Beach
- Dugit Beach
- Golan Beach
- Ceylon Beach
- Ashalim Beach
- Nahal Samech estuary (Kursi beach)
- Lavnon Beach
- Halokim Beach
- Gofra Beach
- Zilzal Beach
- Susita Beach
- Ein Gev anchorage, Ein Gev
- HaAla Beach
- Shitim Beach
- Kane Beach
- Sheizaf Beach
- Rotem Beach
- HaOn Pier
- Maagan Beach
- Tzemach Beach
- Jordan Beach
- Shaldag Beach
- Zunbari Beach
- Shahaf Beach
- Berniki Beach
- Sycamore Beach
- Hemi Tiberias Beach, Tiberias Fishing Pier
- Mekorot Beach
- Sapphire Beach (eucalyptus south of Amnon Beach), Amnon Bay.
- Aish Bay west of the Jordan estuary to the Sea of Galilee.
The level of the Sea of Galilee depends mainly on the flow of streams (which are filled with rainwater) to it. The water sources entering the Sea of Galilee are in two points – the Jordan River Basin which drains the streams flowing into the Jordan River north of the Kineret, and the Sea of Galilee Basin – which drains the spring water flowing around the Kineret and the rainwater flowing directly into the streams. These streams flow into the lake an average of 300 million cubic meters per year.
Fishing Ban Period
The Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for enforcing the fishing laws in the Sea of Galilee, and especially for banning fishing during the spawning season for fish in designated areas.
The Fisheries and Aquaculture Division of the Ministry of Agriculture populates the Sea of Galilee every year with a quantity of tilapia, silverfish and mullet. The process is carried out according to the decisions of a joint professional committee of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Water Authority, and its main purpose is to strengthen the lake’s ecosystem, and accordingly enrich it with fish and increase the possible fishing catch.
The fishing ban season in the Sea of Galilee usually begins in April and lasts 90 days, throughout the spawning season for the fish in these areas. The prohibited areas in fishing are the north of the Sea of Galilee (the Promise) from Amnon Beach to the Sea of Galilee, and in the west they are from the Migdal area to the Sapir site.
Facts About the Sea of Galilee
And if you have already decided to fish in the beautiful Sea of Galilee, you should do so while thinking and learning some interesting things that you may not be familiar with:
- The Sea of Galilee is the lowest sweet water sea in the world, at an altitude of 210 meters below sea level.
- The name of the Sea of Galilee is mentioned in the Bible, in the book in the desert, and in the Bible and the Talmud it was called “Sea of Tiberias”, and “Ginosar” (and for that the name of one of the beaches and kibbutzim in the area).
- An urban legend claims that the name of the Sea of Galilee was given to it due to its shape, which is reminiscent of a violin (“Kinur” in Hebrew. Other sources claim that the source is the phrase “its fruits are sweet as the voice of a violin,” which describes the lake.
- The Sea of Galilee is located in the northern part of the Syrian-African rift. The area of the Sea of Galilee is 168 square kilometers, its depth (maximum) is 44 meters, and its slope is more moderate on the western shores than on its eastern shores.
- The deepest point at the bottom of the sweet lake is at an altitude of 256 meters below sea level.
- The Sea of Galilee is home to about 30 species of fish, which provide about 2,000 tons of professional fishery a year!