Freshwater sports fisheries-angling in Croatia

The conduction of sport fishing on inland waters (freshwater fisheries) is regulated by the Freshwater Fisheries Act (Official Gazette 63/19), and by-laws published so far: Ordinance on the fishing and fish protection exam in freshwater fisheries (Official Gazette ", No. 6/20), Ordinance on the manner of drafting and implementing the management plan, revision and addition of the management plan and the program for monitoring fish stocks in freshwater fisheries (Official Gazette 79/20), Ordinance on fishing licenses in freshwater fisheries (Official Gazette 139/20) and the Ordinance on sport fishing in freshwater fisheries (Official Gazette 81/21).
To conduct sport fishing in a certain fishing area or fishing zone, fishermen purchase licenses from owners of fishing righ valid in the fishing area or fishing zone for which the licensee has obtained a fishing right as well as in the fishing area or fishing zone of another fishing licensee if there is a reciprocal fishing right agreement.
There are 130 owners of fishing right in the Republic of Croatia, although there are approximately 450 active sport-fishing associations, which are members of higher organizational units (county sport-fishing federations or communities).
Fishing licenses are issued by the Ministry of Agriculture through owners of fishing right, who sells them with a validity period for:
• one day (daily permit)
• three days (three-day permit)
• seven days (seven-day permit)
• current calendar year (annual license and annual license for HRVI-Croatian Military War Invalides
The daily license is valid from 00.00 to 24.00 hour, the three-day license from 00.00 hours of the first date to 24.00 hours of the last date and the seven-day license from 00.00 hours of the first date to 24.00 hours of the last date.
The annual permit is valid from 00.00 on 1 January to 24.00 on 31 December of the year for which it was purchased.
 
Here are the prices for fishing licenses:
 
- HRK 100.00 (13,27 €) for an annual fishing license or an annual fishing license for HRVI
- HRK 20.00 (2,66 €)  for a daily fishing license
- HRK 50.00 (6,64 €) for a three-day fishing license
- HRK 70.00 (9,29 €) for a seven-day fishing license.
 
The fishing right holder sells the fishing license through an authorized application.
 
The owner of the fishing right issues an annual permit to a Croatian and a foreign citizen upon presentation of a certificate of passing the fishing exam. In addition to passing the fishing exam, the condition for purchasing an annual license is membership in HŠRS (Croatian Sports Fishing Association), as well membership to a owner of fishing right. The condition for purchasing a fishing license for HRVI, in addition to the above, is the presentation of a certificate of status.
The owner of fishing right issues a daily, three-day or seven-day license to a Croatian and foreign citizen without presenting a certificate of passing the fishing exam and without the obligation to be a member of HŠRS or with the fishing right holder.

In all types of licenses, the condition for the start of sport fishing is payment of all costs of enforcing the fishing right, which is determined by each holder of the fishing right pursuant to the provision of Article 44, paragraph 3 of the Act.

 
GENERAL FISHING RULES
 
Sport fishing may be carried out with a maximum of three fishing rods and / or accessories with one hook each, and exceptionally artificial lure which may have more than one hook, and a maximum of three.
 
Sport fishing of all species of Trout and Huchen and Grayling may be carried out with only one fishing rod and one artificial fly or lure, and it is forbidden to fish in permanent habitats of these species using natural live or dead baits.
When fishing for Wels in the vessel, one fishing rod, fishing rod or fishing line with one hook may be used.
Fishing gear and equipment used for fishing must be under the constant and direct supervision of the fisherman.
Artificial lure - the lure can have up to three hooks (single-hook, double-hook or triple-hook) with or without a counter hook.
Artificial bait - the fly may have one hook with or without a counter hook.
The size of the lure when fishing for Huchen must not be less than 10 cm.
 
It is forbidden to use a foreign species of fish (live or dead) as bait.
 
In case of taking and retaining the catch from the fishing water, the fisherman is obliged to enter and report it through the m-Ribič application, which can be downloaded free from GooglePlay or AppleStore.
 
 
IMPORTANT NOTE: In addition to the above general rules of sport fishing in the Republic of Croatia, each owner of fishing right has its own internal provisions (maximum allowable daily catch in kilograms or pieces, night fishing, etc.) which are determined by the current management plan.
To purchase permits as well as for any additional information, fishermen must contact the owners of fishing right.
The list of fishing right holders with the corresponding fishing zones, addresses, telephone / fax numbers / e-mail addresses can be easily found by fishermen on the website of the Croatian Sport Fishing Association:
 
http://ribolovni-savez.hr/kontakti/ovlastenici-ribolovnog-prava/
www.ribolovni-savez.hr
 
CROATIAN SPORTS FISHING ASSOCIATION
Trg Krešimira Ćosića
10000 Zagreb
Tel. +385 1 3091137
 
For all additional information, feel free to contact us by e-mail: slatkovodno.ribarstvo@mps.hr
 
We wish you a good catch and a pleasant fishing holiday!

04.11.2021