How to get a fishing license in Croatia

UPDATED: 01.10.2023

Before you go fishing, it is important to know the rules and restrictions.

For recreational and sport fishing in the Adriatic sea, a fishing license is mandatory. It is required regardless of whether you fish from the shore or a boat. Only children under the age of 14 can go fishing at sea without a license. They can fish with a single twine with or without the use of a pole – Tom Sawyer style.

Fishing licenses are issued by authorized persons, institutions, and associations who are fishing rights holders. A fishing license is called “ribolovna dozvola” in Croatian. Fishing translates as ribolov.

If you go fishing without a fishing license, you can get a fine of between 256 and 665 euros.

In this post, we cover:

• Sea fishing licenses
  • Types of sea fishing licenses
  • Sea fishing restrictions
  • Where to buy sea fishing licenses
• Freshwater fishing licenses
  • Types of sea fishing licenses
  • Freshwater fishing restrictions
  • Where to buy sea fishing licenses
• Endangered fish

The facts are these…

How to get a fishing license in Croatia

Sea fishing licenses

Recreational and sport fishing at sea (rekreacijski i športski ribolov na moru) in Croatia are regulated by:

• Sea fishing act (Zakon o morskom ribarstvu) – It is available here
• Rulebook on sport and recreational fishing at sea (Pravilnik o športskom i rekreacijskom ribolovu na moru) – It is available here

However, other regulations governing fishing, fishing tools and equipment, and protection of fish and other aquatic organisms can also be applied to sea fishing.

Types of sea fishing licenses

There are two types of sea fishing licenses – recreational licenses and sports licenses.

• The types and prices of recreational fishing licenses, along with a link to purchase a license, can be found here
  • Licenses are available for 1, 3 or 7 days
  • Longer licenses are available for 150 days
  • Cost may vary based on age and place of residence of applicant

• The types and prices of sports fishing licenses, along with a link to purchase a license, can be found here
  • Licenses are available for 1, 3 or 7 days
  • Longer licenses are available for 150 days
  • Cost may vary based on age of applicant
  • Licenses for sport fisheries are valid only with a valid annual membership card of the Croatian federation for sport fisheries at sea, or with a valid membership card of a sport fisheries federation of another country
  • There are separate licenses for sport fisheries at sea for big fish valid for 1, 3 or 7 days

One-day and multi-day permits for sport fishing at sea are available to persons who are members of a national association for sport fishing, and annual sport permits are available exclusively to members of the Croatian Association for Sport Fishing at Sea.

The answers to frequently asked questions about recreational fisheries and sport fisheries at sea, including allowable fisheries gear and equipment, can be found here.

Special sea fishing licenses

Some types of fishing require a separate license.

• There are special recreational sea fishing licenses for fishing with the use of the following:
  • Bottom set longlines
  • Traps for fish
  • Harpoons
  • Artificial lights
• Special licenses can be purchased only if annual recreational license is obtained for the same year
• Fishing with a speargun is not allowed with a recreational fisheries license; spearfishing is allowed exclusively in sport fishing, and one angler is allowed to use up to two spearguns

Of special note, fishing at sea for tuna (Thunnus thynnus), swordfish (Xiphias gladius) and Mediterranean spearfish (Tetrapturus belone) requires a specific 1-, 3- or 7-day license. The Marine Fisheries Act and related ordinances strictly regulate recreational and sport fishing licenses for tuna, swordfish and Mediterranean spearfish. Relevant rules and restrictions are available here.

Sea fishing restrictions

There are specific sea fishing restrictions that are important to know and abide by. This information is available here, and includes:

• Permitted fishing tools and equipment
• Allowed quantities of catch in sports and recreation fishing
• Minimum sizes for certain types of fish and marine organisms
• Marking of catch from sports and recreation fishing
• Special license restrictions, such as those for tuna, swordfish and Mediterranean spearfish

Where to buy sea fishing licenses

Both types of recreational fisheries and sport fisheries licenses can be obtained at the following locations:

• Official web pages of Directorate of fisheries (here); confirmation will be emailed
• Offices of Directorate of fisheries after the payment was made
• Dealers authorized by Directorate of fisheries

Sport fisheries licenses can also be bought at the following locations:

• Official web pages of Croatian association for sport fisheries at sea (here)
• Member associations of Croatian association for sport fisheries at sea

Annual recreational permits for pensioners under the age of 65 and annual recreational permits for disabled persons of the Homeland War (HRVI) are purchased in person from the Fisheries Administration and its branches or from authorized legal locations in order to show documentation verifying their status.

Freshwater fishing licenses

Recreational and sport freshwater fishing (rekreacijski i športski ribolov na slatkim vodama) in Croatia is regulated by:

• Freshwater fishing act (Zakon o slatkovodnom ribarstvu) – It is available here
• Rulebook on fishing and fish guard exam in freshwater fishing (Pravilnik o ribičkom i ribočuvarskom ispitu u slatkovodnom ribarstvu) – It is available here
• Rulebook on the manner of drafting and implementing the management plan, revision and addition of the management plan, and the program for monitoring the state of fish stocks in freshwater fishing (Pravilnik o načinu izrade i provođenja plana upravljanja, revizije i dodatka plana upravljanja te programa praćenja stanja ribljeg fonda u slatkovodnom ribarstvu) – It is available here
• Rulebook on fishing permits in freshwater fishing (Pravilnik o ribičkim dozvolama u slatkovodnom ribarstvu) – It is available here

Types of freshwater fishing licenses

Below is a list of all available freshwater fishing licenses, as described here:

• Licenses are available for 1, 3 or 7 days
• Annual licenses for current calendar year
• Annual license for HRVI-Croatian Military War Invalids

To get an annual freshwater fishing license, first, you must pass a fishing exam. You must also be a member of the club of one of the fishing rights holders or Croatian Sports Fishing Union (Hrvatski športsko ribolovni savez).

Freshwater fishing restrictions

Sports freshwater fishing can be performed with up to 3 fishing poles/accessories with one hook. Artificial bait-lure can have up to 2 hooks in exceptional cases. Trout (pastrva), Marble Trout (glavatica), Huchen (mladica), and Grayling (lipljen) can be fished only with 1 fishing pole and 1 artificial fly/lure.

Catfish (som) fishing from a boat can be performed only with 1 fishing pole, rod or line with 1 hook. Artificial lures can have up to 2 hooks (single, double or triple hook) with or without counter hook. Artificial bait/fly can have 1 hook with or without counter hook. The size of the lure can’t be less than 18 centimeters when fishing Huchen (mladica) and Marble Trout (glavatica).

Fishing rights holders can determine their own internal rules regarding daily catch limits in kilograms or pieces and night fishing, for example.

Where to buy freshwater fishing licenses

Fishing licenses for recreational and sport freshwater fishing can be purchased from fishing rights holders. There are 132 fishing rights holders in Croatia.

The list of all fishing rights holders can be found here. This list includes fishing zones, addresses, phones, and e-mail addresses.

If you are not into fishing, you can always buy fresh fish at the market. Check out our detailed guide on how to buy fresh seawater fish at the market. It is available here.

Endangered fish

Before going fishing, keep in mind that some fish and other marine organisms are endangered and protected in Croatia. The Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development has published “red lists” that include information on the risk of extinction of certain fish species. Don’t fish these species.

A red list of sea fish that must not be fished in Croatia is available here.

A red list of freshwater fish that must not be fished in Croatia is available here.

You can also see our post on endangered species in Croatia here.

Sources:
gov.hr
Rekreacijski i športski ribolov na slatkim vodama
Rekreacijski i športski ribolov na moru by Ministarstvo poljoprivrede
Sportski ribolov na slatkim vodama by Ministarstvo poljoprivrede