Tips for Sailing in Croatia Part II: Fishing and Fishing Licences in Croatia

There are few thing better than cooking fish that you caught yourself, but get caught fishing without a proper licence and it might be one of the most expensive meals of your trip. Luckily it is easy and cheap to buy fishing licences on the website of the ministry of agriculture directorate of fisheries.

There are three types of fishing licences available for purchase in Croatia:

• RECREATIONAL FISHING LICENCE
• SPORT FISHING LICENCE ( a valid annual membership with the Croatian federation for sport fisheries at sea, or a valid membership of a sport fishing federation of another country is required for purchase)
• RECREATION FISHING LICENCE FOR TUNA, SWORDFISH AND MEDITERRANEAN SPEARFISH

The main difference between recreational fishing and sport fishing licence is the type of gear you are able to use.

Under the recreational fishing licence the permitted gear is: 

• 2 different kinds of hook lines and rods
• 2 troll lines with ripping hooks

The sport fishing licence allows

• 2 different kind of hook lines and rods
• 2 troll lines with ripping hooks
• 2 spearguns

Under the recreational fishing licence for tuna, swordfish and mediterranean spearfish the following rules apply:

• It allows you to keep one specimen of swordfish or Mediterrean spearfish daily per licence. All caught tuna must be released before pulling on board.
• The permitted gear is: rod, reel with one hook on each gear or one bait with two single-hooked, double-hooped or triple-hooked hooks on each gear.
• It is not allowed to use hooks made of non corroding materials
• Each holder of the licence must report the catch to the Ministry of Agriculture using the specific form (http://www.mps.hr/ribarstvo/UserDocsImages/dozvoleFAQ/2015/Catch-reporting-form04082015.pdf) within 24 hours.
• Recreational fishing for swordfish, tuna and Mediterranean spearfish is prohibited from March 1st untill March 31st and form October 1st until November 30th.
• The purchased licence for recreational fishing for tuna, swordfish and Mediterranean spearfish is valid as a general license for recreational fishing as well for the purchased period.
• The selling of caught fish under the recreational fishing licence is prohibited.

The prices for each of the fishing licences in Croatia are as follow:

• Recreational fishing: 1 day- 60 kn, 3 day- 150 kn, 7 day- 300 kn, 30 day- 700 kn
• Sport fishing: 1 day- 60 kn, 3 day- 150 kn, 7 day- 300 kn, 30 day- 700 kn
• Recreational fishing licence for tuna, swordfish and mediterranean spearfish: 1 day- 120 kn, 3 day- 300 kn, 7 day- 600 kn