Croatia · Spearfishing zone
Croatian fishing sea (Adriatic) outside protected and restricted areas
What this zone is
Overview
How spearfishing is treated at Croatian fishing sea (Adriatic) outside protected and restricted areas.
Spearfishing is permitted in the open Croatian Adriatic on a valid sport licence, outside national parks, special marine reserves, special habitats (posebna staništa) and areas with special fishing regulation. Free-diving only, daylight only (sunrise to sunset), minimum age 16, and a yellow or orange signal float at least 30 cm in diameter towed at the surface. Diving — and so spearfishing — is prohibited in ports, port approaches and the narrow channels used for navigation, and other sport or recreational activity inside a port area requires the port operator's approval with the harbourmaster's consent. Restrictions at organised bathing places are set locally under the maritime-domain rules, not by national fisheries law; there is no national seasonal beach closure.
What applies here
Restrictions
Specific rules and limits that apply within this area.
Sport licence required; min age 16; free-diving only (no scuba); daylight only; yellow or orange signal float of at least 30 cm diameter towed at the surface (Pravilnik NN 72/2021, čl. 51); 5 kg/day catch limit.
When it applies
Seasons
Time-of-year periods that affect spearfishing in this zone.
Year-round in daylight, except the area bans listed in prohibited zones.
Source
This zone is documented in the official source below.
Before you dive
License for Croatia
Whether you need a license to spearfish here, and how to get one.
A sport licence may be issued ONLY to a member of a sport-fishing federation. For the ANNUAL sport licence the member must belong to HSSRM specifically (Zakon čl. 28. st. 1. t. b)); for DAILY and MULTI-DAY sport licences membership of any national sport-fishing federation suffices (Zakon čl. 29. st. 3.), which is the route open to a visiting foreign spearfisher who holds their own federation's card - at purchase the buyer states the membership-card number and the name of the national federation (Pravilnik čl. 19. st. 3.). Issuing a sport licence contrary to čl. 29. st. 3. is a listed misdemeanour. All sport licences and their special permits are sold by HSSRM member associations (Pravilnik čl. 18. st. 4.); since NN 48/2026, daily and multi-day sport licences may also be bought through the Directorate of Fisheries online shop (čl. 18. st. 5.). Recreational licences are sold by the Ministry - Directorate of Fisheries, its regional offices, authorised vendors and its online shop (čl. 18. st. 1.). All licences are issued electronically. Budget for the licence fee PLUS the federation membership card (and any club subscription).
Get your licenseOpens the official portal · hssrm.hr