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FletchHR - Made it to Croatia

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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FletchHR

Architect/Designer/3D Pro
Mar 28, 2008
84
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Hi guys,
The fam and I made it all right to Croatia. I have been snorkling many times now... using old used gear and it's clear I need to get new stuff.

a fishing license for a foreigner is 100 dollars for 30 days. and I'm not prepared to spring for it until I have decent gear to make it worth it. Hopefully be ready in August.

I have a lot to learn about the waters here... and the fish, and regs, all that good stuff.

I spent a lot of time searching today, but couldn't find any English names for these fish... can anyone help me out?

I really want to know the names, and what is good to eat.

I will ask at another forum but as I know you guys have been around the world, figured I'd ask you first.

Thx.

Sea Fish Species in Croatia in Adriatic Sea

(obviously some of them already have the English names on them, but most do not.)

There are a lot more fish than this, but these are the main ones, apparently, that people spear.

I read a greek site that says the red mullet is delicious, while the gray mullet is no good to eat... but on other sites I've seen gray mullet recipes, and I've eaten them before... as long as you are in clean waters, they should be ok, right?

the "Ovrata" looks a LOT like a red mullet only diff. colors- so I'm wondering if it's as good eating, or not... anyone know?
 
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hey, thanks for the welcome, the link, and for the warning! It's true, when you get between the mainland and nearby islands the currents are quickly noticeable. So far I have stayed close to shore when that happens.

awesome... now I know an Ovrata is a "Gilthead seabream" and apparently good to eat.
Species Summary

the "Bukva" is also known as a "Bogue" or "Boops Boops" - also good to eat.
Species Summary

Usata = Saddled Seabream - good to eat
Species Summary

salpa = Sarpa Salpa - good to eat, but possibly causes hallucinations according to some strange internet articles.
Species Summary

Fratar = Two-banded Seabream - good to eat
Species Summary

Spar = Annular Seabream - think it's ok to eat...
Species Summary

grdobina = Angler fish or Monkfish - think it's good to eat?!

FOUND A MISTAKE!
On the website it calles the Trija (Italian) Arbun (Croatian) a "Red Mullet" but it is NOT.
It is rather the "Common Pandora"... and looks nothing like a red mullet, other than the Pandora can look reddish sometimes.
Species Summary
I understand these are good to eat, but am now not so sure. The FishBase says simply "important fish food" and I don't know if that means that it's important to eat by people, or by other fish.

*edit* adding another:
missed this one in the orig. list, but saw a rather large one today when I ventured down a bit deeper...
glavoc - Giant Goby

I see a lot of these here too - the Striped Seabream - Kopac
 
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Reactions: ILDiver
I somehow missed this post a week ago. Is this a visit Fletch or a move? I know you talked about moving.

Hope all is well with you and the family!
 
we moved.
I have a spearo buddy coming from Zagreb next week and we plan on going hunting together here... will have to get my license. :friday
 
come on down!
I will try to find you a good deal on a place to stay, but just don't come in August and give me as far advance warning as possible.

or course, Rovinj is still a decent drive from Zadar...
 
maybe next summer Fletch...Croatia is very tempting place to visit......But now I am going to Black Sea for 2 or 3 weeks and have to go back to US in August
 
all right, but keep in touch!
I'll let you know how the fishing goes next weekend.

was out today (just snorkling/diving)... finally got to take a boat out to several islands for my first time since coming here... was really great. went to the mouth of one underwater cave, but had no light, and was not about to go in.

there's an old monestary on another island where my brother-in-law plans to get married in October. the monstary is in ruins, but is from around the time of Napolean... and still looks pretty cool.

was a little touch-n-go when the motor quit on us many times early in the day, but we got it running after a bit, and had a great time after all.
 
saw my first (conger?) eel around here today - cool! (well, just his tail, he didn't want to come out and play)

found another great list with Croatian game fish in English ... this time with allowed sizes! but the names are not also in Croatian... just the scientific name... grr. but it's a start!

MINIMUM ALLOWED DIMENSIONS:

Fish (Pisces):

Two-banded bream (Diplodus vulgaris) 15 cm
Needlefish (Tetrapturus belone) 120 cm
Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) 120 cm
Eel (Anguilla anguilla) 30 cm
Black umber (Sciaena umbra) 30 cm
Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) 60 cm
Gilthead (Sparus aurata) 20 cm
Sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) 25 cm
Striped bream (Lithognathus mormyrus) 20 cm
Spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) 65 cm
Sheepshead bream (Diplodus puntazzo) 22 cm
White bream (Diplodus sargus) 21 cm
Grouper (Scorpaena scrofa) 25 cm
Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) 70 cm
Conger eel (Conger conger) 70 cm
Dentex (Dentex dentex) 30 cm

Mollusks (Bivalia):

Common mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) 5 cm
Scallop (Pecten jacobaeus) 9 cm
Oyster (Ostrea edulils) 6 cm
Striped Venus (Venus gallina) 2, 5 cm
Grooved Carpet Shell (Ruditapes decussatus) 2, 5 cm
Ark shell (Arca noae) 5 cm
Wart Venus (Venus verrucosa) 3 cm

Crabs (Crustacea):

Spider crab (Maja squinado) 10 cm
 
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