Fishery

For the purpose of integrated forest management, as well as the sustainable use of natural resources in line with the principles of sustainable development, the forestry sector of Vojvodina, i.e., PE “Vojvodinašume,” has also taken on responsibility for the protection and utilization of fish stocks in the floodplain areas of the alluvia of our largest lowland rivers, where forest, marsh, and aquatic ecosystems — otherwise inseparable — are united. Fishing and fishery, divided into recreational and commercial (traditional) fishing, is an old and widespread activity throughout the world, with diverse techniques and traditions, but also with modern technological aids.

The legal conditions for foresters to take on responsibility for fishing waters were established in 1994 with the adoption of the new Fisheries Law (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 35/94). Already in 1995, the Forest Estate “Sremska Mitrovica” became the user of the “Srem” Fishery Area, which includes the fishing water of the “Slezen” fishpond in Morović. The “Slezen” fishpond is an old oxbow lake, a part of the Studva River meander, located just before its confluence with the Bosut River. It consists of a larger lake of 40 ha intended for the cultivation of market fish for commercial sale, and a smaller lake of 13.5 ha intended for the production of fry for stocking open waters. The Forest Estate “Sombor” has continuous fish procurement, defined by contracts with commercial fishermen in that area, dating from the time when the Fish Processing Center from Apatin, as part of the Hunting-Forestry Estate “Jelen,” became integrated into the then-enterprise in 1991.

Fishery Areas

By the Law on the Establishment of Certain Competences of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia, No. 06/02), better known as the “Omnibus Law,” in Chapter 21 – Agriculture, Section g) Fishery, Article 44, the affairs of fishery in the Autonomous Province were determined as entrusted affairs of the competent provincial authorities. On the basis of that law, the Fisheries Law, and the public tender for the allocation of fishing waters from 2002, the newly established PE “Vojvodinašume” was entrusted with the use of four parts of fishery areas for a period of five years (01.01.2003 – 31.12.2007), namely:

Danube II, section 1,366 km – 1,297 km (Contract No. 324-00009/2002-01);
Danube III, section 1,233 km – 1,187 km (Contract No. 324-00011/2002-01) and 1,112 km – 1,075 km (Contract No. 324-00012/2002-01);
Sava I, section 207 km – 121 km (Contract No. 324-00013/2002-01) and 95 km – 62 km (Contract No. 324-00014/2002-01);
Sava II, section 62 km – 48 km (Contract No. 324-00015/2002-01).

The continuity was maintained by Decision No. 104-324-00022/2007-02-P4 of the Provincial Secretariat for Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry from December 2007, granting the use of parts of the Fishery Area Serbia–Vojvodina (section of the Danube River from river km 1,233 to 1,187 and from 1,112 to 1,075, and section of the Sava River from river km 207 to 121 and from 95 to 48) for the period 2008–2012. By Annex I to the Basic Contract No. 130-501-2439/2012-02 concluded on 20 December 2012, Annex II No. 130-501-2439/2012-02 concluded on 24 December 2013, and Annex III No. 130-501-2438/2012-02 concluded on 30 December 2014, of the Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection, the same parts of the Fishery Area Serbia–Vojvodina were granted for use for 2013, 2014, and 2015.

As the manager of the Special Nature Reserves (SNR) “Gornje Podunavlje,” “Deliblato Sands,” “Kovilj–Petrovaradin Marsh,” and “Obedska Bara,” PE “Vojvodinašume,” in accordance with regulations on their use and protection, established the following fishery areas: on the fishing waters of the Danube (river km 1,433–1,367) within the boundaries of SNR “Gornje Podunavlje”; on the fishing waters of the Danube (river km 1,091–1,077) — locality Labudovo okno — within the boundaries of SNR “Deliblato Sands”; on the fishing waters within the boundaries of SNR “Kovilj–Petrovaradin Marsh”; and on the fishing waters within the boundaries of SNR “Obedska Bara.” These were established under the provisions of: Regulation on the Protection of SNR “Gornje Podunavlje” (Official Gazette RS, Nos. 45/01, 81/08, 107/09); Regulation on the Protection of SNR “Deliblato Sands” (Official Gazette RS, Nos. 03/02, 81/08); Regulation on the Protection of SNR “Kovilj–Petrovaradin Marsh” (Official Gazette RS, Nos. 27/98, 91/06, 81/08, 44/11); and Regulation on the Protection of SNR “Obedska Bara” (Official Gazette RS, Nos. 56/94, 81/08). Accordingly, the following fishery areas were designated: “Gornje Podunavlje” for recreational and sport fishing (protection regime II and III degree) and for commercial fishing (protection regime III degree) — Decision No. 560/VI-4a; “Labudovo okno” for recreational and sport fishing (protection regime II and III degree) and for commercial fishing (protection regime III degree) — Decision No. 560/VI-4b; “Kovilj–Petrovaradin Marsh” for recreational and sport fishing (protection regime II and III degree) — Decision No. 1461/VII-15; “Obedska Bara” for recreational and sport fishing (protection regime II and III degree) — Decision No. 3748/IX-7.

Fishery Areas of PE “Vojvodinašume” (2010):

“Serbia – Vojvodina”: Danube, from river km 1,233 to 1,187 and from 1,112 to 1,075
“Serbia – Vojvodina”: Sava, from river km 207 to 121 and from 95 to 48
“Gornje Podunavlje”: Danube, from river km 1,433 to 1,367
“Labudovo okno”: Danube, from river km 1,091 to 1,077
“Kovilj–Petrovaradin Marsh”
“Obedska bara”.

PE “Vojvodinašume” organized the use of fishery areas on the ground through its branches – forest estates, namely: 1) Forest Estate “Sombor,” Sombor – Gornje Podunavlje: Danube, from river km 1,433 to 1,367, 2) Forest Estate “Novi Sad,” Novi Sad – Danube, from river km 1,233 to 1,215, and Kovilj–Petrovaradin Marsh, 3) Forest Estate “Banat,” Pančevo – Danube, from river km 1,215 to 1,187 and from 1,112 to 1,075, and Labudovo okno: Danube, from river km 1,091 to 1,077, 4) Forest Estate “Sremska Mitrovica,” Sremska Mitrovica – Sava, from river km 207 to 121 and from 95 to 48, and Obedska Bara

Based on the current Law on the Protection and Sustainable Use of Fish Stocks (Official Gazette RS, Nos. 128/14 and 95/18 – amended), and under the Contract on the Granting of Use of Parts of the Fishery Areas “Srem,” “Banat,” and “Bačka” No. 130-401-872/2016-04 of 1 March 2016, signed with the Provincial Secretariat for Urban Planning and Environmental Protection, PE “Vojvodinašume” was granted the following fishery areas for use:

RP “Srem” – Danube, from river km 1,233 to 1,187
RP “Srem” – Sava, from river km 207 to 123
RP “Srem” – Sava, from river km 96 to 49
RP “Srem” – Studva River
RP “Banat” – Danube, from river km 1,112 to 1,075
RP “Bačka” – Danube, from river km 1,367 to 1,297

Fishery Areas of PE “Vojvodinašume” (2016):

RP “Gornje Podunavlje” – Danube, from river km 1,433 to 1,367
RP “Bačka” – Danube, from river km 1,367 to 1,297
RP “Srem” – Danube, from river km 1,233 to 1,187
RP “Kovilj–Petrovaradin Marsh”
RP “Srem” – Sava, from river km 207 to 123
RP “Srem” – Sava, from river km 96 to 49
RP “Srem” – Studva River
RP “Obedska Bara”
RP “Banat” – Danube, from river km 1,112 to 1,075
RP “Labudovo okno” – Danube, from river km 1,091 to 1,077

In the period following the signing of the current contract on the granting of use of parts of the fishery areas “Srem,” “Banat,” and “Bačka,” until 2018, PE “Vojvodinašume” organized the use of fishery areas on the ground through its branches as follows: 1) Forest Estate “Sombor,” Sombor – RP “Gornje Podunavlje”: Danube, from river km 1,433 to 1,367, 2) “Vojvodinašume – Lovoturs” – RP “Bačka”: Danube, from river km 1,367 to 1,345 3) Forest Estate “Novi Sad,” Novi Sad – RP “Bačka”: Danube, from river km 1,345 to 1,297; RP “Srem”: Danube, from river km 1,233 to 1,215; and RP “Kovilj–Petrovaradin Marsh”, 4) Forest Estate “Banat,” Pančevo – RP “Srem”: Danube, from river km 1,215 to 1,187; RP “Banat”: Danube, from river km 1,112 to 1,075; and RP “Labudovo okno”: Danube, from river km 1,091 to 1,077, 5) Forest Estate “Sremska Mitrovica,” Sremska Mitrovica – RP “Srem”: Sava, from river km 207 to 123; RP “Srem”: Sava, from river km 96 to 49; and RP “Obedska Bara”. Since 2019, the part of RP “Bačka” – Danube, from river km 1,367 to 1,345, which had been used by “Vojvodinašume – Lovoturs,” has been integrated into Forest Estate “Novi Sad,” Novi Sad. Thus, this branch of the enterprise has become the sole user of RP “Bačka” – Danube, from river km 1,367 to 1,297.

Management of Fishery Areas

PE “Vojvodinašume” uses fishery areas on the basis of legal regulations, as well as temporary, medium-term, and annual management programs, which define all the measures that the user is obliged to implement in order to ensure the most responsible and high-quality management of fish stocks. Management encompasses both commercial and recreational fishing, as well as measures for the improvement of stocks of the most important river fish species (Zander, Pike, Carp, Catfish, etc.).

According to the Law on the Protection and Sustainable Use of Fish Stocks (Official Gazette RS, No. 36/09), permits for recreational fishing are purchased from the user and through fishing associations within the local government units located in the territory of the fishery area for which the user holds a contract on the granting of use. The annual permit for recreational fishing is valid on all fishing waters of the Republic of Serbia, together with a membership card of a fishing organization. Commercial fishing may be carried out by a commercial company or entrepreneur on the basis of a permit issued by the user, and permits for commercial fishing may be purchased exclusively from the user, i.e., in the branches of PE “Vojvodinašume.” Permits are valid for one calendar year and can be purchased throughout the year. The number of permits for commercial fishing is determined by the temporary and medium-term management programs, based on the state of the fish stocks at the time of program preparation and on records of catches from the previous period.

The Law on the Protection and Sustainable Use of Fish Stocks (Official Gazette RS, Nos. 128/14 and 95/18 – amended) introduced new types of permits and changed the procedure for issuing recreational fishing permits. Recreational fishing permits (annual, daily, and multi-day permits) are issued by the user. The annual recreational fishing permit is valid on all fishing waters of the Republic of Serbia, except in fishery areas located within protected areas. The user issues annual recreational fishing permits in the local government units specified in the contracts on the granting of use of fishery areas. Individuals purchase annual permits for recreational fishing in their place of residence or stay, except for permits covering fishing in protected areas. The user also issues daily and multi-day permits (up to seven days) for recreational fishing on fishing waters granted for its use. Recreational fishing permits in protected areas may only be used in the specific fishery areas for which they were issued.

PE “Vojvodinašume” has qualified personnel and a modern, well-trained, and technically equipped fish warden service, whose function is the preservation and improvement of fish stocks. In the beginning, from the establishment of the enterprise until 2007, fisheries affairs were entrusted to Aleksandar Ćirić, B.Sc. in Agriculture, fisheries officer of the Forest Estate “Sremska Mitrovica.” When fishery management was transferred from the competence of agriculture to the competence of environmental protection, responsibility was taken over by Mr. Miljan Velojić, M.Sc., independent environmental officer from the enterprise’s headquarters. Since 2014, a newly established Department for Hunting and Fishery has existed within the enterprise’s headquarters, which in 2019 was renamed the Department for Hunting, Fishery, and Hospitality, headed at first by Assistant Director, and now by Executive Director, Branislav Stankov, M.Sc. Forestry Engineer. Within the new department, fisheries affairs have continued to be entrusted to Dr. Miljan Velojić, independent expert associate for forest certification and environment.

A number of hunting lodges located in the immediate vicinity of fishing waters are also available to anglers and other nature enthusiasts, offering significant accommodation capacities, appropriate hospitality services, and the necessary accompanying facilities.

The education plan for recreational anglers, in addition to the lectures arising from the Program for the Education of Recreational Anglers, also includes all forms of information communicated to recreational anglers through:

the official website of PE “Vojvodinašume” (www.vojvodinasume.rs);
printed promotional and advertising material,
associations of recreational anglers, which distribute permits for recreational fishing in parts of the fishery areas “Srem,” “Banat,” and “Bačka,” as well as in the fishery areas within protected areas managed by PE “Vojvodinašume”,
mass media (local print and electronic media),
educational events (seminars, lectures, thematic meetings),
the activities of the fish warden service in the field during inspections in the fishery areas.

Information about the user, the legal and by-law acts related to the protection and use of fish stocks, fishing waters, fish stocks, and other relevant matters was specifically prepared and presented to the members of recreational anglers’ associations at their regular gatherings.

The preservation and improvement of natural ecosystems, their biological diversity, and traditional activities based on the sustainable use of natural resources for the development of local communities is a fundamental commitment of the enterprise. Although today fishing and fishery represent only a small part of the overall activities of PE “Vojvodinašume,” proportional to the small share of fishery in the overall economic development of Serbia, this potentially promising activity deserves full attention and should be developed to the level that characterizes the rest of the modern developed world, all with the aim of protecting and sustainably using fish stocks as a significant natural resource of Serbia and its citizens.

Diagram of Fishery Areas

Fishery Areas under the Fisheries Law of 1994, based on the 2002 public tender

Fishery Areas under the Fisheries Law of 1994 and the Law on the Protection and Sustainable Use of Fish Stocks of 2009, based on the 2007 public tender