K. HENSEL
Katedra zoológie Prif UK, Mlynská dolina B-1, SK 842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia
Background
Under the Constitution of the Slovak Republic, mineral resources, underground waters, natural curative springs and watercourses are the property of the Slovak Republic. Under the Fisheries Act No 102/63 Zb, the Ministry of Agriculture has leased the fishing rights primarily to the Slovak Fisheries' Union, although some rights have been assigned to national associations of the Forest Economy Department and, in regions managed by the military, to organizations under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Defence. Of the 818 fishing registered areas in Slovakia, 254 are designated trout waters, 506 trout-free waters and 67 mixed grounds. The principle water course of this last category, which is usually a submontane river, is usually trout free while its submontane stream tributaries are trout waters. Trout-free grounds include sub-montane rivers, lowland rivers, drainage, irrigation and derivation channels, reservoirs, and other types of standing water including gravel pits, flooded quarries and small dams.
Organization - The Slovak Fisheries' Union
The Slovak Fisheries' Union remains the main fishing authority with jurisdiction over most of the country's waters. Watercourses under its management have been declared fishing grounds by the Ministry of Agriculture and, as such, serve recreational fisheries. Each fishing ground is obliged to appoint a manager and a deputy manager both of whom are approved by the State administration.
Managers have the following terms of reference:
to develop and execute a stocking programme
to conserve fish and other aquatic animals
to promote fishing in their area
to participate in discussions as to the allocation of the aquatic resource and on possible impacts of hydraulic works on the recreational fishery
to monitor adverse impacts of human activities on aquatic ecosystems and to propose measures to mitigate or limit such impacts
to monitor the use and the quality of water and trace sources of pollution affecting the fishery
in cases of adverse impact through pollution or illegal utilization of water, to advise the authorities to initiate legal proceedings against the offenders
to issue and sell fishing licences, to issue and collect forms for fishing records and to analyze the records for statistical purposes
to prepare and issue fishing regulations
The Union is also responsible for the training and education of fishermen and administrators by:
preparing and carrying out examinations of its members as to their knowledge of fishing regulations and fishing practices
organizing training courses and excursions, fishing contests and competitions, exhibitions and other appropriate activities
supporting the publication of the professional journal Pol'ovnictvo a rybárstvo (Hunting and fishing) as well as manuals, guides and other literature on recreational fishing
providing assistance to local fishermens' organizations
increasing awareness of the relationship between recreational fisheries and the environment encouraging a positive attitude to conservation
It also co-operates with the public authorities, local governments, fisheries research institutes and professional schools with regard to:
preparing and processing of basic legal texts and regulations
protecting the environment and the quality of water
the education of the young in fishing
The Union collaborates with fishing organizations abroad and is a member of international fishing associations such as EAA, CIPS and FIPS.
The Slovak Fisheries' Union has its headquarters in Žilina with four regional Divisions in Bratislava, Komárno, Banská Bystrica and Košice. Its central authority is the Council which directs the local or urban associations, currently numbering 121. The Union has property worth Sk 230 million. It operates 13 production units primarily for rearing brown trout, rainbow trout, brook trout, grayling, huchen, wild and domesticated common carp, nase, wels, Northern pike and pike perch for stocking. It also produces some rainbow trout for sale-fresh, smoked or frozen.
Any citizen of the Slovak Republic who has attained 18 years of age, who agrees to the Union statutes, has successfully passed the required examinations and has no criminal record for the past three years is eligible for membership of the Union. A new member pays an enrolment fee of Sk 100 and an annual membership fee of Sk 100 to 300 according to the local organization. In addition an official fishing ticket issued by the local authority at a cost of Sk 30/y is required. Every member is expected to put in 10 hours voluntary work repairing river banks, cleaning up areas around the fishing grounds and keeping vegetation under control. Holders of trout fishing permits are expected to donate a further 5 hours cleaning up waterfalls and riffles. In the past membership in the Union has been subjected to limitation but there is now a tendency to apply stricter criteria.
The Union has a membership of 69 018 with a further 8 618 members organized in Young Fishers' Clubs for adolescents of 16–18 years of age and 12 698 members of Young Fishers' Circles for children of 10–15 years of age.
There are several types of angling permit, differing in the range of validity and price. Fishing permits are issued by the local fishing association or by the Union's Council. A basic fishing permit for one association may cost Sk 300 for trout waters and between Sk 300 and Sk 500 for trout-free waters. A permit to fish selected trout-free waters for the whole of Slovakia costs Sk 650. A visitor's permit for one area costs Sk 50 per person per day, Sk 150 per person per week. A permit for Huchen costs Sk 400 but covers only three trips during the open season and allows the holder to catch only one specimen. Children, soldiers on active service, women and invalids may have permits at a reduced rate. A beginner needs about Sk 5 000 for the purchase of basic fishing gear. Renewal and additional gear will cost the angler about Sk 800 to 1 200 per year.
Regulations
Recreational fishermen are bound by the long term rules of the Union as well as by any local fishing regulations which are in force during the current year. The Union rules regulate:
• Closed season by species
| Species | Season | Duration (days) |
| Hucho hucho | 1 January – 1 December | 334 |
| Aspius aspius Cyprinus carpio Chondrostoma nasus Tinca tinca Vimba vimba | 16 March – 31 May | 77 |
| Acipenser ruthenus Barbus barbus Silurus glanis | 16 March – 30 June | 107 |
| Oncorhynchus mykiss | 1 January – 15 April | 105 |
| Esox lucius Stizostedion lucioperca Thymallus thymallus | 1 January – 31 May | 151 |
| Salmo trutta m. fario S. trutta m. lacustris Salvelinus fontinalis | 1 September – 15 April | 227 |
| Lampreys Sturgeons Gobio kessleri Gobio uranoscopus Pelecus cultratus Umbra krameri Zingel streber Zingel zingel Proterorhinus marmoratus | All year | 365 |
• General prohibitions
A general prohibition is in force on trout waters from 1 September to 15 April. The Ministry of Agriculture may make an exception for waters where grayling are present up to 31 December for grayling and rainbow trout when fished with artificial fly. The closed season for trout waters is therefore in force from 16 March until 31 March.
• Minimum length for capture
| Species | Length |
| Ctenopharyngodon idella Hucho hucho Silurus glanis | 70 cm |
| Esox lucius | 50 cm |
| Salmo trutta m. lacustris Acipenser ruthenus Anguilla anguilla Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, H. nobilis Stizostedion lucioperca | 45 cm |
| Aspius aspius | 40 cm |
| Barbus barbus Cyprinus carpio | 35 cm |
| Thymallus thymallus | 27 cm |
| Abramis (all species) Barbus petenyi Chondrostoma nasus Leuciscus cephalus Leuciscus idus Stizostedion volgense Vimba vimba | 25 cm |
| Oncorhynchus mykiss Salmo trutta m. fario Salvelinus fontinalis | 23 cm |
| Scardinius erythrophthalmus Tinca tinca | 20 cm |
| Leuciscus leuciscus Rutilus rutilus | 15 cm |
| Carassius carassius Carassius auratus Lota lota Perca fluviatilis | No limit |
• Bag limits
The maximum allowable catch that may be kept from any trout-free water is 7 kg of fish. The catch may have at most 2 specimens of common carp, northern pike, pikeperch and grass carp as well as 4 salmonid fishes. A daily limit of 4 salmonids is also imposed for salmonid waters. In any event the catch should not exceed 7 kg of non salmonid species and should not contain more than 2 carp.
• Fishing trips and daily fishing time
Salmonids in trout waters may be fished up to 3 days/week. No such restrictions apply to trout-free waters. Fishing may take place, depending on the season of the year, between the following hours:
| Trout waters | 5.00 – 8.00 h in the morning to 16.00 – 22.00 h in the evening |
| Non-trout waters | 4.00 – 7.00 h in the morning to 17.00 – 24.00 h in the evening |
Every angler must carry his official fishing licence and a form to record his arrival time and his catch. Before starting to fish the angler must record the date and his time of arrival. Before leaving the site he must record the number and weight of catch by species. At the end of the year these records are submitted to the manager of the fishing ground which issued the fishing permit.
A recreational angler may neither sell nor exchange his catch.
• Fishing practice
The type of fishing gear, manner of fishing, baits, treatment of fish after capture and behaviour whilst fishing are also specified.
Resources
The Slovak Fisheries' Union controls 38 900 km of watercourses covering an area of 15 500 ha. 32 000 km are classified as trout waters although these only cover 2 300 ha. In addition dams and reservoirs cover 13 950 ha and side arms of rivers and borrow pits cover 1 650 ha. The total fishing area is 31 100 ha, 2 550 being trout waters and 28 550 non-trout waters.
Catch
In 1994 recreational anglers caught 1 628 t of fish equivalent to 52 kg/ha. Species composition of catches in tons was as follows:
| Acipenseridae | |
| Acipenser ruthenus | 0.07 |
| Anguillidae | |
| Anguilla anguilla | 19.50 |
| Cyprinidae | |
| Abramis brama, A. ballerus, A. sapa | 101.81 |
| Aspius aspius | 15.90 |
| Barbus barbus | 20.27 |
| Carassius auratus, C. carassius | 59.64 |
| Chondrostoma nasus | 32.33 |
| Ctenopharyngodon idella, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, H. nobilis | 19.18 |
| Cyprinus carpio | 778.79 |
| Leuciscus cephalus, L.idus, L. leuciscus | 81.12 |
| Tinca tinca | 4.64 |
| Vimba vimba | 29.88 |
| Other cyprinid species | 71.35 |
| Siluridae | |
| Silurus glanis | 20.44 |
| Esocidae | |
| Esox lucius | 192.83 |
| Salmonidae | |
| Hucho hucho | 0.47 |
| Oncorhynchus mykiss | 9.68 |
| Salmo trutta m. fario | 30.91 |
| Salmo trutta m. lacustris | 1.14 |
| Salvelinus fontinalis | 0.47 |
| Thymallus thymallus | 16.04 |
| Gadidae | |
| Lota lota | 2.45 |
| Percidae | |
| Perca fluviatilus | 29.94 |
| Stizostedion lucioperca | 89.11 |
The total recreational catch for 1994 of 1 627 960 kg was worth Sk 139 979 660. The mean annual catch per angler is 24.3 kg/y of which 23.7 kg/y comes from trout-free waters.
Catches by the recreational sector have been followed for 30 years. They rose from 250 t in 1960 to a maximum of 2 299 t/y in 1981–1983. This maximum also corresponds to the maximum pressure as reflected by membership in the Union. The original membership in 1960 was 12 000 and rose to 69 018 in 1994. It also corresponds to the nationwide validity of permits in 1981–83. Stocking was also at a maximum in 1980–1984 particularly with salmonid fry. Subsequently the nationwide licence has been withdrawn, fishing pressure has slackened and the price of stocking material has risen. Because of lower stocking rates the problem of excessive fishing pressure continues to exist.
Stocking
The Slovak Fisheries' Union has an intensive stocking programme. Stocking of the various fishing areas is carried out according to a classification by value. Over the past few years 18 species have been stocked as follows:
Trout waters
| Salmo trutta m. fario | fry, 3 months, 6 months and 1-, and 2-years old |
| Oncorhynchus mykiss | fry, 3 months, 6 months and 1-, and 2-years old |
| Salvelinus fontinalis | fry, 1-, and 2-years old |
| Thymallus thymallus | fry, 1-, and 2-years old |
Trout-free waters
| Cyprinus carpio | fry, forced fry, 1-, 2- and 3-years old |
| Esox lucius | fry, forced fry, and 1-year old |
| Stizostedion lucioperca | fertilized eggs and fry |
| Tinca tinca | 1-year old |
| Silurus glanis | fry and 1-year old |
| Chondrostoma nasus | fry and 1-year old |
| Ctenopharyngodon idella | 2-years old |
| Hypophthalmichthys | 2-years old |
| Hucho hucho | 1- and 2-years old |
| Aspius aspius | 1-year old |
| Acipenser ruthenus | 1-year old |
Eel, common bream and whitefish are also stocked.
Stocking programmes cost Sk 38 660 991 in 1994, broken down as Sk 34 721 513 for trout-free and Sk 3 939 478 for trout waters. This expenditure was subsidized by the Ministry for Agriculture and a commercial firm, Vodohospodárska vystavba. When costs of stocking are compared with the value of the catch (Sk 134 252 155 from trout-free water and Sk 3 726 505 from trout waters) returns were 3.6 times higher than expenditures (3.9 times for trout-free and 0.95 times for trout waters).
