Trends in Total Anglers’ Catches At the Croatian Section of the Sava River Basin

Abstract The aim of this research is to analyse trends of anglers’ total catches of the most important fish species caught by angling in different parts of the Sava River Basin in Croatia (Cyprinus carpio, Silurus glanis, Esox lucius and Sander lucioperca). In all investigated counties, with the exception of Vukovar-Sirmium, common carp is the dominant fish species, usually present in significantly higher quantities compared to the other three species. Only in Vukovar-Sirmium county, northern pike is the dominant species caught. In most counties there are no dramatic changes in the catches of these four fish species, apart from the usual oscillations. Due to high fishing pressure and possibly inflow of polluted water from the Bosna River, Vukovar-Sirmium county is also particularly characterised by the trend of declining catches of all four species. The significant negative correlation between the average catch and the respective value of the coefficient of variation (CV) was also found for all data.