Did you know that more than 90 species of different freshwater fish live in Slovenia? Most of them may not be suitable for sport fishing, but knowledge abut them is important. Do you know the native fish species and distinguish them from the most important non-native fish species in Slovenia?
There are two water catchments in Slovenia, the Black Sea and the Adriatic. In the first, which is more extensive, there are several different species of freshwater fish, while in the second, the species is more diverse. Below is the list of some of the most interesting or fishery most important native and non-native fish in our country.
Native species
Sterlet: this interesting fish of “ancient” appearance is present in the Sava, Kolpa, Drava and Mura. It is a very rare species, reaching up to 125 cm in length.
Danube roach: a typical representative of the cyprinids in the Black Sea basin is endangered and inhabits the Ljubljanica River, the Sava, Kolpa River, the Krka River and the Drava River. It grows up to 50 cm, rarely longer. Younger ones are often mistaken for a chub or roach.
Istrian Chub: It inhabits only by the Dragonja basin. It grows up to 40 cm in length.
Tench: a smaller freshwater fish of irreplaceable appearance, an endangered species. In front of the mouth, it has two mustaches, the skin is golden with green and yellow hues. It grows up to 65 cm in length. It inhabits stagnant or slow running waters in the Adriatic and Black Sea basins. It also survives in very low oxygen water.
Lake trout: a typical representative of native salmonids. This endangered species is characteristic of Lake Bohinj and Lake Bled, and was also inhabited in the Drava and Soča reservoirs. It grows up to 140 cm in length and is one of our largest salmonids (in addition to huchen and marble trout).
Non-native species
White grass carp: A typical resident of stagnant and slowly flowing waters. It was brought to Slovenia in 1963. It is a herbivore known to thin out the aquatic vegetation where they live in for a short time. It well tolerates warm water, its occurrence is recorded in the Adriatic and Black Sea basins. On the lower Sava, the temperature conditions are already suitable for its spawning.
Rainbow trout: it is very common in our country. It lives in fast-flowing rivers as well as in some ponds and lakes. It was brought to Slovenia in 1891 from Austria. In addition to its attractiveness for sport fishing, it is very combative, it is an important fish species for cultivation for human consumption. It grows up to 90 cm in length and inhabits the Adriatic and Black Sea basins.
Panfish: a smaller fish that reaches up to 25 cm in length in nature. Originally from America, it was introduced in Europe after 1887, supposedly for food for bass. In Slovenia, it successfully reproduces and breeds out other fish species in the Adriatic and Black Sea basins. It lives in slowly flowing and stagnant waters.