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Croatia restricts boaters: New rules cause excitement!
New coastal regulations in Croatia from June 2025: Minimum distances for boats and a ban on anchoring are causing discussions among holidaymakers.
Croatia restricts boaters: New rules cause excitement!
Croatia, a popular holiday destination for Germans, especially boaters, is facing new regulations intended to increase safety on its waters. A regulation issued by the Croatian Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure at the end of March 2025 aims to improve the safety of maritime shipping in inland waters and territorial seas. These new regulations have already sparked debate among boaters.
The new SSVO legal regulation, which is now in force, sets clear minimum distances that boats must maintain along the coast and near bathing areas. The distances are regulated as follows:
| Boat length | Minimum distance from the coast | Minimum distance to organized beaches |
|---|---|---|
| over 30 meters | 300 meters | n/a |
| 15 to 30 meters | 150 meters | 100 meters |
| under 15 meters | 50 meters | n/a |
Strange anchor rules
Anchoring is also more strictly regulated. Boat owners are not allowed to dock if any part of the boat is more than 50 meters from the shore. In addition, anchoring is prohibited within 150 meters of natural swimming areas. However, the term “natural swimming area” remains unclearly defined, which causes uncertainty among boaters.
Popular anchorages are particularly affected by these regulations, as they are often in small bays. On social media, some boaters are expressing concerns about the restrictions, while others are hailing the measures as an important step to increase safety on the water. The regulation compares with other Mediterranean destinations such as Mallorca, which also take action against wild anchoring.
Further details on the regulation
The regulations also mean that motorized gliding vehicles such as motorboats, scooters and jet skis may only be operated at a distance of 300 meters from the coast. Additionally, personal watercraft such as kayaks or stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) are permitted up to 300 meters from shore during the day as long as they are not near organized swimming beaches.
Dinghies are allowed to travel up to 500 meters from the mother ship if they are not registered. A high level of safety awareness is also required for diver markings, as watercraft are not allowed to approach such a marking within 50 meters unless they are accompanying a diver.