Durrës

The Ishmi river estuary is the northernmost fishing destination in the Durrës region. It is located at the edge Cape of Rodon and bordering Lezha district, from where a series of natural parks with several lagoons close to each other are found. The distance from Tirana city is 44 km away and 1 hour and 27 minutes drive, while from Rinas Airport is 24.8 km and it takes 45 minutes by car. To come from Tirana city and Rinas Airport you have to follow the Vora road and turn left at the Bubqi Bridge in the direction of Bubq and Ishêm.

The distance from Durrës city is 44.3 km away and 1 hour and 3 minutes by car, following the Durrës -Tirana highway and turning at the Maminas underpass in the direction of Manza, and then heading for Ishëm when you reach the village of Shkafane, where the road to Lalzi Bay with that to Ishem go separately. The road to Ishem direction does not lead you to the seashore, but you can get there walking through paths. While when you leave from Tirana city or Rinas Airport, the road leads you to the coast, but as soon as you pass the village of Muzhaq, the road is not asphalted. The deeper you go into the forest, the harder the road becomes, and in places there are puddles of water and mud that are dangerous to drive through.

You can drive on this road only on dry season. If it's raining, don't try to go there as your car may get stuck in the mud unexpectedly. Also, during the rainy season, the river Ishem swells and inundates part of the road near the seashore. Though there is expected to be enough fish to catch due to the rubbish brought by the Ishmi river, a branch of which is the Lana river that collects all the rubbish of Tirana with nearly 1 million inhabitants, it is not recommended for fishing due to the pollution of the environment, polluted water, which can also lead to the contamination of seafood products. It is the country's most polluted seaside destination. However, there are fishermen there with boats and nets are placed at the entrance of the river to the sea. There are almost no villagers, the villages are far away and often even telephone communication works poorly or does not work at all.

The forest is low of dense, impassable bushes. Recent observations have noticed that wolves also moved in, while jackals, foxes, rabbits are present. The presence of birds is scarce and often of the environmental odor in the area as a result of the litter.

During our visit there, we also found hospital waste and boxes of expired medicines washed ashore by the river. There are fish such as sea bass, bream, anchovy, annular sea bream, white-sea bream, etc. However, if you go to the Ishm estuary on the road to the right, you can return to the village of Ishem, where there are several objects of historical, cultural and architectural importance. The road is well maintained, while at the end of it a rare panorama of the fields and the sea awaits you around the hill of Ishmi. There is also a restaurant and bar where you can taste the products of the area.

General features:

The Durrës - Lezhë region has a Mediterranean climate. The annual average temperature is 15.5°C, the average January temperature is 7°C, while the average August temperature reaches 24°C. Onshore breezes dominate in Durres and Lalez Bay. The breeze starts from 9-10 in the morning and continues until 16-18 in the afternoon.

The waters of the Adriatic Sea are rich in fishes such as common smooth hound, lesser weever, sardine, European eel, cod, sea bass fish, bream, mackerel, red mullet, white sea bream, dental, palamiti (scombridea), garfish, mullet, common sole, see fish etc, which present a great fishing potential.

Some data on the area’s fishes:

Mullet fish

The mullet is a saltwater fish that lives in flocks and reaches a weight of up to 5 kg for one specimen. In Albania, there are about 8 types of mullet fish: flathead grey mullet, thin lip mullet, leaping mullet, box lip mullet etc. It is found throughout the year near the coasts, but it swims several kilometers through the mouths of rivers and lagoons. Even in the ports, there are many of them, which feed on the waste dumped by the ships. It has delicious meat, which differs from the place where it is caught. It is not very tasty the mullet fish that grows near the ports.

Sea bass fish

Sea ​​bass fish is one of the fishes that are found more during the winter months, near the coasts. It feeds on other fish, mullet, garfish etc. Its weight sometimes reaches 14 kg for one specimen. When it is small, close to 300 grams, and has irregular black spots on its body, fishermen call it anchovy. It is a ruthless hunter that feeds almost exclusively on alive fish. After the 1997s, it decreased a lot, as a result of fishing with dynamite. It lays its eggs in the months of February-March while fleeing a few kilometers to the mouth of rivers or lagoons.

Turbot fish (https://telegraf.al/aktualitet/peshqit-e-jonit-dhe-adriatikut-pasuri-e-hapesires-se-mrekullueshme-detare/

Turbot fish or rhombus, as the fishermen calls it. This type of fish lives in places that have sandy bottom, it is found almost all year round near the coast, but more in the months of October-November. We encounter it in the waters of the Adriatic Sea in two species, one of which has several spines on its back.

European eel

The wild European eel, or sea eel, is snake-shaped, carrot-colored, has sharp teeth and feeds on other fish, mostly dead. As a result of dynamite shooting by fishermen, the wild eel is classified as an endangered species and is protected.

Garfish

Garfish is silvery black in color, has a spear-shaped front, with small teeth. It feeds on smaller fish, at first it hits its prey and then swallows it. The characteristics of this type of fish are that it does not have bones. It is cooked grilled constantly accompanied with olive oil mixed with lemon because it has firm meat.

Date mussel ( Lithophaga)

In Albanian it is called "rock borer", it is a type of mussel that belongs to bivalve molluscs (Bivalvia). This mussel bores into limestone rocks and nests inside them. The shell of this mussel is narrow, elongated, partly cylindrical, pressed in the front part. On the outside the shell is brown, light or dark, while on the inside the shell is white, often with yellow or blue hues. The average length varies from 6 cm to 8 cm, while the maximum length is 10 cm to 12 cm.

Among the birds you can often are woodpeckers, larks, nightingales, plovers, and seagulls.

What to visit in Durres city (https://www.durres.gov.al/vizitoret/475-%D2%ABfare-te-vititosh-ne-durres)

The city of Durrës is the second largest in Albania and among the most important cities in terms of financial and economic activities. Meanwhile, it is among the oldest European cities with great archaeological or cultural heritage. It was built on top of the ancient ruins of Epidamit while it was founded around 627 BC.

Some of the main attractions are:

Amphitheater, City Walls, Byzantine Forum, Venetian Tower, Ancient Roman Baths,

Amphitheater of Durrës:

The amphitheater of Durrës city has an ellipse shape with a diameter of 136 meters and a height of about 20 meters. It was built at the beginning of the II century BC, at the time of the Roman emperor Trajan (98-117). About 15-20 thousand spectators would sit in it, watching various shows, including combats between gladiators. The amphitheater had the main entrance from the north and an exit to the south on the same axis. The eastern facade from the city center was two-story with arches and columns and above them a decorative structure with windows.

Amphitheater Chapel:

The chapel was built around the 5-6th centuries in the form of a small church (chapel), where the religious and funeral ceremonies of the Christian groups of Durrës were held. It is decorated on both sides, south and west, with unique mural mosaic panels dedicated to Shen Stefan martyr of Durrës city. Following you can also see Shen Maria as a Byzantine Empress surrounded by two angels, the first with the inscription at the top and at the feet of the figures two escorts in miniature. The western side preserves fragments of two saints, Shen Irini and Shen Sofia with their respective names. The eastern gallery of the amphitheater, which displays a fresco with the figure of Shen Gabriel, also served as a shelter for refugees of Christian communities.

The castle, the surrounding walls of the city

The city of Durrës is protected by surrounding walls built with cyclopean blocks of stone. They were built by the Byzantine emperor Anastasius I (491-518) originally from Durrës, after the damage caused by the catastrophic earthquake of 345. He protected the city with three rows of brick walls, of which 500 meters length is preserved on the South-Western side. The perimeter of the fence reached 3.5 km long, height 18 meters and width 3.50 meters. This defense system was reinforced with pentagonal towers, 60-65 meters apart. The later interventions are those of the Emperor Justinian (527-565). Also, in the XIII century (1272) Charles Anzhu and in the XIV century (1350) Karl Topia, built defensive reinforcements.

When Durrës city passed under the Venetian occupation (1392-1501) for 109 years, it was accompanied by interventions in the defensive system, with circular towers. Meanwhile, the Ottoman invasion on August 13, 1501 reduced the city space to the South-Eastern edge (Lagjia Kala) by surrounding it with an 800 meters wall, 6 times smaller than the Byzantine enclosure. The Turkish Wall descends from the quota of 59 meters, and the Clock Tower of the city was built along its length. The Turkish walls were reinforced with battlement towers as well as with two main gates located on an axis: "Great Gate" and "Sea Gate".

The house museum of "Aleksandër Moisiu"

Aleksandër Mosiu was a great stage actor of the European theatre in the first half of the twentieth century. Moisiu attended primary school in Durrës city, and therefore in 1928 he wrote his memoirs in form of sketches titled "Childhood Dream". The House with attic was built in the second half of the XIX century. After its restoration in 1983, it was established as the "The Traditional Cultural Exhibit".Two rooms of this house are dedicated to Aleksandër Moisiu, named "Aleksandër Moisiu Museum Room".

"Fatih" Mosque

The "Fatih" mosque belongs to the time of Sultan Mehmet II the Conqueror (Fatihu) and was built around 1502-1503, on the ruins of a basilica from the XI century.

The Paleochristian Basilica of Saint Mehillit, Arapaj, Durres,

It is located on a hill in the village of Arapaj, south of the city of Durres. This is a Paleochristian basilica of the 6th century A.D. The area discovered in 1974 is part of a monumental building. This basilica belonged to the church of Shen Mehill burned by the Normans.

The discovered basilica consists of the abbess, the halls, the courtyard and 2 funeral annexes. In one of the latter, there is the famous Arapaj mosaic with an area of ​​50 square meters. This is one of the largest mosaics in Albania and the Balkans. The mosaic consists of two emblems with pastoral motives.

Paleochristian Basilica (Gjuricaj) Ishem:

In Gjuricaj is located the Basilica, one of the oldest, it measures 47 x 20 m. The church is of the basilica type, single-conical with three naves. The objects discovered in this Basilica date back to the 4th - 3rd century BC, as well as the 5th - 6th century AD, according to the scholars earlier it also served as a temple.

Ishmi Castle:

The castle was built in the years 1572 - 1574, by the Ottomans. After the completion of the works, the castle was equipped with cannons and a garrison of soldiers was placed in it.

Sulejman Tower:

The Sulejman Tower is located in the village of Kullas of Ishmi, it is the only tower in the district of Durrës, while it was declared a National Cultural Monument around 1983. The tower is a three-story stone building with 20 turrets on its top floor, which served to protect the tower in case of attacks from the enemy. The first floor of the tower served as a basement, while the other 2 floors were used for living. The tower also has two balconies in harmony with Turkish architecture of the time.

The tomb of Ibrahim Kodra

Ibrahim Kodra is one of the most well-known painters of the 20th century in Italy but also in Europe. He was a cubist painter, born in Ishem, Albania on April 22, 1918 and passed away on February 7, 2006 in Milan, Italy where he lived and painted almost all his life. He left Albania when he was 20 years old (1938) with a scholarship from the Royal Court of King Zog to the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome.

Later he moves to Milan, the Academy of Fine Arts of Brera. The painter Ibrahim Kodra has exhibited his works in Rome, Milan, Venice, Paris, Belgrade, New York, he was friends with great painters such as Picasso, Marc Chagall, Henry Matisse, Lucio Fontana, Renato Guttuso, etc. Kodra left behind about six thousand art works, distributed to private museums, collectors and only two thousand of them are registered and documented. (https://www.kultplus.com/arti-pamor/ibrahim-kodra-piktori-shqiptar-qe-la-pas-rreth-6-mije-vepra/)

Recreational and sport fishing rules

During recreational fishing, the following fishing gears are used: a) no more than 2 rods per fisherman and no more than 3 hooks per rod; b) no more than 10 hand hooks per fisherman; c) small hand net. The fisherman brings in no more than 5 kg of fish per day and this amount can be exceeded if a single fish weighs more than 5 kg is caught.

The recreational fishing is done based on strict rules for those endangered species, such as eel, garfish and red tuna. During recreational fishing, it is not allowed to kill the spawning fish.

The request for recreational fishing permit is completed online through the e-Albania portal, at the link: https://e-albania.al/. The permit is issued through the e-Albania portal upon payment of a certain fee.

Tourist fishing rules:

Tourist fishing means the activities undertaken by any individual or owner of a vessel, who embarks on his vessel other persons, except the crew, for the performance of tourist-entertainment activities.

The tourist fishing is carried out by professional fishermen or recreational fishing professionals with Albanian-flagged fishing vessel and vessels for recreational purposes with Albanian or foreign flags, based on country”s legislation.

Tourist fishing includes: a) carrying out practical recreational fishing activities through the use of fishing gears provided in this regulation; b) carrying out recreational tourist activities, with the aim of spreading and developing fishing activity, such as, in particular, short trips along the coasts, observation of professional fishing activities, restaurant on board or on shore; c) carrying out activities aimed at knowing and improving sea environment, lagoons and inland waters, with the authorization of the competent authority , as well as familiarizing the general public with commercial fishing activity.

During tourist fishing activity in marine waters, the following fishing gears are used: a) no more than 3 traps per vessel; b) fishing sinkers with a perimeter of no more than 16 meters or with a diameter of less than 5 meters; c) collection by hand, without using fishing tools and additional means, of crustaceans and molluscs.

The activity of tourist fishing is carried out only by means of a permit issued by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). The permit for tourist fishing is short-term and is granted for the period according to the submitted request, but not more than 30 days.

Rules of sport fishing:

Sport fishing in the sea and inland waters is carried out by the organizing association through the authorization issued by the MARD.

The request to receive the permit for sport fishing is completed by a representative of the association, online on the e-Albania portal, in e-Services of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the space "Application to receive a permit for recreational fishing ", for at least 10 (ten) days before the date set for the start of the activity. The request is made by filling out the request form with the following data: a) the data of the representative of the association (name, surname; date of birth; citizenship; passport or identity card number); b) the data of the association (name and NIPT/if any); c) the area where the activity will take place; ç) the date and time of the activity;

In the case when the request is made by a representative of the association, the permit of the association by the applicant must be uploaded. When the sport fishing activity is carried out in co-management areas, the representative of the association uploads a copy of the approval document from the relevant Fisheries Management Organizations. The permit for sport fishing is issued free of charge through the e-Albania portal and within 7 (seven) working days, after verification of the fulfillment of the technical criteria.

Rules for amateur and underwater fishing:

Amateur fishing is non-commercial one, unorganized fishing carried out in leisure time with hooks or other fishing gear, but without the use of a vessel.

During amateur and underwater fishing activity, in addition to the gears mentioned in point 2, of chapter I of this regulation, it is allowed to use, in all water categories, the following fishing gears: a) hand spear; b) spear fishing gun.

The request to receive a permit for amateur and underwater fishing is completed online in the e-Albania portal, in e-Services, in the "Application to be provided with an authorization for recreational fishing purposes" space, by completing the request form and upload the following documentation: a) photo of the applicant; b) proof of membership in a national recreational fishing association.

The authorization is issued by the body of the local self-government unit, through the e-Albania portal, within 3 (three) working days, after verification of the fulfillment of the technical criteria.

In internal waters, declared as co-management areas, the request for amateur fishing is presented to the organization responsible for co-management, which is the competent authority that verifies the fulfillment of the permit criteria and issues the corresponding authorization. Amateur fishing is not allowed in ponds for agricultural use, for which a contract has been signed for the development of spawning /fishing activities, as well as in mouth of the lagoons.

Fishing time, fish and marine species that are prohibited to be fished:

It is prohibited to use trawlers, St. Andrew's crosses or similar devices, which are used to collect red coral and other types of coral or other coral-like organisms; pneumatic hammers or other impact devices for collection, especially of bivalve molluscs embedded in the rock (dater); e) collecting bottom nets with an opening size of less than 40 mm for trawlers. Fishing is prohibited in the port area and anchorage areas.

Prohibited: a) fishing during the period from sunset to dawn; b) spearfishing by persons under 16 years of age; c) selling fish caught during this activity.

It is prohibited to fish, keep on board, transit in boats and ships, landing for the purposes and selling on the market or for consumption, in any period, area and with any type of means or equipment of these aquatic organisms: a) River Trout - Salmo letnica lumi ; b) Sturgeon - Acipenser sturio; c) Sharks - Cetorhinus maximus, Carcharodon carcharias; ç) Lesser devil ray - Mobula mobular; d) Stone cutter (dater) - Lithophaga lithophaga; dh) Corals (Corallium spp.); e) Sponges (spongidae); ë) Sea mammals; f) Sea turtles; g) Sea cucumbers.

Length of fish allowed catch, minimum dimensions

(Scientific name, Albanian name, minimum dimension)

1. Fishes

• Dicentrarchus labrax sea bass 25 cm
• Diplodus annularis Annular sea bream 12 cm
• Diplodus puntazzo Sheep head bream 18 cm
• Diplodus sargus white sea bream 23 cm
• Diplodus vulgaris common two-banded sea bream 18 cm
• Engraulis engrasicolus European anchovy 9 cm
• Epinephelus spp. Grouper 45 cm
• Lithognathus mormyrus sand steen brass 20 cm
• Merluçius merluçius *** Cod 20 cm
• Mullus spp. Red mullet 11 cm
• Pagellus acarne Axillary sea bream 17 cm
• Pagellus bogaraveo black spot sea bream 33 cm
• Pagellus erythrinus common Pandora 15 cm
• Pagrus pagrus red porgy 18 cm
• Polyprion americanus wreck fish 45 cm
• Sardina pilchardus ** European sardine 11 cm
• Scomber spp. Scomber 18 cm
• Solea vulgaris common sole 20 cm
• Sparus aurata gilt head bream 20 cm
• Trachurus spp. Mackerel 15 cm

2. Crustaceans

• Hommarus gammarus European lobster 105 mm CL, 300 mm TL
• Nephrops norvegicus Norway lobster 20 mm CL, 70 mm TL
• Palinuridae spiny lobster 90 mm CL
• Parapenaeus longirostris pink shrimp 20 mm CL

3. Bivalve molluscs

• Pecten jacobeus Mediterranean scallop 10 cm
• Venerupis spp. Carpet shell 25 mm
• Venus spp. Venus clams 25mm

TL – Total Length; CL – Height of karapaksit

(Law, Nr. 402, datë 8.5.2013)

Penalties, you will be fined for these violations:

1. Disposal of liquid or solid waste that creates negative effects on the quality of the aquatic environment,
2. The release of non-native fish species and/or other aquatic organisms, genetically modified fish species or other aquatic organisms, in the maritime space and in internal waters, is punishable by a fine from 100,000 ALL to 500,000 ALL.
3. Underwater activities, aimed at fishing in places where permission has not been previously obtained from the responsible management authority, are punished with a fine from 10,000 ALL to 50,000 ALL.
4. Catching species of fish and other aquatic organisms that are not mature enough to reproduce or with sizes beyond those provided for in the by-laws, is punishable by a fine from 100,000 ALL to 500,000 ALL.
5. Fishing and taking or ruining fauna and flora in protected water areas are punishable by a fine from 200,000 ALL to 1,000,000 ALL.
6. Catching fish and other aquatic organisms in violation to the order that prohibits fishing, out of season or in areas where fishing is not allowed, is punishable by a fine from 200,000 ALL to 1,000,000 ALL.
7. Catching fish and other aquatic organisms with explosives, chemical substances or any other way that kills, intoxicates or poisons, is punishable by a fine from 1,000,000 to 5,000,000 ALL.
8. Keeping on board or on shore explosives or chemical substances that kill, poison or intoxicate fish and other aquatic organisms is punishable by a fine from 500,000 to 2,500,000 ALL.
9. Recreational fishing in violation to the law (In no case and for any reason, the recreational fishing must not interfere, hinder, endanger or make commercial fishing difficult), is punishable by a fine, from ALL 5,000 to ALL 10,000.
10. The catching and/or trade of fish and other aquatic organisms treated with explosives, chemical substances or any other way that kills, intoxicates or poisons, is punishable by a fine from 100,000 to 500,000 ALL.
11. Amateur fishing, without being equipped with the relevant authorization, is punished by a fine of 500 to 1,000 ALL, while in the case of tourist fishing, without being equipped with the relevant authorization, is punished with a fine of 50 000 ALL to 100,000 ALL.
12. Recreational fishing contrary to the provisions of Article 45 of this law, (a) fishing during the period from sunset to dawn; b) spear fishing by persons under 16 years of age; c) the sale of fish caught during this activity) is punishable by a fine: a) from 5,000 to 10,000 ALL without a vessel; b) from ALL 50,000 to ALL 100,000 in case a vessel is used to commit the violation.

The guide was prepared by the Center for Transparency and Freedom Information in the framework of the project "Identification and promotion of recreational and tourist fishing destinations in the coastal area of Durres and Lezha counties", supported by PNUD Albania.