Code of Conduct for Visitors

Dear Guests,

Please help us in our efforts to ensure a safe and pleasant stay for all visitors to Kamenjak without jeopardising the values that make this area special. By following these simple rules and protection measures we will preserve Kamenjak as we know it for future generations.

Rules

• It is prohibited to pick, destroy and collect strictly protected species and their developmental forms (eggs, larvae, pupae, seeds, fruits, mycelia, etc.), except in the case of permitted recreational fishing activities with a valid licence. We suggest taking photographs as an alternative – the photos you take will serve as a lasting memory of the experiences you have had at Kamenjak.
• Please do not bring in allochthonous (non-local, foreign, non-native, non-indigenous, exotic, introduced or brought-in species) plants and animals as they can seriously harm local wildlife communities.
• Please obey the speed limit, drive only on marked roads, and make sure not to park your car on green areas. The prohibition of driving outside marked roads also applies to motorcycles. By observing this rule, you will contribute to the conservation of valuable habitats and protected plants that make this area recognisable and you will avoid soil erosion and destructive dust pollution on vegetation. Let’s not let the beautiful meadows become lifeless rocks! We have also created a cycling trail for you away from the roads. Therefore, we recommend arriving at Kamenjak by bicycle. The experience is much better.
• We have provided safe public fire pits for you, free of charge. Please use them only when the weather permits, i.e. when there is no risk of fire spreading (pay attention to indicated danger levels when entering a protected area). Carelessness with fire can be disastrous and it is thus not allowed to light a fire outside the fire pits.
• Please make sure that contaminants such as gasoline, oil and detergents do not get into the sea and the environment!
• It is prohibited to destroy, remove or misappropriate archaeological finds.
• In the summer there are public chemical toilets at your disposal. Please use them! Please properly dispose of all waste in appropriate containers.
• Most dogs love swimming and going to the beach. However, dog owners need to know that not everyone is comfortable around animals. Therefore, please keep your dogs on a leash and under control. Although your pets may be clean and obedient, it is not appropriate to let them swim among people. We suggest you choose a secluded beach or wait for the early evening hours when there are fewer visitors so that you and your pet can enjoy playing and swimming in a carefree way.
• Camping is prohibited. The exception is organised visits with the specific permission of the Kamenjak Public Institution that manages the protected area. As an alternative, we suggest the nearby Stupice, Tašalera and Runke campsites.
• In the undersea world of the Medulin Archipelago, we find underwater meadows of Neptune grass (Posidonia oceanica), a protected seagrass species. Restoration of destroyed meadows is almost impossible, so please do not anchor in them. Wherever possible, moor your vessel to the coast or in a designated place, even if it means that you have to swim, for example, to your diving spot. In any case, always check the seabed before you drop anchor.
• Some of you will encounter dolphins that visit this area. Dolphins are a sign of a healthy sea and are protected by law in Croatia. If you would like to visit us again, please observe the following code of conduct when encountering dolphins: do not chase them or sail your vessel directly towards them. If you wish to approach the dolphins, do so very slowly, keeping parallel to their course, and avoid sudden changes of direction and sudden noise. It is best to turn off the engine. There should be no more than one vessel within 100 metres and no more than three vessels within 200 metres of the dolphins. When leaving the area with dolphins, accelerate gradually and only when the vessel is 100 metres away from the animals.
• Bathers should keep in mind that the sea currents throughout the coastal area around Kamenjak are very strong, especially between Cape Kršine and the island of Fenoliga, and in the summer there are many vessels approaching very close to the coast. For your own safety and to avoid accidents, please do not move more than 100 metres away from the coast.
• Kamenjak is a must-see destination for many divers. Although the sea surface blocks our view and looks like a shield, below it divers are unprotected from vessel propellers. Therefore, please pay special attention to red and white surface marker buoys and balloons which indicate the position of a diver in the sea. Do not come closer than 50 metres from the buoy with your vessel.
• There is a code of conduct for divers as well: select a suitably safe location where no mechanical damage will occur in entering the water, check your equipment and buoyancy, and carry out other preparatory work; during the dive, watch out for how you move your fins and the water movements they create, and be careful of your photographic equipment and other devices, as these are the main causes of accidental damage; do not disturb marine organisms and do not shine the long powerful beams of your underwater lights at them.
• In order to avoid fatal accidents, please observe the legal regulations and if you drive a speedboat, jet ski, or similar vessel, keep a minimum distance of 300 metres from the shore. We would also like to point out that bathers should not move more than 100 metres away from the coast for their own personal safety.
• We kindly ask all visitors to respect the working hours of the Kamenjak Public Institution and leave the protected area by 10 pm.
• Please use the designated parking areas to park and stop your vehicle.

The Ranger Service of the Kamenjak Public Institution, which operates within the protected area, is at your disposal for any additional information, help or if you wish to communicate information that will help us preserve this valuable area.

The Ranger Service’s phone number:

+385(0)98/255-82-57