Francescho Zacchigna, from Lovrečice (1953.)
Flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus)
There are six species of mullet in the Adriatic Sea, with the flathead grey mullet being commercially the most important one. In the history of Istrian and Umag fishing, this fish has been noted everywhere as the main catch.
Given that it lives close to river estuaries or stream confluences, in our region it used to be caught in seasonal fishing grounds such as Sečovlje, the Umag harbour and, in the winter, at Pozoi. In the 17th century, the flathead grey mullet was more appreciated than sea bass and gilt-head bream. Moreover, it was salted and shipped to Venice in barrels. Its gut was used for lamp oil making. Before the Second World War, in winter months, during the flathead grey mullet migration, the biggest fishermen event, named tratta dei sievoli ( flathead grey mullet trawl net fishing) would take place in the Umag harbour. The bay would be closed by an extensive trawl net (tratta) owned by the Municipality.
Common sole (Solea solea linnaeus, 1758)
The Umag seawaters are one of the most famous sole fishing ground on the Adriatic. In the late autumn, and particularly in the first half of winter, sexually mature soles migrate from the Italian side of the North Adriatic toward the western coast of Istria to spawn, thus becoming, an easy catch for the local fishermen. Due to its meat texture and quality and few bones, the sole is one of the most demanded fish and represents commercially the most important white fish in Istria. In this area, the sole is fished with special single nets called pasarele.
Gilt-head bream (Sparus aurata)
The gilt-head bream is also known as the Queen of the seas due to its beauty and for being one of the tastiest species of white fish. Its name comes from the characteristic golden fleck on its gills. It lives in very deep waters but when it feeds during the day, it swims slowly near the shore and “grinds” the seas snails, seashells and even crabs with its strong jaws. It mostly lives near river estuaries or stream confluences. Before the Second World War, major catches in the seasonal fishing grounds of the Umag area would take place in the period when mullets, gilt-head breams and seabasses migrated from the Gulf of Trieste towards the western coast of Istria. Nowadays, they are caught with single nets, but the local fishermen enjoy going fish angling from the shore or a boat the most. The best way to prepare the gilt-head bream is to griddle it.
European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)
Seabass is one of the most renowned white fishes of the Adriatic. It may grow up to one metre in length and the biggest specimen caught in the Adriatic up to now, weighed 15.5 kg. Seabass likes brackish water like the one on the Umag coast, along the Potok basin. Therefore, throughout Umag fishing history, the seabass has been the main catch in the winter season fishing grounds, along with the flathead grey mullet and gilt-head bream. It tastes best when griddled but some locals used to dry it and bake it in the oven with potatoes.
Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)
Cuttlefish belongs to the Cephalopoda genus and there are several species living in the Adriatic. It can be found everywhere, both in shallow waters and at a depth of up to 250 m. When spawning in spring, it comes close to the shore and becomes an easy catch. It’s fished either with the multi-pronged spear and a lamp at night or with what used to be a traditional wooden cuttlefish lure, the separiola. It is also fished with trawl and single nets. Cuttlefish is a valued ingredient for the black risotto, salads and mixed fish stews as a “sweetener”.
Squid or calamari (Loligo vulgaris, Lamarck, 1798)
There are four species of squid from the Cephalopoda genus in the Adriatic Sea, and all of them are very savoury. They are caught with seine nets ‘migavica’, In Umag waters, they were most often fished with a traditional fishing tool called pušča (pus᾽sia). A squid, with eight short arms and two long tentacles, is a natural master of camouflage due to its pigment cells that it uses to rapidly change its body colour (mimicries). As far as consumption is concerned, it can be griddled, fried, roasted with potatoes, baked under the bell (peka), stuffed or added to mixed fish stews. It can grow up to one meter (tentacles included).
Noble pen shell (Pinna nobilis)
Being critically endangered, today, the noble pen shell is a protected species and the scientists are making huge efforts to conserve it. Formerly, the noble pen shell was used not only as food but also to make extremely rare and light fabric, glowing as gold, better known as “the sea silk”. This fabric was used to make clothes for wealthy women.
The noble pen shell is an endemic species of the Mediterranean as well as the biggest among seashells living there. There are two more pen shell species in the Adriatic: Pinna rudis and Athrina fragilis. The most common, the noble pen shell, lived along the whole Istrian coast until not so long ago and its habitats in the Umag area were extremely numerous, especially in Zambratija Bay. Just like an underwater skyscraper, the noble pen shell provided home to many marine organisms, thus fulfilling a crucial ecological function. However, in 2016, noble pen shells started to face mass death due to pathogenic bacteria and parasites that spread across the Mediterranean and, consequently, the Adriatic, which also caused the Istrian noble pen shells to perish in 2019.
Noah’s Ark (Arca noae)
In the past, the central naturally grown Noah’s Ark shell area stretched from Savudrija Cape all the way beyond the town of Umag. The Noah’s Ark shell fishing season was from January to April and the Umag and Piran fishermen were the main collectors of this shell. In the period between 1948 and 1949 many Noha’s Ark shell deposits died but some managed to recover with time though. In the old days, the Noah’s Ark shells were collected with small nets (mussoler) trawled by boats. The demand for these shells was substantial and they were mostly were sold in Trieste or other Italian cities. It is interesting to note that Noah’s Ark shells were so popular in Trieste that people used to sell them on the street at selling points called mussolere until 1960s. Before and during the Second World War in Umag, these shells were bought by a small seafood processing factory that used to can them. Today, they are collected by scuba divers and bigger boats using a tool called mechanic al dredge - the rampon .
Cesare Fonda (Trieste in cucina): Small seashells with treasure.
Limpet (Patella)
The limpet comes from the primitive snail genus. There are three species of limpets in the Adriatic: Patella vulgata, P. coerulea, P. lusitana. They live in the intertidal zone, glued to the rocks where they feed on algae. So attached, they can resist a 10 kg blow. Unstuck from the rock by a small knife, limpets can be eaten raw or in a sauce with polenta or pasta.
Turbinate monodont (Monodonta turbinata)
Turbinate monodont is a tiny sea snail that lives in the rocky shallow waters. It is caught during low tide when it surfaces from the sea, hidden under the stones or along the rocks. Sea salad or sauce, accompanied by pasta or polenta, can be made with this snail. It also works well as fish bait.
European spider crab (Maja squinado)
The European spider crab has a very tasty meat it hides under its shell (pea) and it can weigh up to 1.50 kg. Umag waters used to teem with these crabs to the point that the people cooked them, shelled them and fed them to the chickens because there was no one they could give them to.
The catching season is from January to May. The fishermen would catch them in deeper waters with crab gillnets (squanieri). Since in the mating season the European spider crabs get closer to the shore, the fishermen f rom Umag could take them out from the sea bottom, one by one, with a granser, a traditional fishing tool in the form of a large rake.
Warty crab (Eriphia verrucosa)
The warty sea crab has ten legs and lives in the intertidal rocky areas. One must definitely beware of its claws.
It is very appreciated in the Umag gastronomy as a must element of the fish stew (brodet), either as a single ingredient of the saveory warty crab stew or as additional one of the mixed fish stew.
Mantis shrimp, canocchia (Squilla mantis)
Is a pale yellow sea crab that can grow up to 20 cm and is characterised by two black spots on its telson. Its claws are very sharp and require caution.
The mantis shrimp is caught with trawl nets and that’s the reason why it can be found on the local fishermen’s plate as fritto misto (mixed fried fish). It is an excellent addition to every fish stew and another traditional dish, called buzara, can be made of it too.
