In order to enjoy a pleasant and safe stay in the Parks, and to act in accordance with the principles of nature conservation, visitors should adhere to the following code of conduct and recommendations:

• Park ranger service is directly in charge of Park protection. Park rangers can issue fines on the spot in case of violations of the rules defined by the Regulations on Internal Rules of a given Park and by the Nature Protection Act.

Exploration of and stay in Parks

• Entry to ticket-issuing Parks is prohibited without a ticket. The ticket must be kept until leaving the Park, and visitors must show their tickets to Park officials at their request.
• It is prohibited to drive and/or park outside of areas designated for driving or parking.
• It is prohibited to walk outside of the marked trails and paths. In some Parks, visitors are permitted to walk only through those areas and paths that are clearly marked and intended for exploration and visiting.
• Some Parks still include certain areas with potential mine danger. It is strictly forbidden to enter such areas.
• Visits to some sites (e.g. special reserves) are only possible by prior arrangement, in the presence of Park staff and in smaller groups. Visits to some sites are completely prohibited.
• Climbing the cliffs is prohibited.
• Off-road driving is prohibited.
• Camping in Parks is prohibited, with the exception of camping in designated and marked areas in some Parks.
• Dogs must be kept on a leash.
• Suitable clothes and footwear are required for Park visits. Visitors should take drinking water with them, as well as food where applicable. In the summertime, visitors should also carry sunscreen and mosquito repellent.

Lighting fire, waste disposal, noise, carrying of weapons, Park equipment

• Lighting fire is prohibited. In some Parks, it is permitted to light fire only in specific designated and marked areas.
• It is prohibited to throw waste and cigarette butts. Do not leave your waste in nature.
• Do not make noise, as it disturbs animals.
• It is prohibited to bring firearms into the Parks.
• Do not damage Park equipment (e.g. signs, information panels, etc.). This equipment serves to ensure information and recreation for visitors.

Local population, Park staff and Park activities

• Respect local customs and tradition, as well as privacy of Park inhabitants.
• Cooperate with Park staff.
• Photographing and recording for commercial purposes is prohibited without Park permission.
• Prior notice and Park permission are required for specific recreational activities (e.g. paragliding, hang gliding, climbing, photo safari, etc.)
• Tourist, catering and commercial activities are prohibited without explicit concession permit provided by a given Park.

Plants, animals, mushrooms, environment, minerals, fossils, caves, etc.

• It is prohibited to pick, collect, damage or destroy plants and mushrooms.
• Do not feed, chase, harass, frighten, disturb, hunt, collect, harm or kill a single animal.
• Do not damage nests and hollows where animals live.
• Do not collect snails and mushrooms and do not pick medicinal plants.
• Do not pollute watercourses, water sources and cisterns.
• It is prohibited to pollute air, soil and water.
• It is prohibited to destroy protected minerals and fossils.
• It is prohibited to damage, destroy or remove dripstones, plants and animals in speleological sites, as well as archaeological, fossil and other findings. It is also prohibited to dispose waste of any kind in any manner in speleological sites.
• It is prohibited to damage, destroy, remove or misappropriate any part of anthropological findings and tangible remains of various cultures, archaeological and fossil findings, and cultural and historical buildings and culture monuments.

Fishing

• In some Parks fishing is prohibited, and in some Parks it is permitted under the condition of obtaining a license in advance, issued by a given Park.
• Sport and recreational fishing is permitted under the condition of obtaining a license in advance, issued by a given Park.
• Spear-gun fishing is prohibited, with the exception of the Lastovo Archipelago where it is prohibited during night and with the use of diving cylinders, but only in specific locations.
• Some Parks prohibit hunting, collection and extraction of bivalves and other sea organisms.

Swimming and diving

• Visitors must respect the signs prohibiting swimming in individual locations in the Parks.
• Autonomous diving is permitted only under the condition of obtaining a license of a given Park in advance, and only in specified locations.
• Dive responsibly. If possible, moor your vessel instead of anchoring it, and do not anchor in Posidonia oceanica meadows. When diving, take care of your own movements and equipment, in order to avoid any harm to or disturbance of sea organisms. Leave the sea only with what you took entering it.

Navigation, anchoring and mooring

• Vessel speed must be adjusted to speed limits in a given Park.
• Anchoring and/or mooring are permitted only in areas designated and marked for such purposes.
• Anchoring and/or mooring outside of the marked areas are prohibited without specific permission of a given Park.

How to anchor safely while conserving the marine environment (advice taken from a leaflet of the Sunce association)

Six steps of proper anchoring:

1. Approach the anchoring location from down wind, and find lighter-colored (sandy) bottom. Avoid anchoring in Posidonia oceanica meadows.
2. Drop your anchor when the vessel stops. Anchor should be suitable for a given vessel size.
3. Lower the anchor chain as you slowly drift back. The length of the chain should be at least three times the depth of water at anchoring site.
4. Wait for the bow to turn towards the wind and check whether the anchor holds.
5. When leaving, maneuver the vessel to the spot immediately above the anchor, and then lift the anchor.
6. If you find pieces of Caulerpa seaweed on the chain or the anchor, throw these pieces into waste. You should not throw them back into the sea under any circumstances.

Important facts:

• Anchoring on sand is safe and it is not harmful to sea bottom.
• Anchoring in areas with rocky sea bottom greatly increases the risk of anchor getting stuck in rocks.
• Anchor and chain destroy plants and animals living on rocky and coraligenic sea bottom.
• Anchor does not hold in Posidonia oceanica meadows (areas with dark sea bottom); in addition, it causes harm to this important habitat.

Paragliding and flying

• Visitors assume all responsibility for use of hang gliders and paragliders.
• Hang gliding and paragliding are permitted only from approved and marked take-off sites, and only with Park permission.

Hiking/walking

• Never explore the mountains alone.
• Choose only those trails that suit your fitness level.
• Inform your family on the directions you aim to take and the expected time of return, and stick to these announcements.
• Ask Park staff for advice and listen to it.
• Check the weather forecast prior to hiking or walking.
• Put on suitable hiking clothes and footwear. Take warm and waterproof clothes with you, as well as protection against rain, wind and sun.
• Take sufficient quantity of drinking water with you.
• Take a flashlight, matches and candle with you.
• Take medical supplies as part of first aid kit with you.
• Use hiking map and compass.
• Exercise special care in wintertime, and take into account the fact that it gets dark early.
• Do not engage in wintertime excursions in those areas that you have not explored in summer.

Alpinism/climbing

• Visitors engaging in climbing assume all responsibility for such activities.
• Climbing is only permitted in designated climbing sites.
• Use of full climbing equipment is compulsory.
• Do not climb alone – solo climbing is prohibited.
• Creating new and changing the existing climbing routes is prohibited without Park permission.
• When climbing, be careful not to knock down rocks, since you can hurt someone that way.
• Many endemic plant species grow on rocks – do not tear them or damage them in any manner.
• Many birds nest on rocks. Do not disturb them. If you come across a nest with eggs along your climbing route, please inform the Park about that.
• Due to the presence of a rare or endangered plant or animal species, individual routes may be closed to climbing.

Cave exploration

• It is prohibited to damage, destroy or remove dripstones, plants and animals in speleological sites, as well as archaeological, fossil and other findings. It is prohibited to dispose waste of any kind in any manner in speleological sites.
• It is prohibited to destroy or collect fossils, fossil remains or other phenomena in caves and other speleological sites.
• It is prohibited to destroy, remove or misappropriate anthropological findings and tangible remains of various cultures found in caves or other speleological sites.
• Do not enter speleological sites alone.
• Do not take bats into your hands and do not touch them. Do not photograph bat colonies and do not make noise during bat hibernation.

Be curious and caring guardians of nature!

Leave nothing but footprints.

Take nothing but photos.

Kill nothing but time.

If you notice any irregularities in any of the Parks, please contact the staff of that Park.