Sea urchin/Paracentrotus lividus
Description of the species:
The sea urchin is a species which inhabits rocky and gravely bottoms up to 30 metres in depth. It has a shell around 7 cm in diameter and pointy spikes of dark violet or olive colour. The animals can be found individually or in communities, and it is thought that females can be recognized by the stones and other objects they put on their spikes.
Reasons for threat:
Their ripe gonads are considered delicacies; degradation of habitat.
Protection:
The species is strictly protected by the Ordinance on designating protected and strictly protected wild species (Official Gazette 7/06 and 99/09).
Illegal hunting can be reported on the following phone numbers:
Inspectorate for the Protection of Nature
Istria and Kvarner - HQ in Rijeka, mr. sc. Ivanka Jelenić, senior inspector, tel: +385 (0)51 311302; mob: +385 (0)98 406313
e-mail: ivanka.jelenic@min-kulture.hr
Zadar region- HQ in Zadar, Damir Mitrović, senior inspector,
tel: +385 (0)23 211129; mob: +385 (0)98 406979
e-mail: damir.mitrovic@min-kulture.hr
Šibenik and Split regions - HQ in Šibenik, Davor Cukrov, senior inspector
tel: +385 (0)22 215800; mob: +385 (0)98 406982
e-mail: davor.cukrov@min-kulture.hr
Dubrovnik region - HQ in Dubrovnik
Vesna Daničić, inspector
tel: +385 (0)20 323191; mob: +385 (0)98 407121
e-mail: vesna.danicic@min-kulture.hr
Source: www.dzzp.hr State Office for the Protection of Nature, Mrs Katja Jelić