Brseč Fishing Association

The following information about the history of the Brseč Fishing Association (Ribarska zadruga), whose founding and operation is covered in Chapter 2, “The Sea,” is from Anton Uhač Butigerski, also known as Tonić Butigerski.

The association was founded on March 27, 1956 with the following fishermen: Srećko Galović Županićev, Ernest Škalamera Ulijanin, Ivan Škalamera Kapitanov, Ivan Vitas Tinjančev, Vitomir Velčić Pešćinarov, Avelin Velčić Pikićev, Petar Dujmović Belančićev, Josip Žitinić Cresanov, and Anton Uhač Butigerski. 
Founders-supporters were: Mate Kersulić Olgin, Mario Žitinić Cresanov, Josip Barković Cucov, Petar Valčić Batelanov, Miro Pajalić Meštrov, teacher Milan Uremović, engineer Cvetko Premuš Gabrijelov, and Riko Premuš Macanov.

 From 1956 to 1958, the association employed 20 fishermen. The following men were hired:

• 1956 to 1957: Božo Blaženić Nerezanov, Drago Galović Vitorov, Ivan Galović Sekirićev, Viktor Hrelja Carov, Anton Hrelja Perišov, Silvo Karina from Presika, Petar Štrolig Antonićev, Josip Škalamera Markovčev, Anton Uhač Podinov

• 1959: Gašpar Barković Frlićev, Emil Franković Carov, Ivan Hrelja Belićev, Ivan Barković Rijavčev, Ivan Salković Ratkovićev, and Danijel Uhač Šiminov
• 1960: Josip Galović Sekirićev, Božo Hrelja Jadretov, and Vinko Uhač Butigerski 
• 1961: Miro Škalamera Škalamerski, Mario Jedretić Cilićev, and Radovan Galović Košićev 
• 1963: Nadan Uhač Manuelov
• 1968: Josip Velčić Pešćinarov
• Until 1984 (as fisherman and workers in fish cannery ‘Ika’): Branko Blaženić Kovačev, Mario Farožić Bažilkov, Vinko Filipaš Jožinov and Danijel Barković Frlićev 

A total of 38 fishermen from the Brseč area have worked in the Brseč Fishing Association.

In 1961, the association merged with the fish can factory Ika and Fishing Company Volosko.

After the merge, the following people stopped fishing and started working at the factory: Ivan Vitas, Josip Žitinić, Emil Franković, Mario Farožić, Vinko Filipaš, Danijel Uhač, Gašpar Barković, Josip Galović, Božo Blaženić, and Anton Uhač Butigerski. 

The factory employed the following people from the Brseč area, men and women: Danijel Kosec, Mario Žitinić, Anton Velčić, Stanko Jurinović, Petar Barković, Vlado Velčić, Aldo Kersulić, Dinko Škalamera, Marino Hrelja, Ruža Barković, Elza Jedretić, Veronika Franković, Vera Franković, Marina Dujmović, Smiljana Galović, Ljubica Galović, Ivanka Možetić, Jasna Premuš, Jolanda Uhač, Zora Valčić, Mira Uhač, Ana Hrelja, Marija Jurinović, Bruna Mavrović, Vilma Mavrović, Anđelka Kersulić, Zorica Velčić, and Milica Uhač.

The Brseč Fishing Association enabled entrepreneurs from the area to start several companies, which are among the largest in the northern Adriatic. The owners, captains, and fishermen in those companies are typically the sons of experienced fishermen, members of the association. It’s worth mentioning:

• Sons of Anton Uhač Podinov, Vinko and Nevio, owners of the company Ugor with the ships Grug, Adria, and Srdela 
• Sons of Pero Dujmović Belančićev, Mirko with the ship Sisol, and Renato (with his cousin also named Renato), with the ship Sabljaš 
• In Brseč, the son-in-law of Srećko Galović Županićev, Božidar Vidas, whose ship Bijelac is captained by his son-in-law Marijan Jakopović 
• Sons of Božo (Dalić) Barković Nerezanov, Serđo, Đani, and Bruno, who fish using their ship Komarča 

From Golovik:

• Brothers Emil (on ship Gira) and Ervino Možetić Lovrinov (on the ship Sisol) 
• Vojmir Barković Trepčev (on the ship Sisol) 
• Brothers Branko and Franko Blaženić, and Bruno Salković Ratkovićev who fish on the ship Bigaj, owned by Anton Rudan Horić 
• Fishing in Beli on Cres island is my brother, Josip Velčić, one of the oldest fishermen in the Brseč area

In Mošćenička Draga, the fishermen are: 

• Brothers Emilio and Tedi Dešković with the ship Plavi
• Father and son, Rudi and Robi Krnetić with the ships Sipar and Valerija 
• Long-time fishermen, brothers Josip Milutin, and Boris Mohović, originally from Mošćenice, with the ships Zlatopružica and Liganj 

Mošćenička Draga has a long tradition of fishing, and it’s worth mentioning old fishermen: Pepin Babačić, Bino Frolja, Dane Martinčić, Zvančić Rosović, File Sandalj, Andre Dešković, brothers Vilo and Teodor Dešković, Tone Puh, Stano Ivančić, and Josip Lazarić.

The following people are trap fishermen in the areas of Brseč and Mošćenice: 

• From Golovik: Danijel Barković Frlićev, Boris Barković Belinov, Brothers Branko and Franko Blaženić, Josip Velčić
• From Brseč: brothers Edo and Željko Galović Sovićevi
• From Zagore: Brothers Marino and Anton Galović Paravnalovi
• From Kalac: Anton Muškardin Buletov
• From Mošćenička Draga: Rade Detan, Silvio Muškardin, Josip Babačić
• From Kraj: Miljenko Ivančić, brothers Bruno and Nikola Vunić