Ečka fish pond
The Ečka fish pond is the largest fish pond in Serbia. It is in western Banat, Vojvodina, about 10 km south of Zrenjanin, near where the Begej river flows into the Tisa.
The pond covers about 15.4 square kilometers and stretches roughly 10 km in length, up to 1 km wide. It is a system of many lakes separated by embankments. Four main lakes—Belo jezero, Koča jezero, Mika jezero, and Joca jezero—make up most of the water area. The whole system includes 46 lakes and reservoirs.
The lakes are shallow. Belo jezero is the deepest on average at about 1.33 meters, while Joca jezero averages around 0.77 meters.
The fishery is run by the company Ečka a.d. on about 1,700 hectares. It produces up to 6,000 tons of fish each year, mostly common carp (about 90%). Other fish raised include grass carp, bighead carp, zander, and wels catfish. Carp are grown for about three years and reach about 3–4 kg. The carp are sold in Serbia, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Production peaks during the Nativity Fast and in the week before Saint Nicholas Day (December 19).
Nearby villages on the shores include Belo Blato (south of Koča jezero), Lukino Selo (east of Belo jezero), and Ečka (further east). The main fishery building and the hotel Sibila are on the southern shore of Belo jezero. Access is via a road along an embankment to the Zrenjanin–Belgrade road. Across the road is the entrance to Carska bara, a wetlands nature reserve.
Historically, the area was a vast wetland shown on early maps. Regulation work began in the 19th century under Austria-Hungary, with the Begej river’s final section moved in 1806 and a canal rebuilt around 1900.
In addition to the Ečka fish pond, the company also runs smaller fisheries at Melenci, Srpski Itebej, and Čenta in Banat.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:57 (CET).