| Characteristics, structure and resources of the sector |
 | Summary |  |
Croatia is a newly independent state, but has a tradition in fisheries which dates back more than a thousand years.
Both freshwater and marine aquaculture is carried out in Croatia, the major species produced are tuna, seabass, seabream, carp, rainbow trout and mussels. Freshwater aquaculture is practised in two subtypes of freshwater environment: warm water (for cyprinids) and cold water (for salmonids). The first carp farm in Croatia was established in 1897. The first trout farm was established in 1883 and in 1894 rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss ) was introduced. Mariculture includes the production of finfish and molluscs in coastal and offshore marine waters and the first attempts at intensive mariculture in Croatia were at the beginning of 1980. The rearing (fattening) of northern bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus ) started in Croatia in 1996. During the last 12 years aquaculture production reached a maximum in 2001 with 10 166 tonnes, with a total value of approximately US$ 32 million.
Fish production represents only a small sector of the Croatian economy, in terms of value it corresponds to 0.2-0.3 percent of GDP.
The main products exported from Croatia are fresh chilled fish products (9 613 tonnes in 2003) and canned fish (7 386 tonnes in 2003). Tuna fish exports accounted for more than 74 percent of the total fish exports in 2003.
Croatian aquaculture is managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management. All development programmes for the sector are based on the Strategies for Croatian Fisheries of 2002; these lay down a series of objectives for both freshwater and marine aquaculture activities. |
| History and general overview | |
The Adriatic coast in the south of Croatia forms part of the Mediterranean, the country's territorial waters extend to about 32 000 km2.
It is possible to cultivate nearly all farmed finfish, molluscs and crustaceans species (except for tropical fish) as a result of the country's geography and location.
The first carp farm in Croatia was established back in 1897, production from that farm was 260 kg/ha with a total production of 11 tonnes per year. Up until then, the main purpose of the fishponds which surrounded castles in Croatia was for the storage of fish rather than their cultivation. The largest carp farms were built during the early years of the twentieth century, with the introduction of fertilization and supplementary feeding between the world wars, that was a significant milestone. Production during this period was between 525-612 kg/ha.
In the 1960s production increased as a result of increased stocking densities and the introduction of herbivorous species. During this period, the method of induced spawning also spread rapidly throughout the farms which themselves increased in size from 3 300 ha up to 12 600 ha.
Research into selective breeding resulted in two carp varieties which are known worldwide - Nasic mirror carp and Poljana mirror carp. The war and economic changes during the first half of the 1990s resulted in a significant fall in production.
Carp production is based on the utilization of all available food through the use of polyculture. The species introduced with common carp are tench (Tinca tinca), grass carp (Ctenopharingodon idella), bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis), silver carp (Hypophtalmichthys molitrix), European catfish (Silurus glanis), pike (Esox lucius), and pike perch (Stizostedion lucioperca).
The first trout farm in Croatia was established in 1883, and in 1894 rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) was introduced which later became the major species farmed. Following World War II the number of fish farms increased as a result of improved feeding techniques and more modern technologies. By 1982 the number of extensive trout farms had reached eight, with a production capacity of 900 tonnes per year.
Mariculture includes the production of finfish and molluscs in both coastal and offshore marine waters. Croatia has a long tradition for cultivating Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis), in two places at Malostonski Bay and Limski Bay, the tradition for shellfish farming dates back more than a thousand years. Records on mollusc cultivation began to be collected back in 1888.
Research into new technologies for the culture of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) began at the end of the nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century. In the late 1960s, state-owned institutes started research projects to develop these highly profitable marine species, as a result, several new commercial companies were founded, setting up production of fish fry and ongrowing them to commercial size in floating cage farms. Since that time, a major innovation has been the ability to control spawning of seabass and seabream.
The first attempts at intensive mariculture in Croatia were made at the beginning of 1980, fish species such as red seabream (Pagrus major), sheepshead bream (Puntazzo puntazzo) and dentex (Dentex dentex) are produced but in small quantities.
The rearing (fattening) of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynus) only began recently in Croatia and is still growing. |
| Human resources | |
In freshwater aquaculture there has been a fall in the total number of employees working on salmonid and carp farms from 644 in 1995 to 606 in 2000. Of these 486 worked on the carp farms and 120 on the salmonid farms. Employment has since increased on the carp farms, but has fallen on the salmonid farms. A significant part of the work in freshwater aquaculture is seasonal and 11.85 percent of workers work part-time.
Due to the nature of the work on the fish farms, unskilled workers comprise 33.33 percent of the work force, those with a university education comprise 5.3 percent, and those with a university or college degree account for 8.25 percent. Most of the remaining 53 percent have some kind of skill or school education. (Jahutka and Homen, 2001).
There is no equivalent data available on employees and employment in mariculture. |
| Farming systems distribution and characteristics | |
In the continental part of Croatia, carp farms account for the main proportion of aquaculture production. In 2004 the total area being utilised for carp farms was 9 879 ha, they are private sector joint-stock corporations and cover large production areas, there are 26 carp farms in total.
In the mountainous areas of Croatia fish farming comprises cold water species (trout farms); these are mostly family-owned units. In 2004 the total area of trout farms was 135 009 m2 across 20 farms.
On the Adriatic coast the majority of farms are small enterprises, private investments and family run businesses, in 1999, there were 43 fish farms and 6 hatcheries. In addition to finfish farms, there are also 56 facilities for mollusc rearing on the Adriatic coast (Dujmušić, 2000). |
| Cultured species | |
Freshwater aquaculture production of warm water finfish species comprises common carp (Cyprinus carpio carpio) (86 percent of the total freshwater production), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) (0.5 percent), bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) (2.5 percent), European catfish (Silurus glanis) (1.8 percent), silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) (0.8 percent), pike perch (Stizostedion lucioperca) (0.25 percent), pike (Esox lucius) (0.15 percent) and 4 percent of less important finfish species. Freshwater production of cold water fish for human consumption is limited to one species, the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss ) (4.0 percent). Brown trout (Salmo trutta) is also cultured, but only for stocking angling waters.
The farming of marine fish in Croatia consists mainly of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), with a total production in 2001 of 1 520 tonnes, in second place is gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) with 940 tonnes. The production of common dentex (Dentex dentex) and sharpsnout seabream (Diplodus puntazzo) has begun only recently. Of particular importance is the production of northern bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), which is increasing quite fast. Tuna production started in 1996, with a total of 39 tonnes, by 1999 it had increased to 672 tonnes and in 2002 reached 3 971 tonnes.
Cultivated mollusc species comprise the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis), with a production of 2 870 tonnes in 2001, and the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) with a production in 2001 of 100 tonnes ( Dujmušić, 2000; FAO 2003). |
| Practices/systems of culture | |
Carp aquaculture is traditionally carried out on large farms using ponds, which cover several hundred or sometimes even more than a thousand hectares. Fish are usually harvested in late autumn. Since the 1990s, production has been directed towards more extensive methods with annual yields of about 500 kg/ha.
For cold water fish production, intensive culture is used and is based on controlled spawning. The trout ponds are usually long and narrow, made of concrete, and built in areas with adequate amounts of clean, cold running water.
The culture of seabass and seabream mainly involves the use of inshore cages, but culture trends are gradually switching to semi-offshore cage systems. Many kinds of cages are used. In the 1980s, wooden cages were used, and still are by some of the farmers. Modern farms most commonly use flexible round plastic cages.
Tuna fattening consists of feeding captured fish to improve meat quality. Wild tuna populations (usually ranging from 2-4 year old fish) are used for this purpose: they are caught during their migration using floating nets and then placed in anchored cages usually offshore. Intensive feeding takes place in these cages to achieve maximum growth and to fatten the fish. This rearing technology involves intensive feeding of the tuna with smaller species of fish for a period of six months. In most cases, fresh sardines are used as feed, but herring, sprat and even cephalopods are fed to tuna. The cages in this rearing process are large structures usually 30 to 50 m in circumference, although sometimes up to 150 m, with a fish density of 2-4 kg/m3.
Mussel culture starts with the collection in small productive bays of spat which are later introduced in hollow netlike cylinders. These interwoven mussels are hung on ropes spread between holding buoys to a depth of 5 m. Adhesion of the young mussel spat takes place in collectors made of plastic plates lowered on a rope which hangs vertically in the seawater column. Some farmers use small plastic baskets which are lowered to the rearing facilities. | Production | |
The war and economic changes in the first half of the 1990s resulted in a significant fall in production. This is primarily the result of the devastation caused by the war and the country's resultant economic isolation, as well as the transitional post-communist changes in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. Freshwater aquaculture output, especially of carp, has been hard hit in recent years. At the same time, despite all the hardships, marine culture has emerged in good condition and even increased output.Over the last 12 years the largest aquaculture production was in 2001 with 10 166 tonnes and a total value of about US$ 32 million. The main species produced have been carp and trout, tuna, seabass, seabream and mussels.
According to FAO statistics, aquaculture production in terms of volume was as follows:
Reported aquaculture production in Croatia (from 1950)
(FAO Fishery Statistic) |  |   |
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| Market and trade | |
Croatia does not have a wholesale market system or a system for trading fish and other marine species. The role of the wholesale market is partly taken by private distribution markets which buy fish from fishermen or aquaculture producers and then supply the sales/trade network.
The retail trade structure is based mainly on small private stores, however, there are two other outlets for retail trade. One is for small coastal towns and is based on public fish markets where fishermen rent stands for one or more days. For the continental region of Croatia there are private fish markets where fishermen farmers sell their own catch together with fish bought from other fishermen.
The domestic market is underdeveloped with respect to production and consumption (Dujmušić, 2000).
The Croatian fisheries sector is export oriented as a result of which the country has had a foreign trade surplus for several years. In 2003, according to the Croatian Chamber of Economy, 22 670 tonnes of fish and fish products were exported. The export of tuna fish accounted for more than 74 percent of the total fish exports. The most important export markets for canned fish (7 386 tonnes in 2003) are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro and Austria. Fresh and chilled fish (9 613 tonnes exported in 2003) have been exported to Japan and Italy. Other export products include dried, salted and smoked fish (2 368 tonnes exported in 2003), crustaceans and molluscs (1 145 tonnes in 2003) and frozen fish (1 138 tonnes in 2003). The Croatian fisheries sector attaches importance to further trade liberalisation, primarily with the European Union, and to increased export quotas. |
| Contribution to the economy | |
In 2003 the gross production value of the Croatian fisheries sector was about US$ 24 million. The share of agriculture (including forestry and fisheries ) of GNP was 13.8 percent in 1993, 9 percent in 2002 and 8.7 percent in 2003. Fisheries contribute a total of about 0.2-0.3 percent to GDP, so does not contribute significantly to the national economy.
Per capita consumption of fish is low in Croatia - only 5-9 kg/year or about 12 percent of the total meat consumption per person. Of this, only 0.4-0.5 kg is freshwater fish, there is a clear consumer preference for seafish as opposed to freshwater fish. |
| Promotion and management of the sector |
| The institutional framework | |
| The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management is responsible for the overall administration of aquaculture and fisheries, for ensuring the legislative and economic framework and for providing related legislative control tasks. Within the Ministry is the Department for Fishery and Inspectorate which is responsible for passing and implementing regulations. The Association of Fishery and Fish Processing was recently established with the support of the Croatian Chamber of Economy. The Association of Fishery and Fish Processing brings together around 130 members who deal with farming, fish catching and processing and comprises three affiliations for aquaculture, fishing and fish processing. The Affiliations coordinate the interests of their members towards the ministries and promote different means of cooperation among the members. The Croatian Chamber of Economy promotes, represents and harmonises common interests of its members towards the government, estimates possibilities and conditions of economic growth, establishes business relations abroad, promotes business, development and innovation, runs company databases, provides education, assists in company transformations and common tasks of importance for economic activities. |
| The governing regulations | |
There have been significant changes to the regulatory framework of aquaculture and fisheries in Croatia after the social and economical changes of the early 1990s; work is still being done on changing and harmonising the law according to European Union requirements. Various support schemes and incentives are available in Croatia to assist with sustainable development of fisheries and aquaculture. By passing a law on state aid to agriculture, fisheries and forestry, the former aid system has been changed. Recipients of fisheries aid can access several different kinds of support and assistance. Formerly, financial aid for fisheries was regulated by law during the period between 1995 to the beginning of 2003 and was by means of a production stimulation model. In addition, are the capital investment model, the support of production insurance, the right to use blue diesel, and the granting of credit for the production of freshwater and saltwater fry, adult fish and shellfish. Freshwater and marine fish and shellfish producers can access these five aid models. Marine and freshwater fish processors can use the production stimulation and the capital investment model.
All physical and legal entities registered for fishing activities (having a licence for commercial fishery operations), aquaculture (a licence for aquaculture or a licence for breeding fish and other marine organisms) and processing (having regulated health and hygiene conditions, a registration document and been registered on the list of approved facilities) are entitled to use these models (Jahutka et al., 2004). |
| Applied research, education and training | |
In addition to its legislative work, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management also supports on an annual basis projects on current topics in agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries, forestry and water management. The Ministry of Science, Education and Sports provides finance for scientific research and education, this Ministry ensures basic financial support (salaries, direct operational costs) and financial means for scientific projects in fisheries, agriculture, physics, chemistry or other scientific fields.
For certain specific projects finance is sometimes secured from NGO's or other ministries, such as the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Construction.
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Scientific research in fisheries is carried out in different institutions. One of the leading scientific institutions is the Ruđer Bošković Institute (Zagreb), where scientific research in different areas is carried out, including mariculture and aquaculture.
The Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (in Split and Dubrovnik) deals mainly with problems related to marine fisheries and aquaculture.
Research into aquaculture and mariculture is carried out across a range of faculties, depending on their location (e.g. Agriculture Faculty, Veterinary Faculty, Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Maritime Studies).
Higher educational training in aquaculture and fisheries is well developed in Croatia, fish culture is one of the optional subjects for BSc degrees at several universities. Post-graduate training, MSc and PhD programmes are also offered by several universities.
Lower-level education in fisheries and aquaculture is carried out at agricultural high school.
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| Trends, issues and development |
Development issues, trends and objectives for aquaculture were published in the Strategies for Croatian Fisheries 2002.
For freshwater aquaculture the main objectives are as follows: - To let the market determine culture intensity in carp ponds (in a two-year or three-year system/programme).
- To make use of the ecological advantages of extensive culture, especially in the less productive areas with carp pond systems.
- To encourage alternative forms of use at the carp farms (e.g. sports fishing, rearing of wild birds, hotel and restaurant management, etc.).
- To reduce and, where possible, remove water management and water concession fees in aquaculture, on order to increase competitiveness.
- To consider reducing fees for compulsory veterinary-sanitary inspections.
- To stimulate freshwater fish production through favourable credit offers and incentives.
- To stimulate the development of family-owned fish farming.
- To facilitate the development of new farmed fish varieties.
- To modernise fish processing and encourage its growth.
- To control the fish-eating bird populations which may cause damage to fish ponds.
- To stimulate marketing strategies, market research and the promotion of freshwater fish and their products.
- To regulate sales-distribution paths with year round coverage.
- To join international associations and to sign intergovernmental agreements for collaboration and free trade.
- To employ highly qualified personnel in freshwater fisheries in all key places in order to implement these strategies.
- To raise the educational level of all participants in freshwater fisheries.To adapt laws and regulations for achieving these strategic goals in freshwater fisheries.
The strategic goal for mariculture is to increase, in the next decade, the production and variety of cultivated fish to 10 000 tonnes/year, and of molluscs to 20 000 tonnes/year, whilst at the same time improving competitiveness on the European market. To reach these goals there are three strategic objectives:
1. Develop and modernise the mariculture production sector:
- Improve the relationship between mariculture and the environment.
- Modernise production at existing farms; promote existing and introduce new production technologies.
- Establish new commercially reared endemic species.
- Invest in new fish farms (building facilities and buying equipment); support semi-offshore production in semi open seas and offshore technologies for tuna faming.
- Establish new family-run facilities for the production of marine fish and molluscs.
- Integrate mariculture within rural development.
2. Strengthen the basic infrastructure:- Establish national breeding centres in order to plan fish production with a total capacity of approximately 50 million fingerlings per year, in order to protect indigenous fish species and genetically pure populations.
- Create special programmes as insurance for the long-term existence of European flat oyster larvae in the existing mollusc zones and natural habitats (Malostonski Bay, delta of the Krka river, Prokljansko Lake, Limski Channel, etc.).
- Encourage the integration of interests and communication between aquaculturists.
- Organise and direct infrastructure and logistic support for the mariculture sector (development of studies and programmes, statistical and information services, etc.).
- Improve systems for information flow between producers themselves as well as between producers and consumers so as to avoid market saturation and unfavourable price fluctuations.
3. Support research and development projects directed at product diversification (new domestic products and new species) and mariculture production to:
- Become part of priority European Union projects focused on genetics, the interaction between mariculture and the environment as well as the contemporary management and administration of mariculture projects.
- Define marketing and promotional strategies.
- Build auction and trade centres for fresh fish and other marine products, in accordance with modern marketing standards for fish products.
- Increase mollusc production and construct centres for cleaning, opening and packing mussels.
- Create a positive attitude towards mariculture products and avoid any association with ideas such as 'industrial,' 'super-intensive,' large-scale.'
- Promote products and research into new ways of mariculture product distribution (promotional campaigns, fairs, exhibitions, quality certificates, product labelling, etc.)
Stronger development of a mariculture sector compatible with the natural potential of the sector has not yet been achieved, mainly because of the uncertain political and global macroeconomic environment in which mariculture is being developed. A similar situation can be ascribed to finfish production in floating cages and hanging shellfish culture on the longline systems. Mariculture development is viewed as the controlled breeding of existing and newly introduced indigenous fish and shellfish species where constant efforts are made to make these products competitive on the national and international market. Thus the reduction of costs, improved product quality and constant advancement of ecological and health standards are the main tasks for further development of mariculture in Croatia. There is a need to reinforce mariculture infrastructure and logistics, in addition to systematic support for research and development of new mariculture projects. In this way mariculture will be able to provide the market with high value marine products, to contribute to improved trade and economic growth, and to improve living standards in rural and island communities in particular (Katavić and Vodopija, 2001).
The fattening of tuna fish in cages is expanding, intensive development of tuna culture is the result of increased demands from the Japanese market, even though production can be expected to slow down because of the limited catch of sub-adult fish on which tuna production is based. It is also vital to create the necessary conditions for further development of tuna culture in floating cages, paying particular attention to the ecological aspects of such production. There is also a need to modernise the production of seabass and seabream. |
| Bibliography | |
Croatian Chamber of Economy.2005.Agriculture.Agriculture, Food Industry and Forestry Department, GIPA, Zagreb, 8 pp. Croatian Chamber of Economy.2005.Croatian Fishery.Agriculture, Food Industry and Forestry Department, GIPA, Zagreb, 28 pp. Dujmušić, A.2000.Croatian fisheries under the surface.Rabus media, Zagreb, 218 pp. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Information and Statistics Service.2003.Aquaculture production 2001. Vol. 92/2. Rome. Katavić, I. & Vodopija, T.2001.The possibilities of mariculture development in the Republic of Croatia.Ribarstvo, 59 (2): pp. 71-84. Jahutka, I. & Homen, Z.2001.Fresh water fisheries of the Republic of Croatia in the year 2000.Ribarstvo, 59 (3): pp. 107-120. Jahutka, I. & Homen, Z.2003.Croatian freshwater fishery in 2001 and 2002.Ribarstvo, 61 (3): pp. 121-134. Jahutka, I., Mišura, A. & Homen, Z.2004. State support in fishery.Ribarstvo, 62 (2): pp. 73-79. NN 89/02.2002. Agriculture and fisheries strategy of Croatia.Zagreb, 124 pp. | Related links | |
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