A Climate for Change

(^152) The Fishing and Mariculture Industries Human Development Report - Croatia 2008
Box 9-1: The fishing sector at a glance

• Represents a small amount of the national
  GVA – an average of 0.25% or around EUR 56
  million in 2003 and 2004


• Tuna farming, in particular, is the only food-
  producing industrial activity in Croatia that
  has a positive trade balance (high export val-
  ues amounted to more than EUR 43 million in
  2003).^3


• More than 20,000 people are employed direct-
  ly in the commercial Croatian fishery sector


• Currently, 70% of fishing, farming and pro-
  cessing activities take place on islands, where
  income sources are limited


• There were 3720 licensed professional fisher-
  men in 2007, with 3692 registered fishing ves-
  sels, most of them (80%) multi-functional


• More than 15,000 licences were issued for
  small-scale fishing for personal consumption.
  While fish caught with this licence are not
  supposed to be sold, this catch frequently en-
  ters the market.


• Fishing and mariculture produce 45,000 tons
  of marine organisms annually


• White fish and tuna farming produce around
  4,000 tons each annually


• Mussel and oyster farming produces 3,500
  tons annually


• Tuna farming is carried out at seven large
  companies, while the white fish sector is com-
  posed of 34 companies that are mostly small-
  er, family-owned companies with a capacity
  of 50 tons.


• The shellfish sector is fragmented and still has
  not adapted to modern management prin-
  ciples. More then 150 smaller companies and
  crafts operate in this sector, organized into
  shellfish growers associations, but with low
  political and economical influence.

high-protein food, which is an important element of

human nutrition in vulnerable coastal communities.

The main Governmental body dealing with this sec-

tor is the Department of Fishery (under the Ministry

of Agriculture, Fishery and Rural Development). At the

national level, strategic fishery and mariculture policy

guidelines have been defined by the “Development

Strategy for Agriculture and Fisheries,”^5 However, most

of the targets and projections for the fishing sector, in-

cluding calls for a significant increase in mariculture

production, have not been achieved.

In general, this sector is highly sensitive to fluctua-

tions in the market, as well as to climate. The industry

currently receives direct subsidies from the Govern-

ment to help deal with its vulnerability. Both fishing

and mariculture are supported through production

subsidisation (see Table 9-1). However, most of these

schemes will disappear during the EU pre-accession

phase and funds will probably be reallocated to sup-

port capital investments.^6

Product Subsidy

Kilogramme of sea bass

and sea bream

EUR 0.74-1.00

Kilogramme of mussels EUR 0.11

Piece of European oyster EUR 0.07

Fingerling of indigenous

sea bass and sea bream

EUR 0.035

Kilogramme of catch

fish (such as pelagics like

sardines)

EUR 0.05

Kilogramme of canned

production in factories

(i.e. canned sardines)

EUR 0.32-0.42

Fuel used for boats –

“blue diesel” also falls

under a special price

regime

Table 9-1: Subsidies to the fishing/ mariculture industry