CROATIA
High quality from a small-scale sustainable Norway lobster ďŹ shery fetches a good price
Fishing with creels in the Velebit channel Small-scale coastal ďŹ shing is widespread in Croatia. In the Velebit channel a eet of about 50 vessels up to 12 meters in length targets the high-value Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus), one of the most important crustacean species in the Adriatic Sea in terms of landings and commercial value.
Creels, a kind of basket, are used to trap Nephrops using a bait of horse mackerel or mackerel.
Nephrops catches increase thanks to good management and environmental changes
T
he Velebit channel is in the northern Adriatic just beneath Velebit, the highest mountain range in Croatia, and is a rich Norway lobster fishing ground. Trawl fishing in the channel has been prohibited since 1997 under the regulation on special habitats for fish and marine organisms. 38
In 2017, 200 tonnes of Norway lobster were landed, according to the Croatian Bureau of Statistics. The species is targeted by two fleet segments: bottom trawlers and
the artisanal fleet using baited creels. Over the last three to four years, landed volumes have been increasing, says DraĹžen BaĂžLĂź, a small-scale fisher who has been fishing in the Velebit channel for 20 years in an 8-meter vessel. He believes that several factors have influenced the positive development in catches: firstly, the
prohibition on bottom trawling; secondly, the creation of a fisheries restricted area in the Jabuka/ Pomo Pit which banned demersal fisheries. This is an important nursery area that hosts a resident population of Norway lobster. Finally, he thinks that environmental changes may also be contributing to bigger catches.
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15/06/20 3:56 PM