CROATIA
that the stock was on the verge of collapse. This prompted the body in charge of managing the fishery, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), to adopt in 2006 a 15-year recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the East Atlantic and Mediterranean. The plan which has been reinforced subsequently goes hand in hand with a strict control system run by the EU. The complex of measures includes inspectors, control vessels, electronic catch documents, and cameras to monitor fish transfers. The result has been that stocks of bluefin tuna have started to recover to the extent that in 2014 ICCAT endorsed a 20 increase in the bluefin TAC for each of the following three years, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
farming tuna are reportedly sending the eggs to research laboratories in different parts of the world for experimental purposes. Within Croatia hatcheries have mentioned the possibility of collaborating with tuna farmers for this purpose too. The value of tuna as a proportion of the value produced by the entire mariculture sector is immense, amounting to almost 50 in 2012 and the government is keen to increase this. The national strategic plan for aquaculture 2014-2020 envisages increasing the production of tuna to 3,000 tonnes by 2020 subject to the availability of quotas.
Croatia has the fourth largest tuna quota in the EU after the big three, Spain, France and Italy, at 461 tonnes in 2015 and 553 tonnes in 2016. Although, the different measures implemented combined with the tightened control systems have been effective, there are practical issues that need to be overcome, says Mr Misura. The new electronic systems including the electronic bluefin tuna catch documents are maintained by a private company that is on call 24/7. But, as Mr Misura points out, tuna vessels are away at sea for one month in the year and if something on board breaks down then, it poses a challenge. Tuna production in 2015 at 2,600 tonnes has returned to the level of 2013 after falling to 2,200 tonnes in 2014. In 2016 the volume is likely to go up as a result of the higher catch quotas in 2015, which will contribute to higher farmed volumes. Croatia, like other countries with an interest in tuna, is also making efforts to close the tuna breeding cycle, that is growing tuna from eggs. So far this has been done in Japan and producers there are growing fish that has been hatched in a laboratory. In Croatia companies
Tuna however is only part of the mariculture industry in Croatia which also includes the production of seabass and seabream and the cultivation of mussels and a small volume of oysters. Croatia was one of the pioneers in the farming of seabass and seabream in the Mediterranean though a combination of circumstances saw Croatian production overtaken by other countries in the region. Over the last couple of years, production of both seabass and seabream has increased and stands at just under 8,600 tonnes in 2015 up from 5,200 tonnes in 2010. This production is based on hatching eggs to raise larvae and growing them to fry in hatcheries after which they are placed in cages in the sea. The biggest producer of seabass and seabream in Croatia has recently restructured and renovated its hatchery. When production capacity is reached this facility will be among the biggest producers of seabass and seabream fry in the world. Other on-growing farms source the fry either from other local hatcheries or from producers outside Croatia usually in Italy or France. Feed for the fish is also imported as current production volumes are insufficient
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Seabass, seabream production set to exceed targets
Freshwater aquaculture production in tonnes Common carp
2013
2014
2015 3,401
2,100
2,284
Wels catfish
35
38
48
Grass carp
209
288
132
Silver and bighead carps
430
713
469
Trout
350
378
679
Other fish
111
106
104
3,235
3,808
4,835
Total
Directorate of Fisheries
to attract manufacturers to establish production facilities in Croatia. Despite these constraints production is likely to exceed the target as laid out in the National Aquaculture Plan of 10,000 tonnes by 2020. Mussel production was 750 tonnes in 2015, while oysters amounted to some 50 tonnes.
Clear land rights and EMFF support should boost freshwater farming The freshwater aquaculture industry in Croatia has traditionally been farming carps in earthen ponds. Responding to new opportunities and changes in tastes Croatian farmers have diversified into the production of rainbow trout in ponds, production of which has almost doubled to 680 tonnes in the two years to 2015. Of the other species produced common carp dominates amounting to between 55 and 70 of the total between 2013 and 2015. The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) should increase production from aquaculture as producers have shown a keen interest in the opportunities it offers, says Ante Misura. Progress has also been made in other areas, for example, the rights to the land. Farmers often did not have concessions to the land, which made it difficult to use it as collateral when taking
a loan. Now, however, almost all farmers have a long term concession and can use this as security when they approach lenders, which should lead to a gradual increase in production. While most of the investment is expected in semi-intensive systems, there is scope also for producers interested in recirculation systems. Access to the EMFF are among the benefits Croatia enjoys as a member of the EU, a status it has held since 2013, following a decade-long effort. Referring to the fisheries chapter of the acquis (body of EU legislation) Mr Misura says the country took its obligations very seriously making the actual accession somewhat easier. At the time the EU itself was going through significant changes, a new Commission was being appointed, the Common Fisheries Policy was being comprehensively reformed, the funding structure was changing as were information systems, none of which made accession any easier. Other countries looking to join the EU should find it easier, thinks Mr Misura, but my recommendation would be that they fulfill all their obligations to make sure they are completely ready for accession, when it happens. The pay-off is that as a member your voice carries weight, you can call on assistance, and challenges are addressed together.
Eurofish Magazine 4 / 2016
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