ALBANIA
from Harvard University, who studied the problem found that inspectors who were supposed to enforce the law and monitor compliance with the depuration requirement would often let things slide, while central authorities attributed the lack of depuration to the volume of production, which was too small to make it profitable to depurate.
Producers should organise for better prices According to Mr Germano producers need to organise themselves to start getting a higher price for their product. He acknowledges however the resistance there is to working together. For many Albanians working together is associated with the communist regime and so they want nothing to do with it. They cannot envisage talking together let alone developing a common sales and marketing strategy. On the other hand producers in other countries, such as the Baltic States, have managed to move beyond their visceral dislike of collaborating and have started
working together realising the advantages that it can bring. If it can happen in those countries it should also be possible in Albania. Mussels from the Butrinti Lagoon are the only mussels on the market for a few months in the year, says Mr Germano, and the producers should exploit this to get a better price. They also need to invest in building a brand. These efforts would enable them to invest in better production technology thereby increasing the output. Increased production volumes would in turn be an argument to invest in the testing, tracking and tracing infrastructure that would allow the EU to lift its ban as the costs involved could be spread over a larger volume of product. A withdrawal of the ban would in turn be an incentive to produce more as export markets open up. It may thus be possible to convert a vicious circle into a virtuous one.
Seabass and seabream main farmed finfish The farming of seabass and seabream in cages started about 12 years ago and reached a level
Mimoza Cobani, an aquaculture specialist in the Department of Fisheries, says that domestic production of seabass and seabream covers about 40% of the demand.
of 500 tonnes of seabream and 170 tonnes of seabass in 2013 (FAO). While seabass volumes have remained more or less consistent since 2009 output of seabream has increased from 370 tonnes. A major Turkish producer of seabass and seabream is considering investing in Albania. If this project takes off it is likely to significantly boost production.
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Currently, says Mimoza Cobani from the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Resources, domestic production covers about 40 of the demand. Other finfish that are farmed include rainbow trout and carps. Trout is typically farmed in raceways in small to medium family-run establishments that sell their production on the local
With support from:
November 12, 2015 Tivoli Hotel, Copenhagen
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Eurofish Magazine 5 / 2015
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