CROATIA
Fisheries and aquaculture stakeholders hold their annual meeting on Rab
Modernisation of ports, landing sites commences The Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts (HOK) annual meeting of ďŹ shermen was an opportunity to present the sector and its demands to Tomislav Tolusic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture of Croatia.
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he 23rd annual meeting of the Croatian Chamber of Trades and Crafts (HOK), which was held in Rab from 4 to 6 October, gathered members of the Guild for Fisheries and Aquaculture of HOK, fishermen, scientists and other relevant stakeholders. The meeting was sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture and the company Crodux. At the meeting participants expressed their views to the Minister of Agriculture Tomislav Tolusic highlighting the most common problems and obstacles they encounter during their work at sea, and on the coast.
Fisheries and aquaculture of strategic importance to economy The meeting was opened by Minister Tolusic, who welcomed the participants – including fishermen from all coastal regions of Croatia, representatives of scientific institutions and organisations, as well as of ministries and directorates that are responsible for the fishery sector. In his address, Minister Tolusic emphasized how fisheries and aquaculture are listed as one of the sectors of strategic importance to the Croatian economy and how the ministry together with the Croatian Government is working on two key goals: protection of marine resources and sustainable development.
“We want our fishermen to have a good income, and safe and sustainable fishing-related employment, and to keep the Adriatic Sea as one of the richest European seas, so our consumers can have fresh fish all year round at local fish markets. We managed to prove to the European Union that our fishery management measures are very effective with the best outcome for us, and we need to continue with the same practice in future. The derogations from the provisions of the EU’s Mediterranean regulation for Croatian fishermen operating with coastal purse-seines in Adriatic have been approved. Another big success is the threeyear closure of Jabuka Pit to all fisheries activities. Many challenges still exist, such as problems with fishery ports and landing sites, but these are being solved one by one, together with colleagues from other ministriesâ€? Mr Tolusic said. “This year, we have started with a first tender for investment and modernisation of ports and landing sites, and so far, we have used 46 (approx. HRK1.2bn/EUR160m) of the funds allocated to the Croatian Fisheries Operational Programme from the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF)â€? concluded Mr Tolusic. Dragutin Ranogajec, president of the Croatian Chamber for Trades
Mato Oberan, President of the Guild for Fisheries and Aquaculture concluded the meeting with a list of requests to be presented to the authorities.
and Crafts stressed the importance of the Guild for Fisheries and Aquaculture and its activities, which could be a role model to other guilds. “Its members are very active, approaching the relevant institutions with proposals, successfully negotiating them, and achieving their goals. United in the guild, fishermen are considered a partner in policy-making�, Ranogajec said, while thanking Minister Tolusic for the good cooperation between the ministry and the guild and expressing his hope that the collaboration would continue in the same direction for the benefit of the Croatian fishermen.
Fishers present list of requests to authorities Concluding the meeting, Mato Oberan, President of the Guild
for Fisheries and Aquaculture, presented a resolution with the most relevant questions and high-priority tasks to be delivered to institutions. These include, the government’s promulgation of landing sites for fishing vessels; a request to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Traffic and Infrastructure to decrease the extent of administrative obligations and expenses for fishing vessels; a request to find ways to reduce fuel costs; the continuation of activities related to minimising predation on shellfish farms; and, strong support for continuing with fisheries measures in purse seine fishing and trawling with the objective of protecting marine resources. Finally, Mr Oberan declared that the 24th Annual Meeting would be organised in Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Eurofish Magazine 6 / 2018
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