DZS: The value of fisheries in 2017 decreased by 7.2 percent compared to 2016

Croatia reduced its catch and farming of marine fish and other marine organisms by two percent last year compared to the previous year, and the number of fishermen in marine fisheries decreased by 15.2 percent, as well as the number of vessels by 2.4 percent, according to data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics.

In 2017, the number of fishermen in marine fisheries decreased by 15.2 percent, to 6,565, and the number of fishermen engaged in commercial fishing in marine fisheries decreased by 37 percent, to 3,179.

The total catch and farming of marine fish and other marine organisms last year fell by 2 percent compared to the previous year, to 83,318 tons.

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The total catch last year was dominated by blue fish with 63,173 tons, and if 2,162 tons of blue fish from farming is added, the total catch and farming of blue fish amounted to 65,335 tons, or 4.4 percent less than in 2016.

The largest share of last year’s blue fish catch was sardine, which was caught at 48,420 tons or 10.2 percent less than the year before.

The catch and farming of tuna decreased by 18.8 percent, to a total of 2,797 tons, with farming prevailing at 2,162 tons, while last year’s tuna catch was 635 tons.

At the same time, the catch of anchovies increased by 33.9 percent, to 10,883 tons, and horse mackerel by 18.8 percent, to 1,948 tons, etc.

Statistics on marine fisheries last year show that the catch and farming of other fish amounted to 14,499 tons, which is 10.7 percent more than the previous year.

Thus, the farming of sea bass last year amounted to 5,616 tons, and if 10 tons from the catch is added, the total quantities are 5,626 tons, which is 5.8 percent more than the year before, while the catch of grouper recorded an increase of 16.9 percent, to 4,991 tons, of which as much as 4,829 tons were from farming. The catch of whiting also increased by 25.1 percent, to 931 tons, mullet by six percent, to 1,032 tons, bream by 38.3 percent, to 112 tons, and sole by 19.1 percent, to 224 tons.

The catch of gilt-head bream decreased by 0.8 percent, to 119 tons, eel by 12.5 percent, to 35 tons, and sea bream by 12.4 percent, to 99 tons.

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Last year’s catch of shellfish increased by 17.3 percent, to a total of 1,083 tons, of which 200 tons relate to shrimp, 876 tons to prawns, and 7 tons to lobsters.

At the same time, a decline in catch and farming was recorded last year for oysters, mussels, and other shellfish, by 4.4 percent, to 1,461 tons, while the catch of squid and cuttlefish decreased by 16.5 percent, to 328 tons.

The number of fishing vessels last year decreased by 2.4 percent, reaching a total of 7,559.

Data from the Croatian Bureau of Statistics show that the total production of freshwater fish in 2017 decreased by 18.9 percent, to 3,273 tons. Meanwhile, the production of consumable fish in carp ponds decreased by 19.4 percent, to 2,039 tons, and production in trout ponds by 15.2 percent, to 396 tons.

Of the total produced freshwater fish, 62.3 percent relates to carp production, and 12.1 percent to trout production, statisticians state.

The value of fisheries in 2017 decreased by 7.2 percent compared to 2016.

Statisticians explain that this decline was influenced by the decrease in the value of marine fisheries, by 6.7 percent, where a decrease in sold quantities (by 2.9 percent) and prices (by 3.9 percent) was recorded.

The value of freshwater fisheries in 2017 decreased by 15.5 percent compared to 2016, which was caused by lower sold quantities (by 18.9 percent), while prices of all types of freshwater fish increased. Carp, which has the largest share in the value of freshwater fish, recorded a price increase of 4.1 percent, but also a decrease in sold quantities by 24.4 percent.