Scientific Congress Presentation
THE POSSIBILITIES OF MARICULTURE DEVELOPMENT IN THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA
2001, 59 (2) p. 71-84
Ivan Katavić, Tomislav Vodopija
Abstract
A stronger development of national mariculture that would be compatible with natural potentialities has not been acheived yet, primarily because of uncertain political and global macroeconomic environment in which mariculture is being developed. Such a characterization can be applied for finfish production in the floating cages and hanging shellfish culture on longline systems while breeding of tuna fish in cages is expanding. An intensive development of tuna culture is a consequence of increased demands of Japan market, eventhough one can expect slow down of such a production because of limited catch of subadult fish on which tuna production is based. The mariculture development is looked upon as controlled breeding of existing and newly introduced autochthonous fish and shellfish species with constant efforts made to make these products competitive on national and interantional market. Thus the reduction of costs, better product quality and constant advancement of ecological and health standards are the main tasks of further mariculture development in Croatia. It is also indispensable to create the necessary preconditions for further development of tuna culture in floating cages particularly paying attention to ecological aspects of such a production. There are also needs to medernise the production of sea bass and gilthead sea bream, to reinforce mariculture infrastructure and logistic, in addition to sistematic support to research and development of new mariculture projects. That will be a way how mariculture can provide market with high valued marine products, to contribute improvement of trade and economic growth, and finaly to advance the living standards in rural and island communities in particular.
Keywords
mariculture, sea bass, gilthead sea bream, bluefin tuna, floating cages, floating cages, potentials