FRESH-WATER FISHERIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA IN THE YEAR 2000

In order to make valid decisions and measures for improving situation in fresh-water fishery, it is necessary to have a unique system of data observa tion. For this purpose for the third year in a row the Ministry of Agriculture and Porestry, Fisheries Direction, Department of Freshwater Fisheries has sent out a questionnaire to the breeders of freshwater fish with the view to identify situation in freshwater fisheries, and a form of annual report of work to all the Sport-fishing Associations. The data from 38 freshwater fish farms have been processed: 23 warmwater fish farms, and 15 cold-water fish farms. The data refer to production achieved during the year 2000, the production plan for the year 2001, areas of freshwater fish farms, workers employed on fish farms, expended provisions and raw-materials, available tools, realisation at Croatian and foreign market and payed out financial incentives for freshwater fish breeding. Freshwater fish production in the year 2000 amounted a total of 6,029.18 tons; 4,897.43 tons of warmwater species, and 1,161.75 tons of coldwater species. In comparison with the year 1999, the total production decreased by 2.53%. This production decrease refers to warmwater fish production, while the coldwater fish production increased by 48.96%. For the year 2001 we are planning a production of 6,960.61 tons of freshwater fish, which an increase of 13.38% compared to the production realised in 2000. Total area of fish farms in 2000 was 11,632.05 ha. In relation to the year 1999, the total ish farms area has been narrowed down by 2.42% in 2000. Warmwater fish species are bred on 11,61.19 ha, while the area for breeding coldwater fish extended by 46.82% and they now occupy 108,608.00 m 2 . If we correlate the total production with the production area, we get an income per surface unit, that on carp fish farms amounts 535.00 kg/ha, and on trout fish farms 243.88 t/ha. During the year 2000 there were 606 workers employed on the fish farms, with a percentage of 11.85% of part-time workers. In the observed year we have expended 11,201.62 tons of different provisions, and 2,053.13 tons of raw materials. Compared to 1999, as far the number of used tools is concerned, we have observed a slight increase. As one of the improvement measures in freshwaterfish breeding, we have payed out financial incentives for the ordered breeding. In the year 2000 a total sum of 13,803,504.00 KN has been payed out. The fish catch caught by sports anglers and fishmongers of fresh water amounted 447.47 tons in the observed year. The number of sports anglers was 57,221 persons, and the number of fishmongers of fresh water was 24