FRESHWATER FISH FARMING CONDITIONS IN 1999 AND THE PRODUCTION PLAN FOR 2000

One of the activities of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Fishery and Mediterranean Agriculture Directorate, i. e. Fishery Directorate to be more specific, is the monitoring of conditions in freshwater fish farming. The objective of this work is to show conditions in freshwater fish farming during 1999. and to provide a production plan for 2000. It will also provide detailed insight into the present conditions in freshwater fish farming and into the production trends of this field. Regarding this issue, the »Questionnaire for the Monitoring of Conditions in Freshwater Fish Farming«, was sent to fish farmers aroud the country data was processed from 22 cap ponds and 13 trout ponds. Roughe estimates of conditions were conducted for 2 fish farms, since they haven’t yet returned the mandatoruy questionnaire, i. e. the necessary data. This work features data on the number of employees in fish farms, as well as their qualifications, on the actual production and distribution of farmed freshwater fish, on the areas where production was conducted and on the overall yield. Fish food, raw materials, used tools and incentive funds paid were also taken into consideration. The difficulties faced in this branch of the economy are also inicated. Compared to 1998, a slight decrease in the number of employees of freshwater fish farms has been recorded. The total number of employees in 1999 was 655, of which 555 were on carp ponds and 100 on trout ponds. Data on the qualifications of employees for 1999 show that most of them were unskilled workers, while highly skilled workers make up a minority in this work force. The total production of freshwater in 1999. amoounted to 6.185,51 tons. Of this amount 5.592,52 tons were warm-water fish specied and 592,99 tons were cold-water fish species. Compared to 1998, production decreased by 4,89 percent. Production for 2000 has been planned to increase by 22,15 percent, i. e. the production quantity is projected at 7.945,43 tons of the freshwater fish, of which 7.173,33 tons are warm-water fish species, and 772,10 tons are cold-water species. Carp farming is the most dominante and most significant production branch in both of the years mentioned. Distribution of the produced freshwater fish was conducted as follows. The largest quantity of the produced fish was placed on the market through wholesale (48,51 percent). This was fallowed by the distribution of produced fish for reproduction purposes (plantation) which comprises 40,25 percent. Retail trade claimed 4,39 percent and personal use recorded (recreatinal fishing) 2,04 percent. Production losses due to diseases or other factors made up 4,81 percent of the overall production. The overall areas of the fish farms in 1999 were 11.921.06 hectares. The actual production sites made up 9.782 hectares. Compared to 1998, the overall areas decreased for 5,84 percentt, while the production sites were increased by 0,94 percent. When taking into account the production areas and the arhieved production for 1999, the fish production average for carp farming ponds was 632,63 kilograms per hectare. Of course, as we already highlighted this is the average, and according to the data provided, some fish farms arhieved cost-effective production, i. e. a produstion of over 1.000 kilograms per hectare. In trout farming ponds, the fish production average amounded to 133,17 tons per hectare. During 1999. 13.501,93 tons of fish food were used. Of this quantity, 12.553,13 tons were used in carp ponds and 948,81 tons in trout ponds. Naturally, corn is still most predominant food for carp species fish. As to the use of various raw materials, the overall amound used was 2.690,21 tons. Among the fixed assets for 1999, there were 218 boats, 74 outboard engines, 121 landing nets, 57 scatter guns. Among the accessories there were mats (known in colloquial Croatian terms as sak and meredov), receptacle for fish transport (tubs), pumps, devices for fish sorting, etc... The fish from carp ponds were placed on both domestic and international markets, while trout were placed exclusively on the domestic market. The total freshwater fish market realizatiobn amounted to over HRK 40.000.000,00 1999. There is the provision of incentive funds for freshwater fish farming as on of the measures for the promotion of fishery activities and aquaculture in general. Persuant to the Incentive Funds in Agriculture and Fishery Act, during 1999, the distributed incentive funds for the farming of freshwater fish amounted to HRK 10.812.895,44 wich is a 56,01 percent increase in relation to 1998