In 2021, Croatia reduced the catch and production of sea fish and other marine organisms by 6.5% compared with 2020, the number of fishermen decreased by 0.3%, while the value of fisheries increased by 11.4%, according to the data from the state statistics bureau.

The increase in the value of fisheries was due to an increase in the value of marine fishing (+10.5%) as a result of higher selling prices.

Last year, a total of 58,548 tonnes of pelagic fish was sold, which is 8,700 tonnes less than in 2020. At the same time, the value of the pelagic fish sold increased by 5.6% to HRK 548.4 million.

The quantity of other fish sold last year increased by 2,025 tonnes to 20,361 tonnes and its value reached HRK 881.98 million, up by 13.8% compared with 2020.

The number of fishermen engaged in marine fishing fell by 0.3% to 6,563. The number of fishermen engaged in commercial fishing decreased by 0.5% to 3,015 and the number of those engaged in small-scale coastal fishing declined by 0.1% to 3,548.

The number of fishing vessels increased by 2.7% to 7,757.

The total catch and production of sea fish and other marine organisms fell by 6.5% to 84,097 tonnes. Of this amount, pelagic fish accounted for 55,945 tonnes. With 4,028 tonnes of pelagic fish from fish farms, the total catch and production of pelagic fish amounted to 59,973 tonnes, down by 12.3% from 2020.

Of the total amount of pelagic fish catches last year, the catches of pilchard accounted for 40,485 tonnes, a decrease of 19.2%.

Increased freshwater fish production

Total freshwater fish production in 2021 increased by 41.47% to 3,931 tonnes.

The production of consumer fish in carp ponds increased by 53.9% to 3,675 tonnes, while the production in trout ponds decreased by 34.7% to 256 tonnes.

The value of freshwater fishing increased by 37.8% to HRK 64.5 million owing to an increase in the quantities of fish sold.

(€1 = HRK 7.53)