COMMERCIAL FRESHWATER FISHERIES IN REPUBLIC OF CROATIA IN 2007 AND 2008

Commercial freshwater fisheries in Republic of Croatia is regulated according to the Freshwater Fisheries Act (2001) and special sub–acts regarding commercial freshwater fisheries, as well as other sub–laws which deal with fish sizes, no–fishing periods and estimation of damages on fish stocks. Subjects of regulations are the areas for commercial fisheries, commercial fishermen exams, fishing permits, fishing tools and gear, yearly allowed catch quotas and catch data delivery. All the sub–acts are presented, as well the explanations of the key terminology and activities. The commercial fisheries catch data for 2007 were collected, analyzed and finally interacted to the yearly allowed catch quotas. According to the results of the analysis of particular interactions of catch/total catch, as well as the interaction between particular fish species and yearly allowed catch quotas, it is obvious that only the carp abundancy passed the yearly allowed catch quota (8.02%). The reason for this is that fishermen buy large quantities of carp on carp ponds and they sign it as their catch data. Considering relatively poor catch, there is no need for correction of the yearly allowed catch quotas.