Momic, who was addressing the 24th national meeting of fishermen in Dubrovnik, underscored that more attention needed to be focused on organising the market, stimulating local production and increasing consumption because Croatia is among those European countries with the lowest fish consumption.
"Our sea bass and sea bream fisheries have stagnated on the market due to imports. The cost of production is high while sales are barely self-sufficient," Momic added and underscored that shell-fish aquaculture is stable even though producers are suffering damage due to predatory bream.
Making the trawling sector stable is also one of the aims.
"There are several challenges in trawling from spatial and time limits and the request for derogation from regulations about approaching the coast and increased net tonnage. Small fishing is significant too in Croatia with its fishing fleet numbering 7,600 registered vessels," Momic added.
Assistant Agriculture Minister responsible for aquaculture, Ante Misura, underlined cooperation 'from the bottom up' with the fisheries sector as the key to success.
He boasted that the ban on fishing in the Jabuka Island basin has brought huge results adding that Croatia has managed to incorporate a provision in the new trawling plan which is being prepared by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) according to which trawlers that cause greater damage carry a greater responsibility.
He noted that the problem of unloading at fishing ports is being tackled with a HRK 120 million project for the construction of six new ports.