The total value of fishery in 2019 decreased due to a decrease in the value of maritime fishing (-3.5%), which included a decrease in quantities sold (-6.4%).
Last year 59,481 tonnes of pelagic fish were sold, down by 6,300 tonnes from 2018, and its value dropped by 12.4% to HRK 455.9 million.
In 2019, 16,632 tonnes of other fish were sold and the value reached HRK 682.4 million, up 4.7% on the year.
The number of fishermen engaged in maritime fishing decreased in 2019 by 0.9% to 6,607. The number of fishermen engaged in commercial fishing decreased by 1.2% to 3,075 and of those in small coastal fishing by 0.6% to 3,532.
The number of vessels increased by 0.5% to 7,614.
Total catches and production of sea fish and other sea organisms decreased by 6.2% in 2019 to 81,226 tonnes.
Pelagic fish make up bulk of catches, mainly pilchard
Pelagic fish dominated in last year's catches with 58,010 tonnes. If the 2,747 tonnes from production are added, the total catches and production of pelagic fish amounted to 60,757 tonnes, down 9.4% on 2018.
Pilchard accounted for 77.8% of last year's pelagic fish catches with 45,134 tonnes, down 2.4% on 2018.
Bluefin tuna catches and production decreased by 8.6% to 3,569 tonnes, with production accounting for 2,747 tonnes and catches for 822 tonnes.
Catches and production of other fish totalled 17,402 tonnes in 2019, up 6.6% on the year.
Seabass production totalled 6,089 tonnes and if 13,000 from catches are added, the quantity amounts to 6,102 tonnes, down 2% on 2018. Gilthead seabream registered a 20.5% increase to 6,901 tonnes, including 6,774 tonnes from production.
Catches of crustaceans decreased by 13.7% to 1,017 tonnes, while catches and production of shellfish decreased by 5% to 1,262 tonnes.
Catches of molluscs increased by 5.6% to 788 tonnes.
Freshwater fish production up by 6.9%
The total production of freshwater fish increased in 2019 by 6.9% to 3,100 tonnes.
The production of consumer fish in carp fishponds increased by 7.9% to 2,728 tonnes, while the increase in the production in trout fishponds was by 0.5% to 372 tonnes.
The total value of freshwater fishing in 2019 increased by 5.3% compared to 2018. It was caused by an increase in the total amount sold (+6.9%).