The Republic of Croatia covers 56 542 sq. km and has a population of 4.6 million. Its coastal length is approximately 6 000 km since it comprises more than 1 000 islands, which account for nearly 9 percent of the total Mediterranean coastline. The total surface of the coastal and territorial sea is approximately 31 000 Km2. Along the Adriatic Sea coasts there are 718 large and small islands, 389 cliffs and 78 reefs. Moderate temperatures and an unpolluted environment provide extensive possibilities for mariculture activities. Croatia lies in the FAO-GFCM Geographical Sub Area 17. Marine and freshwater fishing is an important segment of Croatia's economy. The estimated national product from the Croatian fishing industry in terms of average annual income over the period 1995 - 2005 amounted to 180 million USD (Franicevic, 2005a).

Croatia’s domestic fisheries production in 2006 was approximately 52 570 tonnes, of which 37 853 from capture fisheries and 14 897 from aquaculture (FAO, 2008). Fishery exports of fish and fish products in 2000 totalled about 19 209 tonnes with a value of 43 977 USD while fishery imports totalled 22 568 tonnes with a value of 33 098. USD (Misura, 2002). In 2003-2005, average per capita supply was estimated at being 14.2 kg/year.

According to the data provided by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, export of fish and fish products represents 1.0-1.5 percent of total Croatian exports. Aquatic food import makes 3.71 percent of total agriculture and food import, while the value is 6.65 percent. Regarding export, it makes only 0.56 percent in quantity, but 11.03 percent in value. Most of the high value export is tuna production (Franicevic, 2005b).

Sea bass and sea bream are the dominant farmed species in Croatia. Additionally, tuna are ranched in the Central Adriatic: tuna production, according to export data, has increased from 39 tonnes in 1996 to 1 100 tonnes in 2000 and 2 200 tonnes in 2002. The two main shellfish species cultured in Croatia are the European flat oyster and Mediterranean mussel (Fredotović et al. 2004).

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