|
The Republic of Slovenia is located in southern central Europe
(surface: 20.273 square kilometres; population: 1.978.000 in 1998).
It became member of the European Union on May 1st 2004. In the
southeast part of Gulf of Trieste (north Adriatic) Slovenia has a
short but important coastline (46,6 kilometres) with territorial
waters bordering Italy and Croatia. Slovenia lies in the FAO-GFCM
Geographical Sub Area 17.
Slovene fisheries can be divided into two sectors: marine and
freshwater; both sectors include capture fishing and aquaculture.
The contribution of fishing to the economy is small, providing only
about 0.014% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Slovenia’s
domestic fisheries production in 2003 was approximately 2634 tonnes,
of which 1281 from capture fisheries and 1353 from aquaculture. In
addition, fishery imports in 2000 totalled about 13515 tonnes, while
fish exports stood at 3284 tonnes. Total freshwater production for
the 2000 was about 1293 tonnes including capture fisheries 229
tonnes and aquaculture production 1064 tonnes (FAO-FIDI 2004a).
Pelagic fish catch is predominant (61%), demersal fish and
cephalopods represent 38% of the total artisanal catch. Among
pelagic resources European pilchard Sardina pilchardus is the
most important fish species with 96% (1.565 tonnes in 1999) of the
industrial catch. Small pelagics (Sardina pilchardus, Sprattus
sprattus, Engraulis encrasicolus, Scomber scombrus, S. Japonicus,
Trachurus trachurus and T. mediterraneus) are caught with
purse-seine in territorial waters and midwater trawl in territorial
and international waters. Inland freshwater resources are for
Slovenian aquaculture more important compared to the marine
resources. The present Mediterranean mussel production covers only
the needs of domestic market. The period from 1991 onward has seen
the intensification in particular of European seabass Dicentrarchus
labrax and gilt-head sea bream Sparus aurata farming in the
Bay of Piran (Marčeta, 2000).
Slovenia’s domestic fisheries production in 2003 was
approximately 2634 tonnes, of which 1281 from capture fisheries and
1353 from aquaculture. In addition, fishery imports in 1991-2001
totalled about 14169 tonnes (live weight), while fish exports stood
at 3417 tonnes (live weight).
Import figures for fishing, hatcheries and services in 2000 had
a total value of 4.651.000 US$ while export was estimated at 286.000
US$. In 1999-2001, average per capita supply was estimated at being
7.0 kg/year (FAO-FIDI
2004b).
|
