Legal framework
Legal framework governing fisheries in the Republic of Croatia includes 3 laws – Marine Fisheries Act (OG 56/10, 127/10, 55/11), Freshwater Fisheries Act (OG 106/01, 7/03, 174/04, 10/05 i 49/05-consolidated text) and Act on structural support and market organization in fisheries (OG 153/09, 127/10).
On the basis of these three Acts, a wide range of implementing regulation has been adopted, which further regulate specific issues.
In the sector of marine fisheries, the most important implementing regulations are governing technical measures, measures directed towards protection of resources through minimum catch and landing sizes as well as designation of specially protected areas or fisheries protected areas, determination of technical characteristics of fishing gears, manner of keeping and submission of fisheries-related data and manner of issuance of fishing licenses. Specific ordinances govern sport and recreational fisheries at sea, as well as subsistence and small coastal fisheries. Another important segment relates to marine aquaculture, where ordinances determine the way farming incenses are issued as well as other detailed rules governing marine aquaculture activities.
In the sector of freshwater fisheries, the ordinances govern commercial fisheries (catch quotas, manner of issuance of licenses, fishing areas), sport and recreational fisheries (fishing rights and management of resources within the management areas awarded to right holders) and freshwater farming activities.
Structural support and market organization ordinances govern issues related to all aspects and segments of fisheries production and sector organization. They regulate associations in fisheries (cooperatives and producer organizations), issues of marketing standards of fisheries products at first sales, manner of financing and implementation of structural policy measures.
In addition to the legal framework under the direct responsibility of the MAFRD, the sector is also governed by a wide range of legal instruments from other areas of state administration, primarily regulations from the area of food safety, environmental protection and construction, nature protection and maritime affairs.
