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Fisheries in Albania
Albania has two seas, Adriatic and Ion Sea and has a coastline of 427
km. In Albanian territory are 4 big natural lakes, Shkodra Lake, the
biggest one in Balkan, Ohrid Lake, Great and Little Prespa Lake. Also,
there are an important number of artificial lakes and reservoirs that
are creations on lately 60 years. More important are the hydropower
lakes on the river Drin cascade and about 570 agriculture reservoirs
dispersed in all country. Albania has also a number of lagoons with a
total surface of 10.000 ha. The more important lagoons are Karavasta
lagoon with a surface of 3.900 ha, Narta lagoon with a surface of 2.800
ha and Butrinti lagoon with a surface of 1.600 ha. A considerable number
of river transverse Albania from east to west characterized from clean
waters. Here we can mentions the Drini Rivers, Buna, Vjosa, Shkumbini,
Semani and Bistrica River etc. The big diversity of damp environments
and water property makes fishing one important reality of development
and working possibility.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Fishery Directorate are the
administrative body of the fishery sector. Fishery Directorate is
organized in two sectors; Fishery Resource and Fishery Inspectorate
sector. This last has his local representatives in 14 main districts.
Fishery Inspectorate is responsible for the fish law application control
and local rapresentants of Fishery Directorate.
Albania is member and participates actively in the number of projects
and Fishery Regional Organizations. She is the member of GFCM (General
Fishery Council for Mediterranean), of FAO, assists in intergovernmental
organization of EUROFISH (International Organization of Fishery
Development in East and Central European Country) as sequel of EASTFISH
and in the number of international projects in fishery field such
ADRIAMED, MEDITS etc.
The sustainable of fishery development, with the purpose the growth of
the fishery output till in the optimal limits made up one of the
principal objective of Albanian fishery developing strategy and approved
from Albanian Government on Green Strategy of Ministry of Agriculture
and Food.
The important investments are accomplished every year in this sector
with government budget. The public investments gave and are giving their
assistance in the address of the hydrologic balance improvement, in the
increase of the level of the fingerling production and in the
strengthening of the fish law application.
In this field are accomplished important investments in private sector.
So, actually our country have a fishing fleet from about 174 boats
dispersed in four main ports; Durres, Vlora, Shengjini and Saranda,
where are employed about 900 persons. To this fleet we add and a
considerable number of workers that occupied with the services such
joinery, electricians, boats repairing, engine and nets repairing this
number goes on 1.500 workers. The fishing fleet is oriented mainly on
trawl fishing with about 62% of the fishing boats.
After the privatization of whole fishing sector on the years 1990-1994
this sector went to the full restructuration. Today the whole fleet is
privatized. The same for the aquaculture farms. Exception makes only the
farms under the Fishery Research Institute to which is the duty of
application of inland water restocking program.
Albania exports her fresh production giving considerable inputs in the
foreign currency in the Albanian economy. It is calculated that the half
of the marine production goes for export in the community market, mainly
Italy and Greece. For this purpose are building 35 establishments for
the collecting, elaborating of fish with the principal destination the
export to this market countries and inner market. These establishments
are constructed according the norms and KE standards and are provided
with the identification number which make possible their export
productions. Only in this sector actually works regularly over the 550
workers, which occupied with the fish products elaboration, mainly for
export.
It is of a particular importance also the fishing in the fresh water, in
the lakes, lagoons and agriculture reservoirs where this activity
performs from the little groups of fishermen's on the family bases. In
this activity are employed over than 2000 persons who have the fishing
as unique incomes for him and their family.
An important place gets also the scientific research, which except the
level academic, is realized from the Fishery Research Institute, Durres.
This Institute has 52 persons and has in its disposition 5 centers of
fingerling production with the restocking aim. In priority of the
scientific work of this Institute are the fish stock, Albanian lagoons
and their potentials and restocking of the Albanian inner water with
fingerling.
Indication of the concern and support of this sector from the Albanian
Government is the Fishery Developing Project which is in the its
preparing faze. This Project supporting from the Word Bank, through its
components has the aim to establish and strength the Fishing Regional
Associations with the goal the improvement of the Marketing of fish
products, to input a new techniques for a responsible fishing,
aquaculture developing and fish ports management.
The further strengthening of this sector will drive on the improvement
of little fishermen's lives level and increasing of their incomes to
make possible the reduction of the poverty level.
 Fishery
Management Plan |
