Shellfisheries in Croatia: From Manual Collection to Contemporary Practices

Shellfish farming, the oldest form of mariculture, plays an important role in coastal areas all over the world, including Croatia. While around 15 species of bivalves have been traditionally consumed locally, only the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) and the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) are commercially interesting for farming. Oyster farming in Mali Ston Bay has been regulated since the 16th century, with modern farming technologies being introduced in the early 20th century. Despite efforts to expand shellfish farming in Croatia, production has stagnated at a few thousand tons since the 1990s. Today, legal regulations govern production, product quality and consumer safety, including traceability monitoring. Farming is still based on the collection of natural spat, although future supply from hatcheries should improve the production efficiency.