Indicator Name: Fresh water fishing

Key message: Inland water fish harvesting decrease

Assessment: During 2018, 2,083 t of fish were caught, which is about 6% less than in 2017. Amount of sterlet caught was reduced by about 35%, carp by about 6%, pikeperch by about 8%, while catches of European catfish increased by about 4% and pike by about 9%. The number of professional fishermen (378) decreased by 20 compared to 2017. The total number of issued recreational fishing permits was 85,426, which is about 4% more than in 2017. The intensity of recreational fishing decreased by about 14%, while the intensity of commercial fishing increased by over 16% compared to 2017.

The indicator represents the quantity and structure of caught fish. Quantity of production of organic biomass (primarily fish) in aquatic ecosystems and water quality. The indicator is also used to monitor trend of amount of catches through recreational and commercial fishing. Total amount for recreational fishing increased from 2010, while commercial fishing shows a declining trend.

Picture 1: Amount of commercial and recreational fishing (kg)
Picture 2: Fresh water fishing total catches
Picture 3: Structure of fresh water catches by species

Indicator Name: Fresh water fishing

Institution/Author: Environmental Protection Agency/Slaviša Popović

Use and interpretation:

 The indicator represents the quantity and structure of caught fish. Quantity of production of organic biomass (primarily fish) in aquatic ecosystems and water quality.

Key question(s) which indicator helps to answer

The indicator helps to answer the question: How big is intensity of pressure on freshwater ecosystems caused by fishing?

Use of indicator                                                                                   

The indicator is also used to monitor the trend of volume of fish caught in sports fishing and commercial fishery. Volume is expressed in kilos, and increased from 2010 for sports fishing, while commercial fishery volume shows a declining trend.

 Scale of appropriate use

Total freshwater fishing decreased by around 34% in the course of 2016, compared to 2015, while in 2017 slightly increase (7%) was registered. Commercial fishing reduced by almost 50% in 2016 and 2017, compared to 2015, as well as sports fishing, at the same percent.

Potential for aggregation:

Meaning of upward or downward trends (“good or bad”)

During 2017, 2,208 t of fish was caught, which is by 7% more than in 2016. Carp catch was reduced by almost 50% in 2016 and 2017, compared to 2015, catfish catch increased by 10% in 2017 compared to 2016, and perch by 30% in 2017 compared to 2016.

Possible reasons for upward or downward trends:

The total number of issued permits for sports fishing in 2017 was 81,944, which is around 7% more than in 2016. The volume of sports fishing increased by around %, while that of commercial fishing increased around 1.5% in comparison with 2016.

Implications for biodiversity management of change in the indicator:

The indicator is traditionally described in annual state of the environment reports in Serbia, and it is determined as biodiversity indicator, according to the Rulebook on the National list of environmental protection indicators (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 37/2011).

Units in which it is expressed:

Biomass index in kg / km and / or kg / ha for fishing species and indicator species. Increase in biomass in kg / km and / or kg / ha for fishing species at annual level.

List of species. Quantity in kilograms (kg) and tons (t).

Description of source data:

Republic statistical office

Calculation procedure:

Based on the data series, the trend followed change of water status and taxonomy biomass. Monitoring methodology and development of fishing grounds are in accordance with the Monitoring Programme of the Rulebook for monitoring the situation of fish stocks in fishing water (Official Gazette of RS No. 71/2010) in accordance with the Law on Fisheries and the best available scientific-professional methodologies.

The amount of fish harvested and produced is given according to the reports of users of fishing areas and according to the questionnaires from Republic Statistical Office. Reports and questionnaires were prepared in accordance with the Rulebook on the manner of keeping fishing records (Official Gazette of the Republic of Serbia No. 104/2009).

Most effective forms of presentation:

(graph types, maps, narratives, etc.-give examples where possible):

The best ways to present this indicator are graphs.

Limits to usefulness and accuracy:

Limited scope for updating

Updating the indicator:

Data are updated annually.

Closely related indicators

Fresh water species

Additional information and comments

Table 1: Amount of commercial and sports fishering (kg)

 Commercial fisheringSports fishering
20061694924936130
200714474031088148
200816829231468080
200921122291732443
201020019152804914
201122599903124229
201218622692859055
201322349792804978
20149080002683000
20158510002299000
20165810341487845
20175895171618339

Table 2: Fresh water fishing total catches (kg)

1997998
1998803
1999789
2000838
2001646
20021119
20031301
20041910
20051988
2006*2631
2007*2536
2008*3151
2009*3845
2010*4807
2011*5384
2012*4721
2013*5040
2014*3591
2015*3150
2016*2069
2017*2208

Table 3: Structure of fresh water catches by species

 SterletCarpCatfishPerchPikeTench
199720783865086557445351328781874
199810805548204951720000258702332
199995156034547456201791916510804
20009415845534754524620220931274
2001575074759335101463915666814
200210213843935223025871183551716
2003775043244299841745613610796
20049054015673912124997387269952285
200513423138577138900116389238321096
2006299912042731737201369027071511688
2007288802063842011501426956801957777
200846084288676256396186005816607221
20097496449506045754632870014967964998
2010216334943632947292252821075150
201122489497108287908227300219569 
201218371466698280193235693204892 
201319104480873345640258098223279 
201414423334804255393190601127303 
20157483312000250000177000126165 
2016628814056818422115423785301 
2017907414759424472219572578812 

Serbia

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