Croatian MEP, Marijana Petir sent a letter to the new Croatian Minister of culture Zlatko Hasanbegović on March 5,2016, asking him to initiate a procedure to protect small and artisan fisheries ac cultural heritage, HINA reports.
Petir believes this move could be the solution which would protect small fisheries which were banned in the Croatian part of the Adriatic after the end of the transition period set by the Croatia-EU Accession Treaty. As she states, some member states were able to keep their small fisheries before the announced revision of the European Fisheries Act. She ads that small and artisan fisheries are the source of income for many families along the Croatian coast as well as an age old tradition and non-material heritage so it is imperative that the Ministry of Culture start the proceedings to protect it.
It is possible to request the exemption of small and artisan fisheries from the Fisheries Act and that would contribute to the preservation of the identity of the Croatian coast and the lifestyle of its residents. Fisheries are a part of local traditions and skills, for example making and repairing of traditional fishing nets, and they have many other elements that represent both material and non material cultural heritage.
MEP Petir once again noted that the abolishment of small and artisan fisheries worsens the living conditions on the Croatian coast and islands, areas that are already facing depopulation. Former government was acquainted with the problem and everyone is aware that this problem was created by the lack of action from Croatian institutions, fact that was confirmed by Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for the Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries during a discussion in the EU Parliament.
