Representatives of Montenegro’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and commercial fishers from Lake Skadar visited Croatia last week under the Climate-Resilient Fisheries and Agro-sector Development Project (CRFASD). The study visit focused on exchanging experience with fisheries organisations and businesses.
The visit forms part of wider support for Montenegro’s fisheries sector through the World Bank-funded Montenegro Institutional Development and Agriculture Strengthening Project (MIDAS). Its support covers investment in fisheries infrastructure, institutional capacity and modernised services, with a focus on sustainability, competitiveness and market access.
The delegation toured the Panonica fish-processing facility in Vukovar and the Panone Mare fish-processing factory in Čačinci. The visits provided opportunities to learn about processing businesses as part of the exchange with Croatian private-sector operators.
Meetings were also held with FLAG Sava Dunav in Vukovar and FLAG Panonia in Našice. The groups are local action groups in fisheries; they presented local development potential, support for fishers, project preparation and available financing opportunities.
The information was considered useful by ministry staff and the fishers. The study visit also enabled participants to gain knowledge and share experience that could inform further work to improve the organisation of commercial fishers and develop sustainable freshwater fisheries on Lake Skadar.
Participants highlighted the value of maintaining cooperation with the Croatian organisations and businesses they visited, with the aim of continuing knowledge exchange and applying examples of good practice.
