Fishing in Albania

                                                        (photo Lake Scutari)


Albania’s waters vary from a large shelf, which is easy to trawl, in the north and deep water with a rocky seabed in the south. The key commercial species include several species of demersals, small and large pelagic fish, crustaceans and molluscs. Approximately half of Albania’s fish production is exported to the EU, mainly to Italy and Greece.

The licensed Albanian fishing fleet is small, consisting of around only 160 vessels; however, many of these operate only on an intermittent basis and there are many vessels fishing without licenses. A lack of effective management means that many coastal areas are over-fished and some fisheries, such as small pelagic fisheries (such as sardines an anchovies) are underexploited.

Albania is receiving finance from a number of external sources, such as the World Bank and the EU INTERREG II programme to help develop its fishing industry, increase the incomes of fishing communities and achieve sustainable use of marine resources. 

Short history: Albania is a small country in Europe covering an area of 28 748 square kilometres, and is located in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula. The territorial waters are extended up to 12 nautical miles (22 km) from the coastline. Albania has a population of 3.2 million and one the highest population growth rates in Europe. Fishing activity takes place along the entire coastline. However for the most part it is concentrated along the continental shelf zone, which on the Adriatic side in the north extends 25 miles, but only 2-4 miles on the side of the Ionian Sea. Albania lies in the FAO-GFCM Geographical Sub Area 18.

Fishing in Albania is primarily marine fisheries, although lagoon and inland fishing does take place on a limited scale. During recent years aquaculture is being increasingly promoted with particular focus on carp fingerlings and fish for general consumption (including sea farms). Currently there are 58 Albanian fish farms: 9 fish farms, 3 carp fingerling hatcheries and 46 for trout culture.

Albania’s domestic fisheries production in 2006 was approximately 7 699 tonnes, of which 5 729 from capture and 1 970 from aquaculture. In addition, fishery imports in 2003-2005 totalled an average of about 13 559 tonnes, while fish exports stood at 4 382 tonnes.
Fishery imports in 2006 totalled about 16 347 (1 000 USD) while exports was 23 914 (1 000 USD) with a net balance of 7 567 (1 000 USD). In 2003-2005, average per capita supply was 4.5 kg/year. (FAO, 2008).

The Albanian fisheries economy can be roughly valued on the basis of estimated landings in 2003 of 2 000 tonnes of mixed marine species and 1 000 tonnes of mixed freshwater species. At average first-hand sale prices of about 2.80 USD (lek 400)/kg for marine fish, 1.90 USD (lek 270)/kg, this equates to a total first-hand sale value of 7.50 millions USD. (In 2000 and 2001: 1 US$=140 lek) (Flloko, 2004). Albania has a fishing fleet of about 212 boats (2002 data) concentrated in four main ports: Durres, Vlora, Shengjini and Saranda, where about 900 people are employed. The fishing fleet mainly concentrates on trawl fishing for which about 62 percent of the fishing vessels are used.

FLY FISHING

The longest river in Albania is the Drin (about 175 miles [280 km]), which originates in Kosovo. Other main rivers are the Seman, Shkumbin, and Vjosë, all of which drain the central part of the western plains. Albania also has many lakes, the most important of which are Lake Scutari (known in Albania as Lake Shkodër) in the northwest and Lakes Ohrid and Prespa along the eastern border.