Croatian fisheries are facing a myriad of challenges, including overfishing, increased competition for marine space, and the problems of generational renewal. This is happening in the context of "blue Gold Rush" happening throughout the Mediterranean, and is reflected in the growth of traditional and emerging maritime sectors such as tourism, shipping, aquaculture and offshore oil and gas. The climate changes, along the increased sea surface temperature and acidification, are also a source of vulnerability for Adriatic fisheries. In the midst of all this, overlapping areas and times of fishing operations of different segments make the competition for marine space and fish stocks especially pronounced with regard to internal dynamics between large scale fleet, small scale fishers, and recreational fishing. Although the COVID-19 pandemic can now seem distant, it can serve as a useful test case for the robustness of the value chains. Given the export-driven nature of most processors, the crisis introduced challenges related to transportation, border closures, and logistical hurdles. However, the fish processing sector in Croatia experienced minimal disruption due to the crisis and quickly recovered after an initial period of shock. The presence of a solid client network enabled these processors to navigate through these challenges effectively. Furthermore, while the conflict in Ukraine did not directly impact the processing sector, the surge in global energy prices had repercussions for all businesses and consumers alike. The main challenge for fish processors in Croatia is how to provide enough raw material. As a way of securing production capacities and continuous input of raw materials, in recent years there has been a significant encouragement to join producer organizations. Vertical integration of value chains is also accessible through fisheries cooperatives, which has special benefits for Croatian SSF, which are otherwise in subordinate position to traders and restaurant owners, as fish auctions, despite being recognized for ensuring that sellers receive competitive prices for their products, have never took off. However, despite successful cases of fisheries cooperatives offering improved bargaining position, transport facilities and infrastructure, or education, the general impression is that this potential is largely unfulfilled.
