RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE IN MARICULTURE

The Centre (RICM in further text) is an integral part of the University dealing with:

1. issues linked to the participation in projects TAL-2 and STP – development and work
project “MARIBIC – Business and Innovation Centre for Mariculture”,
2. matters at the onset strategy for business-incubation co-operation with entrepreneurs in
Croatian mariculture,
3. work on the project “Development of new products based on the Ston mussels and new
strategies for their marketing”,
4. work on the project “Farming of various kinds of fish in the river Neretva delta”
5. co-operation with the units of the local government and self-government on promotion
and development of mariculture,
6. international co-operation with Norway and Italy.

RICM gets support for its work from the government body MZT of the Republic of Croatia, through the Contract for co-operation and a single grant for the construction and furbishing of the infrastructure.

1. Work on the participation in projects TAL-2 and STP – development and work on the project “MARIBIC – Business and Innovation Centre for Mariculture”
The final draft of the Business Plan for MARIBIC came as a result of work during 2003, with participation of its Director and selected consultants, including Dr. Vučina and PMU project. A considerable part of the grant was spent on participation in the project (meetings in Zagreb with PMU and the World Bank) and on the Business Plan.

2. Work on the initial strategy for business-incubation co-operation with entrepreneurs in Croatian mariculture

RICM spread its basic work on development and research to incubation and co-operation with entrepreneurs in mariculture after the new Contract of co-operation in 2003. The classical form of incubation was not possible due to the lack of production infrastructure, but it was replaced, for a start, with co-operation with the shell fish farmers from the bay of Mali Ston and fish farmers in Dalmatia.

A co-operative “Malostonska kamenica” (“Oysters from Mali Ston”) was founded, with RICM as one of its nine members.

3. Work on the project “Development of new products based on mussels from Ston and
new strategies for their marketing”

The project was successfully completed with the funds from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The presentation of the project and its realisation were considered as excellent.

4. Work on the project “Farming of different kinds of fish in the river Neretva delta”

5. Co-operation with units of local government and self-government on promotion and
development of mariculture

Fruitful co-operation between RICM and the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and a number of local municipalities in this field resulted in signing of a Contract in 2003 for financing of two projects by the County and Kula Norinska municipality. Details will be given in the final report.

The project “Mali Ston oyster public reserve” financed by the Dubrovnik-Neretva County includes RICM, as well as the department of Aquaculture of the University of Dubrovnik and the local fish-farmers.