FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular No. 1055/3 REU/C1055/3(En) ISSN 2070-6065 REVIEW OF FISHERY AND AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT POTENTIALS IN THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA Copies of FAO publications can be requested from: Sales and Marketing Group Office of Knowledge Exchange, Research and Extension Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations E-mail: [email protected] Fax: +39 06 57053360 Web site: www.fao.org/icatalog/inter-e.htm FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular No. 1055/3 REU/C1055/3(En) Review of fishery and aquaculture development potentials in the Republic of Moldova Elena Zubcov Marin Usatii Head of Laboratory Head of Laboratory Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Laboratory of Ichthyology and Aquaculture, Ecotoxicology, Institute of Zoology, Institute of Zoology, Academy of Sciences of Academy of Sciences of Moldova Moldova Galina Curcubet Ludmila Barbaiani Director Researcher Chisinau Branch of the State Enterprise on Chisinau Branch of the State Enterprise Research and Production of Water Bio- on Research and Production of Water Bio- resources Aquaculture – Moldova resources Aquaculture-Moldova Lucia Biletchi Éva Kovács Leading Scientific Researcher Junior Aquaculture Officer Laboratory of Hydrobiology and FAO Subregional Office for Central and Ecotoxicology, Institute of Zoology, Eastern Europe Academy of Sciences of Moldova Thomas Moth-Poulsen Vasili Domanciuc Fishery Officer Head of Laboratory FAO Subregional Office for Central and Laboratory of Selection and Reproduction of Eastern Europe Fish, Chisinau Branch of the State Enterprise on Research and Production of Water Bio- András Woynarovich resources Aquaculture – Moldova FAO Consultant FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS Rome, 2013 The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. 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All requests for translation and adaptation rights, and for resale and other commercial use rights should be made via www.fao.org/contact-us/licencerequest or addressed to [email protected]. FAO information products are available on the FAO website (www.fao.org/ publications) and can be purchased through [email protected]. v Preparation of this document The objectives in producing this document were to record the present state and conditions of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the Republic of Moldova, as well as to point out those entry points that could ensure its further sustainable development. Data and information were provided by two professional teams headed by Dr Elena Zubcov, Head of the Laboratory of Hydrobiology and Ecotoxicology, Academy of Sciences of Moldova, and Dr Galina Curcubet, Director of the Chisinau Branch of the State Enterprise on Research and Production of Water Bio-resources Aquaculture – Moldova. The teams embraced the envisaged themes including the physical, social, economic and administrative background and structure of the sector. This review is based on the results obtained from a range of research projects conducted by the Institute of Zoology, and funded by the Academy of Sciences of Moldova. These projects were: • The study of biodiversity, functioning of hydrobiocenoses for determining the carrying capacity of aquatic ecosystems both fluvial and lacustrine, in dependence on natural and anthropogenic factors (Project No. 06.411.012F). • Estimating the role of groups of terrestrial, aquatic animals, zoo- and phyto parasites of economic interest, the development of measures of monitoring, sustainable utilization of useful species and control of harmful once (Project No. 06.411.014A). • Revealing the water quality and the state of aquatic ecosystems in Lower Prut (Project No. 09.832.08.07A). • Regularities of intraspecific variability of the structure and dynamics of population of cyprinids (the example species Abramis brama L.) in Moldova and the European part of Russia (Project No. 08.820-04-22 RF). • CRDF-MRDA Assessment of current status of biodiversity and water quality in Dniester River (Project No. MBI-3002). • Elaboration of growth technology of Kefal pelingas (Project No. BPP-03-06). In the preparation of this document, FAO guidelines on the elaboration of similar fisheries and aquaculture country reviews were followed. The review has been endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry of the Republic of Moldova, which is the ministry responsible for fisheries and aquaculture. vi Abstract The Republic of Moldova is rich in retained water resources. Comparing the size of the country and the total area of water reservoirs and ponds, it has the largest resources of artificial waterbodies among the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The water reservoirs and ponds are owned by public local authorities, irrigation associations, the State and private owners. The Ministry of the Environment is responsible for the administrative supervision of the natural waters and water reservoirs, while fish production issues are coordinated and supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry. Although the total area of ponds is considerable, fish production and the proportion of high-value and low-value fish species remain well below expectations. This present document provides an inventory of the physical, social, financial and economic background of the fishery and aquaculture sector. Zubcov, E., Curcubet, G., Biletchi, L., Domanciuc, V., Usatii, M., Barbaiani, L., Kovács, É., Moth-Poulsen, T. & Woynarovich, A. 2013. Review of fishery and aquaculture development potentials in the Republic of Moldova. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular No. 1055/3. Rome, FAO. 93 pp. vii Contents Preparation of this document v Abstract vi Acknowledgements x Executive summary xi 1. Introduction 1 2. Historical background of the fishery sector 3 3. Actual and potential resources of fishery and aquaculture 7 3.1 PEOPLE 7 3.2 GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE 7 3.3 AGRICULTURE 9 3.4 WATER RESOURCES 12 3.5 FISHES OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA 22 4. Status of fisheries and aquaculture production 25 4.1 CAPTURE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE 25 4.2 RECREATIONAL FISHERIES 30 4.3 FACILITATING INDUSTRY 30 5. Status of processing and trade of fish and fishery products 31 5.1 FISH PROCESSING AND STORAGE 31 5.2 DISTRIBUTION, MARKETING AND TRADE OF FISH AND FISHERY PRODUCTS 31 5.3 FISH DEMAND AND CONSUMPTION 33 6. Governance and institutional frameworks of the fisheries and aquaculture sector 35 6.1 ADMINISTRATION 35 6.2 EDUCATION, TRAINING, EXTENSION AND RESEARCH 36 6.3 STATISTICS 37 6.4 INSTITUTIONS 38 6.5 InTERNATIONAL COOPERATION IN FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT 38 7. Policies, regulatory and management frameworks in use 43 7.1 FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE POLICIES AND PLANNING 43 7.2 FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE LEGAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK AND MANAGEMENT 44 8. Social and economic aspects of fisheries and aquaculture 45 8.1 FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE EMPLOYMENT 45 8.2 ECONOMICS OF CAPTURE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE 45 8.3 CREDIT AND INVESTMENT IN FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE 46 8.4 ROLE OF FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE IN FOOD SECURITY AND POVERTY ALLEVIATION 46 viii 9. Development potentials in the fishery and aquaculture sector 49 9.1 DeVELOPMENT POTENTIALS OF CAPTURE FISHERIES 49 9.2 DeVELOPMENT POTENTIALS OF AQUACULTURE 52 10. Conclusions and recommendations 53 References 55 ANNEx 1 – GENERAL DATA ON THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA 57 ANNEx 2 – WATER RESOURCE, FISH farmS AND FISH SPECIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA 65 ANNEx 3 – ECONOMIC DATA ON THE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SECTOR OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA 89 Tables 1. Introduction of new fish species in the aquaculture of the Republic of Moldova (until 1991) 5 2. Population of the Republic of Moldova by area, sex and age group as of 1 January 2010 7 3. Geographical position of the Republic of Moldova 8 4. Air temperature on Moldovan territory 8 5. Precipitation on Moldovan territory 8 6. Available land by use in the Republic of Moldova as of 1 January 2010 9 7. Structure of agricultural lands by ownership as of 1 January 2010 9 8. Agricultural production in the Republic of Moldova, all categories of producers 11 9. Summarized data of employment in the different agriculture sectors the Republic of Moldova, 2009 11 10. Average annual water flow of major rivers in the Black Sea basin 13 11. Characteristics of main water reservoirs in the Republic of Moldova 13 12. Quantitative composition of fish-breeding complexes of the Republic of Moldova 15 13. List of fish-breeding and reproduction farms in the Republic of Moldova 21 14. Reproductive and fish-breeding indices of common carp strains in the Republic of Moldova 27 15. External trade of fish, crustaceans, molluscs and other aquatic invertebrates according to the Nomenclature of Goods, 2001–09 32 16. External trade of fish, crustaceans and molluscs according to the Standard International Trade Classification, 2001–09 32 17.