Slovenian fishermen have low expectation of the arbitration agreement, but they are disappointed with the fact that the state has not prepared any plans to improve their difficult situation.
They have enough troubles even without political games, and international disputes: they are suffocating due to EU fishing quotas, the excessive catch results in less and less fish in the sea. They keep warning that blue fish has disappeared.

Last year the catch amounted to 152 tons, which is by one fifth less than a year before, while in 2007 the catch surpassed 800 tons. At this pace, the Slovenian fishing industry will sink, in spite of the fact that Slovenia used to be a fishing superpower, with the catch of 7,800 tons in 1983. The biggest problem they are facing in the Adriatic Sea is the excessing catch by the large industrial fishing boats, mostly Italian, but also Croatian.

We sailed with the fisherman from Koper, who has been fishing in the area for 38 years. He hasn't changed his route in spite of the arbitration court ruling; he keeps within the pre-arbitration borders. But as the catch in summer months is rather poor, Silvano decides to throw the net across the middle of the bay. As soon as we start approaching the middle line, we are noticed by the Croatian naval patrol, and two Croatian police speedboat start speeding towards us, which does not remain unnoticed by the Slovenian naval patrol which starts approaching as well. Once the Croatian naval police notice the TV camera, both their boats turn around and sail away.

Such show of power by the naval police of either one or the other country is becoming a constant in the lives of Croatian and Slovenian fishermen. Will the governments of the two countries arrive at an understanding on Wednesday, at the occasion of the visit of the Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković to Slovenia? Slovenian fishermen have little hope left, considering their experiences so far.

Vanja Kovač, Tednik; translated by G. K.