Fishermen fear that their days are numbered as Croatia set to join EU

An English-language sign at the fishermen’s pier in the northern Adriatic town of Umag reads: “This fishing port was rebuilt with the support of the European Union”.

But most of the 3,700 fishermen who ply their trade in Croatia’s eastern Adriatic fear that the country’s accession to the bloc on Monday, and strict new laws and regulations that come with it, may drive the last nail into their coffin.

“I’m afraid we’re in for a lot of unpleasant surprises,” said Danilo Latin, whose family have been fishermen for four generations. “We’ll lose the subsidies, we’ll have to change our nets, fish further from the shore, there will be more competition and new restrictions, so we’re looking at harder times.”