2.7 



ITALY 



The Italian high-seas fleet of 27 vessels is expected to decline by 1-4 vessels during the next few years. These 

 vessels will be sold to third parties and probably will not be replaced. The authors do not anticipate a sudden shift 

 in Italy's high-seas fleet from their current fishing grounds off West Africa. There is a possibility that Italian 

 fishermen may wish to engage in a high-seas tuna fishing operation as consumption of tuna in Italy has increased 

 in recent years.' 



CONTENTS 



1. General Background 109 



2. Fleet Background 110 



3. Modernization Programs 110 



4. Decommissioning Programs HO 



5. Shipyards 110 



6. International Agreements Ill 



7. Fleet Dispersal Plans Ill 



Sources Ill 



Endnotes 116 



1. General Background 



Italy is the second largest country in the EC in 

 terms of population, after Germany. The country's 

 7,456 kilometer coastline borders the Adriatic, 

 Aeonian, Ligurian, Tyrrhenian, and Mediterranean 

 Seas. Its maritime boundaries touch on those of the 

 newly independent Slovenia, Albania, Greece, Libya, 

 Tunisia, Malta, Spain, and France. The Italian 

 fishing fleet is the third largest in the EC after 

 Greece and Spain. Most of these are small, coastal 

 vessels that are manned by one- or two-man crews. 

 The Italian coastal fishery expanded slowly following 

 World War II, despite limited resources and 

 increasing pollution, especially in the Adriatic Sea 

 which has been subject to massive algae blooms in 

 recent years. The Italian high-seas fleet was in 

 operation before the start of World War II. The fleet 



reportedly included 12 vessels registering 5,000 GRT 

 (an average of 417-GRT per vessel). By 1975, the 

 extension of fishery zones off West African had 

 begun to impact the Italian fishing fleet in the region; 

 the number of vessels declined from 95 to 65 vessels 

 between 1973 and 1975.^ Italy's 60 million 

 consumers enjoy eating seafood, especially sole, 

 plaice, hake, red mullet, sea bass, cuttlefish, squid, 

 rainbow trout, and a variety of mussels.' 

 Consumption of seafood averages about 15 kilograms 

 per capita." The Italian fisheries catch has declined 

 during the past few decades to slightly over 500,000 

 tons. Imports have increased going from 368,000 

 tons in 1988 to 410,000 tons in 1992.^ Exports 

 remain small and stable: 67,000 tons in 1988 to 

 73,000 tons in 1992.* An overview of the Italian 

 fishing industry can be seen in tables 1-3. 



109 



