Class: 640-02/10-02/0006 File No.: 355-02-04-10-0001

2.2. Relevance of institutions within the system of science at the national level

National research priorities in Croatia are defined by the basic document "Science and Technology Policy of the Croatian Republic in 2006-2010". Implementation of priorities is developed through several documents:

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  Action Plan 2007-2010, Science and Technology Policy of the Republic of Croatia
  
• 
  Action plan to boost investment in science and research
  
• 
  Action plan for mobility of researchers 2009/2010
  
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  Action plan for increasing the absorption capacity of the Republic of Croatia in the 7^th Framework Program for Research and Technological Development (FP7) in 2009/2010.
  

Based on these recommendations the National Council for Science, at the session held on 16^th February 2010, issued the following short and medium term priorities in the scientific research:

- Materials and Nano-science

- Health

- Food, agriculture, fisheries and biotechnology

- Information and Communication Sciences

- Environment and Climate Change

- Energy

- Socio-economic sciences and the humanities.

Scientific research activities of the Institute is consistent with the two stated priorities, such as "Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology", and "Environment and climate change." Compatibility with the stated priorities of research activities that take place at the Institute is evident in the Institute's fundamental document, the Institute Development Strategy, 2011-2020, in which are listed the main research activities:

• 
  Studies of kinematic, dynamic and optical properties of the Adriatic, and the interaction between sea and atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere, using in-situ and remote measurement techniques as well as hydrodynamic and ecological numerical models, in order to strengthen national capacity in operational oceanography and the creation of oceanographic forecasting products.
  
• 
  Research of long-term changes and long-term trends in fishery and oceanographic parameters in the Adriatic, for the purpose of detection, screening and assessment of the impact of scale biotic and abiotic factors on the living resources of the Adriatic Sea, coastal areas and human activity.
  
• 
  Studies of natural phenomena (flooding of coastal areas, tsunamis, extremely high waves) and effects (hypoxia and anoxia, algal blooms, toxic algal blooms) that may cause adverse effects, and endanger people and property.
  
• 
  Interdisciplinary research focused on marine ecosystems as a whole, which includes: (i) the investigation of structural (composition, structure, abundance, biomass, diversity, trophic structure) and functional (production, circulation and transformation of matter, energy flow, intra- and interspecific interactions) features of marine communities and ecosystems at different spatial and temporal scales, and (ii) study of anthropogenic influence (pollution, introduction of alien species, habitat degradation and fragmentation, anthropogenic eutrophication, exploitation of living resources) on the structure, stability and functioning of marine communities, human health and the balance in the marine ecosystem as a whole.
  
• 
  Research and improvement of methods of using and administering the resources of the Adriatic Sea through the fishing and mariculture (Ecosystem Based Management), with the aim of achieving a balance between the goals of protection and utilization of natural resources, including: (i) the dynamic relationship between fishing capacity (the condition bio-stock) and social and economic needs, (ii) development of bioindicators, methods and models for monitoring and improving fisheries and aquaculture, (iii) determining interaction between the economically important organisms and the natural environment, (iv) defining, locating and proposing specific measures of protection and regulation of fishing in particular sensitive areas (fry carp growing ponds, hatcheries), (c) enrichment of aquaculture potential through the introduction of new species in the controlled breeding, (vi) evaluation of the introduction of organic farming in aquaculture in order to meet the criteria of quality and quantity of products, and (vii) pathogens and their interaction with host and marine environment.
  
• 
  Development of technological and IT solutions applicable in the development of fisheries and oceanographic instrumentation; data management systems and procedures and applicable mathematical algorithms in data analysis and numerical models. Development and improvement of existing fishing gear and fishing methods by improving their selectivity and efficiency, improving existing and introducing new methods of research and monitoring of renewable marine resources, and harmonization of methodologies with the requirements and regulations of the European Union.
  

(i) research on co-oscillations of the sea and atmosphere are important for the ecosystem of the Adriatic Sea, (ii) research and development system for monitoring of unusual phenomena in the Adriatic Sea, (iii) management, biodiversity and sustainable management of living resources in the Croatian coastal and open sea area, (iv) investigation of plankton communities in the energy flow and cycling of matter in the Adriatic, and the study of toxic phytoplankton, (v) the retention time of Escherichia coli in the water and marine organisms, and (v) investigation of the dynamics and parasitic pathology in marine fish farming system.

Fishing, in terms of the condition and change fish stocks and other species in the Adriatic, is one of the fundamental activities of the Institute, in which the Institute is doing more monitoring of pelagic and demersal various tools (ultrasonic detection - PELMON, trawl nets - MEDITS) in cooperation with the neighboring Adriatic and Mediterranean countries. Within MEDITS project there have been followed thirty main i.e. "target species" of fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. Species were selected in relation to their economic, commercial, importance and availability of fishing tool (bottom trawl net, pelagic nets), and potentially, biological, significance as possible indicators. The program PELMON explores the pelagic ecosystem, with special emphasis on economically important species and small pelagic fish in the eastern Adriatic Sea. Data are collected annually, by the echo-monitoring during which a simultaneous collecting of physical and biological data on the pelagic ecosystem is carried out. The most important results of the program include spatial distribution, abundance estimates and population structure of anchovy, sardine and sprat. Similarly, stocks of the most important pelagic species were estimated by VPA (method of objective analysis). In addition to knowledge of the socio-economic circumstances, the information gathered form the basis for future long-term sustainable use of renewable resources in the pelagic fisheries of Croatia, and in accordance with the principles of management of complete ecosystems.

2.3. The particularity of scientific organization, the justification of independent realization of work / enforcement of activities

The significance and uniqueness of the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries is multilayered, while the underlying factors in this regard are the following:

- representation of different disciplines and sectors (biology, physics, chemistry, marine science, biotechnology, biomedicine) related to marine research and the Institute's interdisciplinary research, which are the basis for sustainable use and management of the Adriatic ecosystems (Ecosystem Based Management), management of natural disasters and risks, hazardous situations and climate change, and other proclaimed goals of Croatia as a maritime state, and country based on the knowledge.

- research activities in fisheries and aquaculture, which are not enforced in any other institute in the Republic of Croatia, but only at the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Split. That says it all about the competencies and skills of scientists and the Institute as a whole in these research areas important for Croatia, but also for the European Union, which has a long ago recognized these issues as a strategic priority in their research (e.g. within the current FP7, through competition within the priority research topics "Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, and Biotechnology”)

- competence of researchers and their role in the activities essential for achieving national strategic goals, which is manifested through the participation of the Institute's experts in various international intergovernmental and expert groups, such as the group of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) for tsunamis, toxic algal blooms, oceanographic systems observation and measurement, and management and exchange of oceanographic data, or the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) which agreed basis for sustainable management of fish resources in the Mediterranean, or AdriaMed program, which serves as the basis for responsible management of fish resources Adriatic Sea, and many others.

- long tradition of the fishery and oceanographic research which has been conducted continuously for 80 years at the Institute, regardless of changed environment in which the Institute works, including several changes of statehood and two opposing political and economic systems.

- human resources research equipment, including conducting of field work and research at sea, where the Institute has a modern ship BIOS TWO that is equipped to collect samples and perform measurements in the open sea coastal waters. In addition to research ships, the Institute has numerous laboratories and field instrumentation and equipment required for oceanographic and fisheries research and the Adriatic Sea in general. It should be noted that the Institute for the research of the fish stock has unique equipment in the Republic of Croatia, since it is the only institution in the country that carries out research on fish stock assessment, fish stock, which are researches of strategic and national interests. Oceanographic research of the Adriatic, apart from the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, is also conducted in the two institutes - the Rudjer Boskovic Institute and within the Institute for Marine and Coastal Research, University of Dubrovnik, but capacity of these two institutions is not sufficient to fully research the Adriatic: Center for Marine Research in Rovinj as a part of the Rudjer Boskovic Institute is almost exclusively focused on multidisciplinary research of the northern Adriatic, while the Institute for Marine and Coastal Research in Dubrovnik does not possess expertise in all fields of oceanography (e.g. in physics of the sea), and the limited existing research staff (number of scientists is several times lower than the number of scientists of the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries in Split). Namely, this Institute since 1976 was an integral part of the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (2 laboratories of the IOF), but due to the needs of the University of Dubrovnik in year 2005 it was attached to the University of Dubrovnik.

2.4. National and international influence and importance of institutions within the scientific community and within society in general

There are several scientific organizations dealing with the Adriatic Sea in Croatia, but their investigations cover, to a larger or smaller extent, only oceanographic research (physics, chemistry, marine biology, sedimentology, and marine geology). As the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries systematically conducts research in fisheries and aquaculture (Biotechnology), and to a lesser degree in the biomedical and engineering sciences, all other institutions only partly cover the research activities taking place at the Institute. These are other institutions dealing with marine research in Croatia:

- Ruđer Bošković Institute, Dept. for Marine and Environmental Research (in Zagreb, 20 researchers who are engaged in marine research) and the Center for Marine Research (in Rovinj, 30 researchers) (http://www.irb.hr), within which research is conducted oceanographic research Adriatic (physics, chemistry, biology), primarily in the northern Adriatic, where the Institute regularly conducts research on the measurement transect between Croatian and Italian coasts.

- Institute for Marine and Coastal Research (20 researchers), University of Dubrovnik, where the research topics include basic and applied research of the natural features of the Adriatic and coastal areas, especially the structures and processes in ecosystems.

Besides these institutions, a smaller number of the researchers in oceanography, who are engaged in the research of the Adriatic Sea are situated in the Croatian Hydrographic Institute in Split (about 10 researchers), and the Croatian universities, (e.g. the Faculty of Science at the University of Zagreb, 15 researchers) and the University Study Centre of Marine Studies in Split (10 researchers), and in less specialized institutions, such as natural history museums and the similar institutions.

It has almost become a rule that significant and developed maritime countries in the world have the institutions that serve as a national institution for marine research, either as independent institutions or within the national network of scientific institutions. Naturally, their size and organization is partly related to the size of the state and the possibility of financing such activities. As an example of such institutions in the Europe, we can cite:

- L' Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale, Trieste, Italy (http://www.ogs.trieste.it), which is one of the leading Italian institutes in the field of geosciences (about 150 researchers)

- Istituto di Scienze Marine (ISMAR, CNR), Italy (http://www.ismar.cnr.it), one of the leading Italian institutes of oceanography and marine sciences (about 200 researchers)

- Stazione Zoologica Napoli Anton Dohrn (SZN), Napoli, Italija (http://www. szn.it), ), the oldiest and one of the leading Italian institutes of marine biology and ecology

- Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR), Athens, Greece (www.hcmr.gr), the leading Greek research institute of marine sciences (about 200 researchers)

- Istituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), Spain (http://www.ieo.es), national oceanographic institute which carried out complementary studies at the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (about 350 researchers)

- Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer (IFREMER), France (http://www.ifremer.fr), coordination of national research institutes in France dealing with all aspects of marine research (about 1000 researchers)

- National Oceanographic Centre, UK (http://noc.ac.uk), coordination of two major research institutes in the UK Southampton (National Oceanographic Centre Southampton) and Liverpool (Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory), which under the National Environmental Research Council (NERC) conducted oceanographic research in the seas of the world (about 500 researchers).

The examples of institutions in the countries of the Mediterranean and Europe indicate the compliance of their national policies related to the management of the seas and oceans in general, depending on the strategic orientations of the individual states, and therefore were brought political decisions on establishing national institute for research in all these countries. Republic of Croatia has not yet recognized this necessity, which is a logical consequence of the unification and enhancement of capacity-related research in order to meet national strategic interests and competitiveness in research activities, for which the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries has the best foundation as a leading research institution in the Croatian Adriatic Sea organisms that dwell in it and the process of the sea in general.

2.5. Strengths and weaknesses of institutions

- Long tradition and viability of the Institute in different frames of action and stability, the quantity and quality of research activities. The Institute has always been recognized as an important research institutions, essential for the development and maritime traditions of all countries that are changing in this region, which indicates the importance of research and capabilities of the Institute to emphasize and implement the strategic objectives of the research Adriatic ecosystem and the Adriatic Sea in general, as a substrate for the sustainable management of the Adriatic Sea and all its resources.

- existence of infrastructure and capital equipment and research (including research vessels) necessary for Marine Research. Research has been challenging, with the required number and expensive research equipment and research vessel that the Institute owns. Thus, evaluation of the Institute as a national institute of marine research and adequate investment in research projects, "in our humble opinion" cost-effectiveness of such procedures ("Cost vs. Benefit") was the highest compared to any other Croatian institute or center that specializes in marine research.

- existence of international contacts developed through international programs, projects, expert groups or personal contacts. Without proper communication and active participation in international research projects and programs, the institution loses touch with the trends in world science: Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries participates in numerous international research and other activities, the Institute scientists have many contacts with colleagues in foreign centers of excellence, so such activities were intensified and expanded promotion of the Institute as a center of science in Croatia.

Weaknesses

- insufficient mobility of scientists inside and outside of the Institute, and therefore still insufficient integration and participation in the international research projects. This is a national problem in Croatian science, because science does not provide a system and does not encourage the implementation of specialization in other institutions in terms of carrying out doctoral or postdoctoral research, so this problem is relevant to the Institute. We think that the appropriate changes to the Law on Science and the relevant regulations (e.g. a scientist career advancement) can provide an incentive for greater mobility of young scientists - the Institute's intention is to introduce such requirements to become a scientist, but appropriate "top-down" solution initiated by the National Council for Science and the line ministry would be better and easier to implement.

- insufficient human resources and representation of young scientists in different laboratories, and the lack of specific research activities, especially interdisciplinary. The Institute has an interdisciplinary background, but there are still many opportunities for the development of interdisciplinary research. The main obstacle to such activities is insufficient funding and insufficient human resources at the Institute, and the development of such research was necessary to invest additional research funds - we hope that it will be realized within the Institute as a national center of science.

- negative consequences of the national science policy in terms of assuming the quantity of research and research products (publications) at the expense of their quality and applicability. As an example we can cite the methods and criteria for selection of scientific titles, which is at the national level in science, is often reduced to merely counting the number of papers. The solution should be sought to adapt the criteria of progress by scientists to be compliant with international standards which, except for productivity and excellence of scientific research papers, including "peer-review" reviews works by international scientists and independent experts. Besides this problem of science in the Republic of Croatia, there are many other illogical and ad hoc solutions that affect the quality of research at the Institute and consequently on the competence of the Institute as a whole.

The Institute is in this whole "whirl" Croatian scientific space handles and encourages scholarly excellence in accordance with the possibilities, although it is not prescribed by national laws or regulations. As an example we can cite the stimulation of scientific excellence in the publication of scientific papers, which has been a long practice initiated by the Institute Management, from 2008 the incentives include assessing the quality of peer-review of international journals by impact factor. Furthermore, since these were introduced and evaluating the quality of potential mentors of the young scientists, what will (hopefully) result in an increase of competence, quality, mobility and excellence in research of young scientists, and consequently improve the quality of research at the Institute for several years.

In line with trends in Croatian research, the Institute has recognized the importance of applied research, to provide further financial support essential to the survival and quality of research, and because of the possibility of collecting additional data deficient in scientific research due to limited research resources. Therefore, one of the key strategic directions of development of the Institute in the previous period was the recognition and promotion of applied research that should, in synergy with the scientific research, aim to improve understanding of the functioning of the Adriatic Sea ecosystem and the ecosystem in general. Applied research is being conducted in this direction, based on scientific results of the Institute, particularly in the field of fisheries. Encouraging research in fisheries in the past strategic period leading research in this segment to an enviable level, enabling the Institute and its scientists and experts to participate in numerous programs and coordinating bodies established at the level of the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, the purpose of conservation and sustainable management of fish resources and living resources in the Adriatic.

Medium and long term plans for research activities in the next ten years period (2011-2020) are presented in the Institute Development Strategy, where progress is an essential component of the institution (or a vision of the Institute) to become a national research institute for the sea and fishing in the Republic of Croatia, as well as a center of excellence and become an indispensable element and focal point for oceanographic and fishery research activities related to the Adriatic Sea.

Development Strategy Institute, 2011-2020 has been adopted recently (in July 2010 by the Scientific Council of the Institute), and therefore there has been no action or implementation plan which would monitor the implementation of the strategic objectives of the Institute.

Strategic research activities to improve scientific knowledge that are planned in the medium to long term, in order to preserve the environment, quality of life and achieving optimal management of live, edible and renewable bio-stock, covering a wide range of basic and applied oceanographic (physical, chemical and biological) and the fishing theme from studies of natural phenomena that have an impact on operations at sea and in coastal areas, through interdisciplinary research on marine ecosystems, to study the sustainability of exploitation of fish stocks, including economically viable species for breeding in aquaculture. The results of these studies are directly applicable in practice, they within the strategic orientations for the future development of the country outlined in the scientific and the technological policies of Croatia for 2006-2010 and in the short-and long-term research priorities of the Croatian Republic, in the "Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, Biotechnology” and "Environment and Climate Change" gives special importance.

In addition to strategic research, the Institute plans to conduct research led to new ideas that will be recognized worldwide for their quality and innovation. Planning of such research activities in the ten years period is not favorable, because in a dynamic world of competitiveness an inventive research studies are conducted in shorter, but the fruitful period.

In the framework of research activities in particular will be encouraged and stimulated research that will in itself involve interdisciplinary approach, practical applicability of research and commercialization, and which would be in compliance with the European and international collaborative research programs.

In addition to the strategic research areas identified in section 2.2 and the Institute Development Strategy for 2011-2020, the Institute is planning to introduce and conduct research led by new ideas, based on interdisciplinary approach, flexibility of researchers and research ideas, knowledge transfer, methodologies and capacity among the various disciplines and branches in order to boost research and evaluation of innovative concepts and products that would have a significant impact on the global or regional studies. Examples of such research feasible in the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, which have the potential to generate new ideas, and will be conducted in the next period, are the following:

- research of innovative technological concepts in marine research, which aim to facilitate and /or improve the collection of oceanographic and fishery data, their processing and interpretation, including the development of new hardware and software for analyzing the multitude of information in a short time, necessary in operational oceanography.

- interdisciplinary complex research of the Institute's, national and international research teams, in which occurs an exchange of research methods and knowledge between different disciplines and sectors (e.g. the application of physical methods in chemistry, biology and fisheries, and vice versa), in order to create value added research and introduction of new research methods and concepts in science.

- Research based on the introduction of new, primarily molecular methods, which would strengthen the research in taxonomy, biology and ecology of marine organisms and their communities.

Options of the Institute development and the threats that could prevent the planned development which are specified in the Institute Development Strategy, here are extend with additional explanations:

Opportunities

- The Institute has a research framework (personnel and infrastructure) for high-quality scientific breakthrough, which is possible to capitalize in the sense of participation in important international projects and programs. The Institute is already involved in numerous projects and programs, but still insufficiently and below the real possibilities, thus the Institute should be accredited as a center of science for these activities what would significantly strengthened the IOF activities, both quantitatively (number of projects) as well as qualitatively (the role of the Institute's projects, significant funding).

- Institute may impose itself as a leading research institute of oceanographic and fishery characteristics of the Adriatic, because no other institute in the Republic of Croatia has a wide coverage of different research areas. As has already been guided in the previous chapters, the uniqueness of research at the Institute is the basis for high quality research, formalized through the center of science research in the Adriatic Sea and in general.

- The Institute can become a center of excellence, through the enhancement of mobility, education and specialization of researchers and their interaction in interdisciplinary research. It is necessary to carry out further promotion of the important parameters that are a prerequisite for scientific excellence, such as interdisciplinarity, mobility and international cooperation, as a strategic framework for development of the Institute.

- The Institute may serve as a case study for other small and medium-sized research institutes in the Republic of Croatia and the region, where there are significant problems in the quality and management of research work and resources.

Threats

- possible changes and reforms of the strategic guidelines of the Institute, and the status of the Institute initiated by the Ministry of Science, under the national reform of scientific research institutions. In essence, the current procedure for the Ministry represents a threat to the existence of the Institute, in case you make inappropriate and a bad political decision on the future of the Institute, which is not based on a real, independent and quality evaluation, but on the principles of nepotism, corruption and non-selective promotion of individuals and institutions. We hope that, after 80 years of existence in various administrations, statehood, and social environments, favorable and unfavorable to scientific work, the destiny of the Institute will not be the abolition of its identity, purpose and legal viability.

- premature and / or excessive reduction of the budget revenue of the Institute in relation to market share of the revenue, which can negatively affect the development and renewal of the Institute research staff. Since the time of sacrifice and the recession are still present, and research funding in an increasingly smaller amount, of course it can threaten the survival of the Institute, regardless of its future role in the scientific system. Indicative is that, instead of trying to achieve the intended goals of the Action Plan for promoting investment in science and research that has developed measures to increase investment in science to the level of 3% according to the strategic plan of the European Union (the "Lisbon Strategy 2000"), investment in science in the Republic of Croatia (R & D - research and development) decreased in recent years, and in year 2009 was at a level below 1% of gross domestic product, half the EU average (according to the EU agency Eurostat).
Enclosures to point 2:

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  Strategic Plan or other strategic documents for the institution;
  
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  Research Strategy/Plan, including the corresponding budget overview;
  
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  Annual report.
  

3.1. National and international research and teaching cooperation

Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries is actively involved in organizing and / or performance of university undergraduate programs, graduate and postgraduate level in collaboration with universities and other scientific institutions.

In collaboration with the University Study Centre for Marine Studies, University of Split, which is responsible for academic programs, the Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries participates in the performance of undergraduate and graduate level programs of study "Biology and ecology" and "Marine fisheries".

In collaboration with the University of Split and the University of Dubrovnik, Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries participates in the organization and realization of Interuniversity postgraduate studies “Applied Marine Sciences”. In collaboration with the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb and Rudjer Boskovic Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries participates in the performance of interdisciplinary postgraduate studies, "Oceanography"

Scientific cooperation with local universities and institutes is conducted on individual project units of mutual interest. So the Institute was a partner in the international bilateral projects with the United States of America (Ithaca), which included the Faculty of Natural Science at the University of Zagreb and the Croatian Hydrographic Institute. Joint research with the Faculty of Natural Sciences (PMF) at the University of Zagreb took place in the framework of FP6 project ECOOP, and also the PMF, University of Zagreb, was the Institute’s partner in the project NATURA 2000. "Systematic Research of the Adriatic Sea as a base for sustainable development of Croatia - Adriatic Project" and "Geophysical Research" were realized in cooperation with several institutions involved in marine research, Ruder Boskovic Institute, and the PMF, University of Zagreb, Faculty of Civil Engineering, University of Zagreb and the Croatian Hydrographic Institute. Institute scientists are active participants in several research projects of the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports, and vice versa - the scientists of Croatian universities and institutes participating in the IOF projects. It is significant to mention the cooperation with the Faculty of Economics, which took place through the project "Assessment of expected benefits and costs of Croatian accession to the EU in the fisheries”.

Scientists of the Institute are members in total of 29 international bodies and organizations, of which 19 act as leaders, the national coordinators and national representatives especially in bodies that coordinate the fisheries activities (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean in – GFCM; International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas - ICCAT) as well as UNESCO's committees and commissions (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission - IOC), and the CIESM (International Commission for Scientific Research of the Mediterranean Sea. A detailed presentation is given in Chapter 4.

This international cooperation is fully consistent with the fundamental activity of the Institute, mission and vision of the Institute as the "center of scientific excellence in marine research and fisheries, the following international research standards and taking into account the specific interests of the Croatian Republic" (excerpt from the Institute Development Strategy, 2011-2020). All basic research activities of the Institute are networked and consistent with international activities and trends in world science, but the main problem is lack of financial support to these activities, the Institute's position in international projects in terms of non-leading partner, which is a general affliction of all the Croatian science system.

3.2. Other fields of co-operation

Cooperation with national, regional and local public administration and self-government has been realized through various contracting activities (Table 3.2). Thus, the Institute participates in several contractual projects with various ministries such as Ministry of Environment, Physical Planning and Construction, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy and Ministry of Culture, as well as with national agencies such as Environmental Protection Agency and the State Institute for Nature Protection, and with regional and local governments (counties, various regional institutions and administration).

The Institute was often able to participate in decision-making in the public interest, through various committees, working groups and committees who participated in drafting of various laws, regulations, decisions and so forth. Lists of the IOF scientists, who had participated in such bodies is attached in Chapter 4. Based on research activities and results, the IOF workers are participating in working groups for drafting strategic documents for the Ministry of Environmental Protection, Physical Planning and Construction and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development. Some of strategic documents are: National Diagnostic Analysis (NDA) of the coastal resort of Croatia; the Regulation on Quality Standards of sea beaches; the assessment of the condition of the Adriatic Sea in the implementation of the EU Directive on Marine Strategy; the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive: the determination of transitional and coastal water types and referential environmental condition; Plan for monitoring the quality of sea and shellfish production areas for growing and harvesting shellfish; Regulation on the implementing measures for certain products to which it relates; Regulations on the hygiene of food of animal origin and the organization of official controls to which it applies; Regulation on official controls of foods of animal origin; the Marine Fisheries Ordinance and Regulations on Ballast Water and others.

As the main Institute’s activity is monitoring of the marine environment and living marine resources, economic activities in the marine zone of Croatia is not possible to develop in terms of sustainable and integrated management without significantly represented components of environmental monitoring, which is a worldwide basis for defining particular measures to resolve specific problems. As an example, we can specify programs of monitoring fish stocks (PELMON, DemMon, MEDITS EU), which represent the basis for defining measures for the sustainable management of the Adriatic. As aquaculture has been recognized as an essential component of successful economies of maritime countries, the Institute, by monitoring the environmental impact of fish farms and shellfish, served as caretaker to preserve the environment, which to us, is important for other economic activities (e.g. tourism).

3.3. Research visits to the institution

Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries is attractive for research in oceanography and fisheries, but unfortunately the overall science policy in Croatia is not encouraging mobility, moreover, there are many obstacles for longer research stays at the Institute, and the biggest obstacle is the impossibility of accommodating visitors.

3.4. International research visits by members of institution

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  List of contracts defining the co-operation with higher education, research institutions, businesses, and others, with a brief description of the nature and extent of co-operation;
  
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  List of courses offered or co-organized by members of the institution (including the name of researcher, course, higher education institution, and number of classes per semester);
  
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  Participation of institution members in teaching activities at the higher education institution (Table 3.1.i);
  
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  Participation of research assistants in teaching activities;
  
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  National and international research co-operation (Table 3.1.ii. and Table 3.1.iii);
  
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  List of nationally funded projects (research, technology or developmental projects, IT projects) (according to the organisational units, stating the leading researcher);
  
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  Co-operation with businesses, public institutions (Table 3.2.);
  
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  Research visits to institution and international research visits by members of the institution (Table 3.3. and 3.4.).