Marine fishery is a complex commercial activity. It is not exclusively subject to biota and abiota impacts, but also to different biotechnological, technical, economic, legislative and other factors that have to be taken into consideration regarding sustainable exploit of renewable marine resources. Fishes and other marine organisms, as objects of catch, are the main concern of Marine Fishery. These renewable marine resources could be very soon impoverished and devastated as result of over catch and catch of immature individuals. Fishery development is conditioned by biomass size intended for catch and allowed level of its exploit, while the development of aquaculture is conditioned predominantly by adequacy of area for fish (shell) farming.

Because of all the above stated, for realisation of sustainable exploit and protection of the renewable marine resources through catch activities, farming, preservation, processing and fish (and other sea organisms) market, it is necessary to educate personnel needed for successful performance of marine fishery. The trained personnel should study at University of Split, Graduate Study of Marine Fishery, which is the only graduate study specialized in education of personnel according to maritime orientation of the Republic of Croatia.

Main purpose of Marine Fishery study is a systematic education of personnel for work in area of fishery, which includes a wide range of biological investigations from diversity of marine organisms to their distribution, characteristics, mutual relations and interactions with marine environment. Further on, special attention is paid to fishery problematic issues such as fishery biology, exploitation, and protection of renewable marine resources, use of fishing gears, vessels, fishery ports, fish and other organisms’ farming, technology of fish processing, fish market and commercial organisation of marine fishery. Students graduating at this study are rare not only in the Republic of Croatia, but in the Europe as well. The possibilities of their employment are wide: in the State Administration offices, Biros, Town and District Administration bodies in charge of fishery problems, Chamber of Trade, inspection authorities, companies engaged in fish catch, farming, processing and fish market. There are also possibilities of working in scientific or scientific - educational institutions.

A need for such specialised personnel will strongly emerge with organising of Coastal Guards and consequently with joining of Croatia to the European Union. The fact that the studies, which educate specialised personnel in Marine Fishery are rare in the Europe, points out to high purpose-serving of such studies regarding the labour market needs.

Marine Fishery as theoretical and applied science includes recent problems in the field of sea biology, use of fishing gears, sustainable exploit and protection of marine living organisms, fishing vessels, fishing ports, aquaculture, fish processing technology, preservation of sea food products, fish market, maritime- fishery laws, economy and organisation of sea fishery.

Marine Fishery studies include obliged and optional subjects mainly from biotechnology, natural and biomedical sciences.

While preparing the degree programme of Marine Fisheries we have analysed similar studies in the world and compared it to our study programme. Due to fact that there are not many of these university programmes in the whole world, we have analysed the programs that were available to us, such as: two Fishery Studies in Poland, 1) Faculty of Marine Fishery and Food technology of Agricultural Academy in Sczecin, (Wydzial Rybolowstwa Morskiego i Technologii Zywnosci Akademii Rolniczej Sczcecin) and 2) Marine Fishery Faculty, University of “Varmia and Mazuri” in Olsztyn (Wzdyal Rybolowstwa i Ochrony Srodowiska Uniwersytetu Warmia i Mazury, Olsztyn). We have also analysed the following study programs: Department of Fisheries and Marine Biology, University of Bergen, Norway; International Centre for Aquaculture, Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, Auburn University, Alabama, U.S.A. and School of Ocean Science, University of Bangor, Wales, U.K.

At the University of Split, Department of Marine Studies that were founded in 1989, there are two different four year colleges: Marine Biology and Ecology and Marine Fishery. Department of Marine Studies is active for seven years so far, while Marine Fishery Studies started in 1991 under the name of Marine-fishery technologies at Maritime Faculty where two years of nautical studies were included into studies (Ministry of education and culture; Decision no. 532-02-3/1-91-01 dated 5 June 1991). In 1999 the name was changed into Marine Fishery where the courses were based on Fishery problematics. Department of Marine Studies together with Marine Fishery Studies belongs to scientific area of biotechnical studies, field of agronomy, and are active for fourteen years although formally (legally) Marine Fishery Studies are active seven years. On the basis of the above said, it is evident that there are years-long experiences in equivalent and similar programs as base of graduate studies of Marine Fishery Studies.

Graduate Marine Fishery Studies are open to all studies of biotechnical sciences, field of agronomy, biotechnology and food technology, natural sciences, field of biology and geo sciences, biomedicine and health, field veterinary medicine.

Mobility is be encouraged within the University of Split (elective courses from other Departments and Faculties), between Universities in Croatia, and between University of Split and other Universities in Europe (contacts for cooperation have been established with similar studies at University of Bergen, Norway; Agricultural Academy in Sczecin, Poland; University of Olsztyn, Poland; School of Ocean Science, University of Bangor, U.K.; University of Lund, Sweden).

Student mobility will be enabled using following ways:

• All courses at graduate level are one term courses
• Fast passing of exams (year by year study)
• Appropriate student course load
• Increased efforts of professors and students in relation to mandatory class attendance and participation, frequent checkups of student knowledge by exams, quizzes and other methods. Student will be encouraged to engage in constant study during the term and will have possibility to pass the exam immediately after they took the course.

Student mobility will be additionally stimulated though wide selection of elective courses (70% of courses are elective).

Graduate studies enable deeper professional and scientific knowledge acquired at undergraduate studies since it has been their logical continuation. Thus possible partners outside of high school education system are interested for initiation of these studies. They are: state bodies, county, town and community administration that are in charge of marine fishery matters, Chamber of Trade, inspection authorities, companies engaged in fish catch, farming, processing and fish market, and other scientific organisations which are exploring the sea and its living resources.