Bosnia and Herzegovina has a very long tradition in the production of freshwater fish, trout and carp, due to the significant water wealth of seven water basins, a large number of river and mountain lakes and groundwater.  Hatcheries and on-growing farms in Bosnia and Herzegovina have numerous and unequal capacities, surface area and annual production. According to the locality and species of fish breeding, fish ponds and on-growing farms are divided into salmonid, cyprinid and marinas. In the aquaculture sector of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the most important fish species are: trout (rainbow trout, brook trout and Arctic char), carp (carp, grass carp, silver carp), and marine (European bass, gilt-head bream and coomon dentex) as well as molluscs (mussels and oysters).

In the field of fisheries, the study "Fisheries and Aquaculture Sector in Bosnia and Herzegovina" was completed in 2015. Study was funded by the European Commission and implemented by the FAO and national competent institutions and experts. The results of the Study are published on: https://europa.ba/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/delegacijaEU_2015020309341807bos.pdf

This sectoral analysis shows the potential of the fisheries sector in order to be able to use the funds in the future, above all the European Union's pre-accession funds for agriculture and rural development.

Fish and fish products are one of the strategic products of animal origin that Bosnia and Herzegovina may export to a demanding EU market. When we talk about the fulfilment of the conditions, then first of all we think about the application of international standards and standards of the European Union related to the area of food safety, both in the legal regulations and in the procedures, and certainly about that producers (exporters) also fulfil all the necessary veterinary and sanitary conditions related to hygiene (such as HACCP for this branch of industry) and other standards required.

Capacity for production and exploitation of fish in BiH, water resources, hydrological and ecological conditions, physico-chemical properties of watercourses, highly developed technologies such as breeding and fish processing, tradition in fish farming and production as well as constant growth of fish exports represent exceptional preconditions to increase fish production.

According to a rough estimate, 65% of trout production in BiH is in the Federation, and 35% in the Republic of Srpska. Nearly all carp production is carried out in the Republic of Srpska. Production of marine species is concentrated in Neum where there are two cage farms with a total area of 0.36 ha. The total usable area of aquaculture installed capacity in BH is about 3,113 ha.

The size of fishery exploitation in Bosnia and Herzegovina for trout fish farms is 91,026 m2 and for carp fisheries 2,278 ha. The average production of table fish in Bosnia is about 5,000 tons.