MonteAqua – Habitats and Protected Areas

On 19 November 2018, I participated as MonteAqua Project Manager in the workshop “Habitats and the Protection of Marine and Coastal Areas in Montenegro”, held at the Institute of Marine Biology in Kotor.

I presented MonteAqua’s goals and activities, introducing the project framework for a day of exchange among researchers, environmental authorities and conservation practitioners. The workshop formed part of our capacity-building programme supporting Montenegro’s alignment with European environmental requirements.

The morning session focused on the EU Habitats Directive. Dr Petra Rodić shared Croatia’s experience, while Milena Bataković presented Montenegro’s ongoing activities and implementation challenges. These contributions connected European practice with national priorities for habitat mapping, species inventories and preparations for Natura 2000.

The afternoon programme addressed the establishment and management of marine and coastal protected areas. Ivana Stojanović, Vasilije Bušković and Aleksandra Ivanović presented complementary perspectives on conservation policy, protected-area development and practical management. Hrvoje Čižmek contributed comparative research on fish populations in Croatia and Montenegro, illustrating the scientific evidence informing protection decisions.

Photo: Meeting room

Discussions highlighted the need to connect reliable biodiversity data with clear institutional responsibilities, effective management and sustainable financing. Local awareness and participation were also identified as important for putting conservation measures into practice.

My contribution was to place these technical discussions within MonteAqua’s wider programme of institutional cooperation and knowledge exchange. The workshop brought together experience relevant to both conservation planning and the practical responsibilities of managing protected areas.

MonteAqua was implemented by the Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro, in cooperation with the University of Kragujevac, with support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade.

Let’s make progress together.