MonteAqua

Project overview:

MonteAqua aimed to strengthen the conservation of marine and freshwater biodiversity in Montenegro while supporting alignment with EU nature protection requirements under Chapter 27 of the accession process. Funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Norwegian Embassy in Belgrade and implemented by the University of Montenegro’s Institute of Marine Biology, the project centred on establishing Aquarium Boka as a marine biodiversity conservation and education centre, alongside freshwater aquarium and wildlife rescue facilities. It combined institutional capacity building, regional cooperation, scientific assessments and public engagement to improve the management of aquatic ecosystems. Through training on EU environmental legislation, stakeholder networking, communication tools and an international conference, MonteAqua sought to strengthen conservation governance, raise awareness of aquatic biodiversity and promote sustainable resource use, contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 14.

My contribution:

Contracted by: Institute of Marine Biology, University of Montenegro
Geographical coverage: Montenegro

As project manager, I secured successful implementation of main project activities: 

• Setting up Marine Biodiversity Conservation Center “Boka Aquarium” in the Institute of Marine Biology in Kotor

• Setting up freshwater “Skadar Aquarium” in National Park “Skadar lake”

• Development of communication platform for stakeholders’ participation in water biodiversity conservation

• Organizing capacity building workshops

• Organization of International conference “Adriatic Biodiversity Protection” in 2019.

Selected results:

• Aquarium Boka: Established Montenegro’s first public aquarium within the Adriatic Biodiversity Conservation Center at the Institute of Marine Biology, combining research, conservation and education.

• Wildlife rescue facilities: Established a rescue centre for sea turtles and other endangered marine animals.

• Aquarium infrastructure: Renovated 360 m² and installed 25 aquarium tanks with a combined capacity of 43,700 litres.

• Freshwater conservation: Established the Skadar Aquarium within the visitor centre of Skadar Lake National Park.

• Regional cooperation: Established the AdriBioPro network, connecting institutions and experts involved in aquatic ecosystem conservation.

• International conference: Organised AdriBioPro2019 in Kotor, featuring 92 presentations, and published its Book of Abstracts.

• Institutional capacity building: Delivered four workshops covering invasive alien species, sustainable fisheries and illegal fishing, the Zoo Directive and CITES, and the Habitats Directive.

• Scientific and policy publications: Produced four white papers and studies addressing rare and endangered Adriatic fish, European eel in Skadar Lake, coastal and marine conservation, and marine pollution prevention.

• Digital engagement: Developed the MonteAqua 9mCollab stakeholder platform and Aquarium Boka web portal, supported by 30 video clips and 10 interviews.

• Long-term sustainability: Prepared Aquarium Boka’s business plan and secured its institutional integration within the Institute of Marine Biology.