2019 – 2021 CEPF from the area of Skočiđevojka to Pečin (Queens Beach), with the center at the Katič island
Montenegro is the only Mediterranean country without a designated Marine Protected Area (MPA). At the same time, Montenegro had an obligation to the European Union to protect at least 10% of its coastal zone by 2020. This is of great importance because marine life is increasingly threatened by coastal development policies, illegal fishing, global warming, and other negative impacts that severely disrupt the natural balance of the sea—and consequently, all the benefits that a healthy sea provides to humans.
Never before in human history has the health of oceans and seas been so endangered as it is today. Proper protection of marine areas, by establishing zones with strict human impact controls, is the only way to allow the severely weakened natural capacities of the marine environment to recover and regenerate. This would enable marine life to thrive once again, just as in the stories told by our fishermen about their childhood and first encounters with the living world of the sea. In such a scenario, local residents, other citizens of Montenegro, and all visitors to its coast would be able to wisely use and enjoy the endless resources of a healthy sea for generations to come.
Dusky Grouper – one of the symbols of MPA Katič
Through this project, MES wants to draw attention to the vulnerability of one of the largest predators of the Adriatic – the dusky grouper. Due to its specific life cycle and spawning habits, the populations of this species are extremely vulnerable, and their recovery is long and, under today’s pressures, almost impossible. The grouper is a so-called “umbrella species,” whose healthy populations keep in balance the populations of all those species that are directly or indirectly included in its food chain. Therefore, by monitoring the grouper, we track changes in an entire marine ecosystem. The grouper is the subject of research in this project also because, due to various pressures, it has become very rare in our sea, which is why it is necessary to collect high-quality data on its populations as soon as possible so that their recovery can be planned as efficiently as possible.
The grouper is a so-called “umbrella species,” whose healthy populations keep in balance the populations of all those species that are directly or indirectly included in its food chain. Therefore, by monitoring the grouper, we track changes in an entire marine ecosystem. The grouper is the subject of research in this project also because, due to various pressures, it has become very rare in our sea, which is why it is necessary to collect high-quality data on its populations as soon as possible so that their recovery can be planned as efficiently as possible.
Unusual and complex life cycle
The slow growth of grouper individuals as well as their unusual life cycle affect the recovery of populations. Each individual begins its life cycle as a female, and when it reaches a certain age and size, it transforms into a male. Females need five years to reach sexual maturity, and at least that much more to transform into males. Due to such a complex life cycle, and because it is naturally low in numbers, as one of the largest predatory fish of the Adriatic seabed, it is very sensitive to overfishing.
An oasis for natural recovery
MPAs, especially zones where fishing is completely prohibited, represent very important refuges for species that, like groupers, are overexploited, providing them space without disturbance, as well as time needed for the recovery of populations. When the number of individuals in this zone increases sufficiently, the so-called spillover effect occurs: from the strictly protected zone, individuals move into surrounding zones and out of the MPA, thus replenishing the fish stock of an entire area.
Research
The research, which MES is carrying out with expert support from the NGO Septentrion Environnement from Marseille, is divided into three phases:
- Mapping the seabed in order to identify micro-locations ideal for the presence of adult individuals of the large grouper (Summer 2019)
- Collecting data using the visual census method about young groupers and their habitats – shallow coastal zones with a gentle slope and heterogeneous, rocky substrate (Autumn 2019)
- Assessment of the population status of adult groupers (Autumn 2020)
In addition to field data, a tourist and economic evaluation of this species in this area will be conducted (spring 2021), based on the socio-economic analysis done at the beginning of the project.
Education
Education about the grouper, its habitats, and the importance of marine protected areas is conducted in schools located in the vicinity of this area.
Through a study visit to Buljarica and the islands of Katič and Sv. Neđelja (spring 2019), we pointed out the natural beauty, wealth, and distinctiveness of the future MPA Katič, but also promoted birdwatching as a very important form of accessible ecotourism in this area—one that, like many other forms of sustainable tourism, is not sufficiently represented in Montenegro.
The project is implemented by MES in cooperation with the NGO Green Home and the NGO Mediterranean Center for Environmental Monitoring, with financial support from the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF).
