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Preservation of Marine life & water resources in Montenegro

Marine pollution is a burning issue and a growing problem in the contemporary world. This phenomenon is part of a global environmental pollution problem, which is more and more visible and present in our lives today than ever before. Water is a place where life began and is one of humans’ essential resources.

However, our ocean is not only essential for human life but many other species too. Having in mind that we live in an already defined ecosystem, we have to be aware that our actions affect other species and vice versa.

What actions will we take to prevent further damage?

Given the previously stated issue, we can conclude how important to our existence the preservation of marine life and water resources is. There are two main causes of ocean pollution: chemicals and litter. These pollutants are a direct consequence of humans’ damaging life habits.

Harbors and ports have their share of responsibility in these problems, and we, as the biggest and one of the most significant ports in this part of Europe, feel the urge to take our part seriously, and openly initiate the awareness of this problem whilst taking further steps to limit the damage to our planet and oceans.

Marinas are gatekeepers to the natural world, and today, we are talking about the importance of preservation to Marine life & water resources in Montenegro, as well as what the role of harbors have on in it, and what we, as a part this can do and will do to contribute to the fight for its protection.

Water resources in Montenegro - the enchanting story of Montenegrin nature’s potential

Everyone who visits Montenegro becomes entrapped by its enchanting nature. Even though it is one of the smallest countries in this part of Europe, there are so many natural attractions within its borders to discover and cherish.

From the highest peaks of its mountain massifs to the impressive Adriatic coast – when you are in Montenegro it seems that there is something to admire at every turn. The same goes for its numerous rivers. More than a dozen rivers cross the Montenegrin borders, carrying strong potential with its fast flow.

Rivers Tara, Piva, and Lim together create a wide network of streams that rush straight to the Black Sea. However, when talking about water resources in Montenegro we shouldn’t exclude Montenegrin lakes such as the Black Lake, Pešića Lake, Skadar Lake, and many others as an important part of the Montenegrin natural wealth.

Rivers and lakes are indeed one of the greatest natural treasures of Montenegro, and thanks to these waters, there are a lot of freshwater resources in Montenegro. Even though Montenegro uses only about 20% of its water resources, besides the Pljevlja coal-fired Thermal Power Plant, most of the electric energy comes specifically from the Perucica and Piva Hydropower Plants.

Freshwater resources in Montenegro

Having in mind the fact that 95% of Montenegrin watercourses are formed within the borders of the country, we could easily say that water is Montenegro’s biggest natural resource. Up to 52% of the country’s surface is covered with rivers, of which most eventually find their way to the Danube – to the north, while the rest of the country’s rivers flows to the Adriatic – to the south.

Montenegro has an abundance of high-quality underground and surface waters. They are clean, fresh, and full of underwater life. Lake Skadar is the largest natural freshwater lake in the Balkans, and it has been proclaimed a national park in Montenegro.

Potential problems in the future for water resources in Montenegro

Even though Montenegro is rich in freshwater, the predictions are not optimistic due to global climate change and environmental problems. In general, it is estimated that climate change will affect the condition of water resources – some of the springs will dry out because of high temperatures, and the rivers will experience intermittent flow.

Even though rich in waters, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Milutin Simović stated that “Montenegro belongs to the Dinaric karst terrain, whose basic characteristic is the irregular dispersion of sources and depths to the level of groundwater, and as a result, we have an uneven distribution of water in the territory of Montenegro.”

Which in the future could affect the southern region of Montenegro, as the most vulnerable part to climate change.

prikaz luksuzne jahte na Jadranskom moru

The importance of marine life preservation and water resources in Montenegro

Even though the water quality of rivers, lakes, sea, and groundwater is considered satisfactory in Montenegro at the moment, it is obvious that we cannot neglect the fact that we are part of the bigger picture, and that we must do everything in our power to protect our natural potentials.

At the moment, prevailing pollutants in Montenegro are mainly the result of inappropriate wastewater management from settlements and industry. Sewage carries bacteria and viruses that are harmful to humans, but it also can sicken and kill marine life, including coral reefs – the greatest protection of sea life and marine biodiversity.

The Adriatic Sea has been also affected by global pollution problems in the last few years, which became more and more visible lately. There is a worrying amount of plastic in the coastal regions, which might be the biggest problem of Marine pollution world-wide.

Plastic bags and packaging are at the moment killing wildlife inside the Ocean, but on the coast as well – it is estimated that plastic alone is killing animals across 80 different species, including birds and sea turtles.

The role of Harbors in Marine life preservation

As we mentioned in the previous text, there are two main causes of ocean pollution: chemicals and litter, and Harbors can be the potential causes of both of these polluters. Namely, oil can be released from ships which can do tremendous damage to marine life, and bad management of litter in Harbors can also be a major problem.

The habits of the recreational boating community, if not properly managed can be also a potential problem for oceans and the sea. That is why we implement more and more advice from renowned Yacht Associations in adopting better practices to minimize impacts that boating activities might have on marine wildlife and habitats.

Porto Montenegro advocates for the preservation of marine life and water resources in Montenegro

We have already written about Porto Montenegro’s proud membership in the Yacht Harbour Association. This is exactly one of those renowned Yacht Associations we thought of when talking about advisory and supporting its members and followers to adopt better practices to protect our fragile environment.

We are delighted to say that one organization we are recognized by is soon launching the International Clean Marina program. The focus of the Clean Marina program will be to assist the marina industry operators in their aspiration to preserve marine life and water resources – inland as well as coastal waterways.

Until then, Porto Montenegro advocated for the preservation of marine life and water resources in Montenegro, by offering a full-service homeport including maintenance facilities, 24/7 yacht assist, gray and black water disposal, and many more platinum-rated marina services within contemporary ecology standards.

As part of the marine industry, sailing is our passion, and the sea is our second home. We are very well aware of the great responsibility we have in helping to safeguard its clean and healthy future, and we are looking forward to maintaining our good practices and improving them whenever we can according to the latest ecological standards and innovations.