2024-2025

MedCEM is partner in the ENGAGE project - Enhancing protection of nature and biodiversity of the “South Adriatic Ionian Strait” in the programme area – funded by the European Union under the Interreg IPA South Adriatic Programme 2021-2027.
The main goal of ENGAGE is to contribute to protecting the environment and ensuring sustainable development of the ecologically significant area of the 'South Adriatic Ionian Strait', considered an Ecologically or Biologically Significant Area between Italy, Albania, and Montenegro, through multidisciplinary actions and the exchange of good practices.

Project total budget: 132.102,48 €
EU funding: 109.338,08 €
Project duration: 01.02.2024 – 31.01.2025

Project partners:

• Management Consortium of Torre Guaceto (Italy) – Lead Partner
• Albanian Center for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development (Albania)
• Montenegro Dolphin Research (Montenegro)
• Mediterranean Center for Environmental Monitoring (Montenegro)
• Legambiente Molise Aps (Italy)

Engage Project Template

2018-2021

CEPF project ''Support local community's involvement in protection and promotion of the potential marine protected area - Katič'' with NGO partners Green Home and Montenegin Ecologist Society. This project targeted conservation of 3 species: Posidonia oceanica, Epinephelus marginatus and Monachus monachus. It resulted with many positive outcomes, studies and follow-ups, including final establishing of MPA Katič.

MARINE PROTECTED AREAS (MPAs)

from Wikipedia

Marine protected areas (MPA) are protected areas that can come in many forms ranging from wildlife refuges to research facilities. MPAs restrict human activity for a conservation purpose, typically to protect natural or cultural resources. Such marine resources are protected by local, state, territorial, native, regional, national, or international authorities and differ substantially among and between nations. This variation includes different limitations on development, fishing practices, fishing seasons and catch limits, moorings and bans on removing or disrupting marine life. MPA is accepted as the most effective approach to protection of seas and oceans and marine life in it.

2014-2016

Three year exploration and inventory of all marine caves on Montenegrin coast, as potential habitat for endangered monk seals (Monachus monachus). This exploration was performed with collaboration of Institute of Marine Biology in Kotor (IBMK), Greek NGO Archipelagos and Montenegrin Speleological Society. It resulted with three published reports at the end of each year.

2013 Report

2014 Report

2015 Report

2012-2014

Project ''Economic benefits of sustainable development and potential blue carbon value of future MPA Katic'' financed by MedPAN, MAVA, FFEM and Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation. This multitasking project resulted with several studies about Blue carbon, assessment and mapping of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows and installation of pilot eco-moorings in future MPA Katič. This was the first Blue carbon project implemented in the Mediterranean.

2008

Preparation and publishing a book : ''Underwater World of Montenegro'' - first diving guide ever written about Montenegrin part of the Adriatic Sea. It includes various data, the famous and unknown diving locations as reefs, cliffs, caves, shipwrecks and sunken planes. This book is also the first mentioning of possibility to create an MPA (Marine Protected Area) in Montenegro.