Mirko Đurović, Director of the Institute of Marine Biology, Kotor
The Director of the Institute of Marine Biology on science, climate change, and the fight for Montenegro’s marine future
The Montenegrin part of the Adriatic represents far more than tourism potential – it is a complex and sensitive ecosystem whose preservation directly affects the country’s quality of life, economy and sustainable development. At a time when climate change, intensive urbanisation and growing pressures on the coast are becoming ever more pronounced, the role of science and expert institutions takes on particular significance. We spoke with Mirko Đurović, Director of the Institute of Marine Biology in Kotor, about the state of the marine ecosystem, international research projects, the Institute’s future priorities, and the need for stronger investment in science.
How do you assess the current state of the marine ecosystem in the Montenegrin part of the Adriatic, and what are the greatest challenges we face?
The Adriatic ecosystem is shared by six states, with responsibility for its condition proportionate to the length of their coastlines. We are all equally responsible for the state of the marine ecosystem, whether it is Italy, which in essence covers almost half of the Adriatic, or Montenegro, whose share in managing the Adriatic ecosystem is around 5%. As in all the seas and oceans of the world, so too in the Adriatic, the movement of water masses is governed by particular laws, conditioned by a series of factors – primarily climatic – on which many physical and chemical processes in the sea depend, and directly with them the movement of food, the trophic food chains and so on. As one of the most popular tourism destinations in the Mediterranean, the marine ecosystem of the Adriatic – and of our part of it – suffers excessive anthropogenic pressures coming from both land and sea. Although we can still take pride in a sea of very high quality, microbiologically safe for bathing (over 95% is Category A), in other segments of the research carried out by the University of Montenegro – Institute of Marine Biology, we are uncovering signs of the struggle or disappearance of certain species and habitats along our coast. Together with the degradation of the coastal system along many stretches of our shore – most strikingly, the alteration of the coastline’s configuration and the permanent burial of communities of coastal-ecosystem organisms – we, as a society, show a very poor attitude towards perhaps the most valuable resource this country possesses. We are witnesses to the fact that similar problems exist in the neighbouring Adriatic states as well, and that, cumulatively, they result in a state of the Adriatic marine ecosystem with which we, as researchers, are not satisfied.
To what extent is climate change already affecting the biodiversity and marine life of the Adriatic?
Climate change is, unfortunately, one of the factors that intensify the negative anthropogenic impact, and, through their joint action, they accelerate the transformation of the Adriatic’s original marine ecosystem. One of the main consequences of climate change is the rise in average annual sea temperature, which in turn triggers a series of other changes in the marine ecosystem. One of the principal indicators of climate change is the ever-growing number of invasive species, which has already reached more than 50. Invasive species can be divided into two groups: the first comprises species that have arrived in the Adriatic ecosystem accidentally or deliberately (most often via the ballast water of transoceanic transport vessels); the second comprises species that have colonised the Adriatic, arriving from warmer seas as a result of rising temperatures and the creation of the preconditions for their growth and reproduction. Although the first group of invasive organisms is a direct consequence of their introduction into the Adriatic ecosystem, climate change – that is, the rise in sea temperature – has enabled their growth, development and the establishment of permanent populations along the Adriatic coast and on our seaboard. The speed at which invasive species are detected by the scientists of the Institute of Marine Biology and our colleagues along the eastern and western coasts has, over the past 30 years, been increasing steadily: at first, the detection of invasive species amounted to one discovery every two or three years, whereas today we detect several new species in a single year.
The Institute of Marine Biology has been one of the key scientific institutions in the region for years. Which projects are currently the focus of your team?
At present, more than 30 international, national and market-oriented projects are being implemented at the Institute of Marine Biology. The greatest benefit – not only for the Institute but also for the University of Montenegro – lies in implementing projects supported by the European Union through various programmes of inter-state cooperation, the Interreg programme and Horizon 2020. Through these projects, we further develop and upgrade the Institute’s infrastructure and create new employment opportunities for young research candidates, to whom we offer professional development and scientific research aligned with the best practices in marine ecosystem research worldwide. I would single out several projects whose implementation we expect will mark an even greater step forward in our work. The MEDIVERSEATY project, financed under the H2020 programme, engages two doctoral candidates; through it, we are developing our own system of electrified artificial reefs, which will enable the rapid recovery of ecosystems in particularly degraded habitats, as well as the analysis of micro-, meso- and macroplastics along the Montenegrin coast and their socio-economic effects on the coastal population. The BLUECONNECT project will enable the establishment of the first demonstration centre for closed-system fish farming at the Institute of Marine Biology, intended to serve as a place for learning about closed-system farming technology and as an initiator of the commercial expansion of this segment of mariculture in Montenegro. The project to establish NATURA 2000 areas in Montenegro’s marine ecosystem is one of the most challenging from the standpoint of fieldwork; all the Institute’s units are engaged in it, and it will run until the end of 2028, when these areas should be established. The SKILLS project is a strategic project financed under the Interreg South Adriatic programme; within it, the Centre for Training in the Blue Economy has been renovated and established at the Institute, and this year we are launching the first Summer School, which will bring together participants from Albania, Italy and Montenegro and provide them with the opportunity to acquire knowledge in the sustainable management of yachting and cruise tourism.
THE NUMBERS THAT SPEAK
• More than 95% of Montenegro’s bathing sites have seawater of the highest quality category.
• The Institute of Marine Biology employs 17 holders of doctoral degrees across various specialisations.
• More than 30 international and national projects are currently being implemented.
• More than 50 invasive marine species have been registered in the Adriatic, and their number is continuously rising.
• The Institute cooperates with more than 150 international scientific institutions and universities.
To what extent is Montenegro recognised in international scientific and research circles when it comes to marine research?
The Institute of Marine Biology currently employs 17 holders of doctoral degrees across several fields and specialisations in marine ecosystem research. The areas in question are fisheries and aquaculture, the study of plant and animal communities, marine microbiology, the study of plankton communities and marine chemistry. Through their scientific development and the international cooperation they have established, the Institute’s scientific staff have managed to break through and find their place within international frameworks, as reflected in both the number of projects implemented and the number of papers published with colleagues from abroad. When we take into account the very modest research conditions and very limited financial capacity of 20 years ago, from this distance one sees an exceptional advance by all the Institute’s researchers – their international recognition through invitations to serve as project partners, membership in various international bodies, and the achievement of results that are now the standard for all the younger colleagues only now coming of age in the scientific sense.
To what extent do the state and the economy recognise the importance of investing in science and the protection of the sea?
The European Union has a long-standing benchmark for investment in science, development and education – namely, 3% of GDP annually. Unfortunately, our country is far below this figure (0.36% by my calculations, though I should add the caveat that I do not have sufficiently up-to-date data). Without strong investment in science and development, we can hardly speak of any realistic basis for rapid progress in this field. I believe that in this way young people would be encouraged to commit to one of the areas of marine research, and that we would thereby increase the capacities we will need ever more with each passing year. I say this because our expectation that we will become an EU member by 2028 brings with it very serious challenges and tasks that our administration must deliver on an annual basis; and when it comes to marine-ecosystem research, our task will certainly be the collection, monitoring and reporting across a great many areas, which in itself entails the need for an increase in scientific and expert staff. As for the economy, here – to my knowledge – we have very few examples of any economic actor recognising the importance of investing in science and the sea. Unfortunately, approaches to the Institute most often come down to moments when a problem arises that disrupts a business’s operations, so we can speak only of “putting out fires.” I think the state, too, could have assessed – or obliged – all investors who use our resources to generate a certain capital or profit, so that some percentage of the investment or earnings be used exclusively for science and research, whether concerning the sea or terrestrial ecosystems.
Do tourism development and the urbanisation of the coast represent a threat to the marine ecosystem, and where do you see the balance between development and the preservation of nature?
This problem is pronounced across the entire Mediterranean, and so too here. In Montenegro, it is even more acute owing to the short length of the coast and ever-increasing urbanisation, which unfortunately shows no sign of slowing – on the contrary. The greatest problem is reflected in construction in the contact zone between sea and land, the absence of wastewater-treatment systems along much of the coast, and the dumping of excavated and construction material at sites along the shore, beside streams or springs – after heavy rains, a larger quantity of earth washes back into the sea, which is visible in all the municipalities that have this problem, and so on. The balance between development and sustainable development is, in my view, within the remit of the executive, legislative and local authorities. Unfortunately, to date, no executive or legislative authority has adopted a document of strategic significance that would give guidelines for the development of our society across all areas (tourism, ecology, agriculture and others) over the next 20 years, and that would give us a roadmap for how to achieve the best possible quality of life and a healthier environment. When, as a society, we obtain such a document, we create the preconditions for planning, development, and all that should accompany a better, more prosperous society.
PRIORITIES FOR THE PERIOD AHEAD
• Establishment of a Biological Station on Ada Bojana, one of the most significant biodiversity areas of the Adriatic.
• Development of an advanced sensor network for monitoring the sea and an early-warning system for changes in the ecosystem.
• Application of artificial intelligence in marine research and data processing.
• Establishment of NATURA 2000 marine areas in Montenegro by 2028.
• Strengthening capacities for educating new generations of researchers through the Centre for Training in the Blue Economy and international cooperation programmes.
How interested are young people today in science and marine biology, and does the Institute manage to retain expert staff in Montenegro?
The Institute of Marine Biology is the only scientific research institution that focuses exclusively on the marine ecosystem of the Montenegrin coast. The significance of the work and the responsibility for scientific research demand an exceptionally rigorous approach and sustained rigour throughout one’s entire career. For that reason, our recruitment criteria are exceptionally high: in addition to securing a grade-point average above 8.5 across undergraduate and master’s studies, we require future candidates to complete rotations through all laboratories and all types of fieldwork over a period of at least one year, so that we may then assess whether the candidates meet the preconditions for further scientific engagement at the Institute. The Institute always has open positions for new recruitment, and through this channel too, we invite outstanding students of the natural sciences – biology and chemistry above all – to approach us if they are interested in working at our institution.
What are your priorities as Director of the Institute in the period ahead?
The Institute of Marine Biology and its researchers always strive to keep pace with contemporary scientific trends and solutions for protecting the marine ecosystem. In that sense, there are two very important priorities with which we wish to take a further step towards advancing our research and applying modern solutions to the ecosystem of the Montenegrin coast. The priority is the establishment of a biological station on Ada Bojana, in the Municipality of Ulcinj, the southernmost part of our coast. The entire area of Ada Bojana and Velika Plaža (Long Beach) is designated as one of the biodiversity “hot spots” of the Adriatic, and so additional attention must be devoted to that area. The establishment of a biological station equipped with a modern sensor network that will monitor the quality of the physical and chemical parameters of seawater, fitted with devices and equipment for taking and preparing samples, as well as the possibility of researchers’ multi-day stays in the years to come, will mean a great deal for our new scientific findings and for higher-quality models of managing this area. The second priority is certainly the introduction of certain artificial intelligence models into our work, as tools that will, over the long term, assist us in scientific research and in modelling early-warning systems for various deviations in the marine ecosystem, in relation to the sensor network that will feed the future artificial intelligence. The realisation of the priority is at the stage of preparing the conceptual design, and I hope that by the summer of 2027, we will have a fully operational biological station.
How important is regional and international cooperation for the future of Adriatic research?
Without regional connectivity and rapid information exchange, there can be no timely response when the seas and oceans are so heavily burdened by various negative impacts. In that regard, over a longer period, we have created a network of more than 150 scientific research institutions, universities, cities and regions across Europe, with which we successfully carry out numerous international projects. We are members of all regional research expeditions conducted in the Adriatic and the Mediterranean, which are the best indicators and sources of data, since research is carried out using the same methodology and equipment throughout. One such expedition is MEDITS – the survey of demersal trawl resources in the Mediterranean, which has run since 1999 and is an excellent indicator of the actual movement of biomass among demersal fish species, crustaceans, and other organisms.
When we speak of the future of the seas and oceans globally, are you an optimist?
Always an optimist. Despite numerous “bad habits,” I think awareness of the importance of preserving the seas and oceans is changing drastically, and that future generations will certainly have a clearer vision for preserving them. It remains for us to pass on the knowledge we have gained, in the hope that it will indeed be so.