The successful underwater cleaning action "Cleaner Sea for a Cleaner Life"

This year, the Institute of Marine Biology, in cooperation with friends of the Institute, marked Earth Day with an underwater cleaning action in a part of the Bay of Kotor, at the location of Prčanj in front of the Virgin Mary Temple. The action involved divers and staff from the Institute of Marine Biology, divers and staff from the Kotor Fire Department, Portonovi Marina, "Lukas Oysters Farm" (Milosevic Luka), and local divers, staff, and logistics from Montefish and DOO Komunalno Kotor.

A total of 21 people participated, including 13 divers. Over 3 cubic meters of solid waste were removed, weighing a total of 1320 kilograms, mostly glass and around twenty car tires. The majority of the waste was collected along the coast up to five meters deep. Based on the degree of overgrowth found on the items, we can conclude that most of the waste has been there for a considerable period, but a certain percentage of the waste is of more recent origin. The coastal area is under the greatest pressure and level of threat, as waste continues to be deposited from the coast into the sea without considering the consequences of such actions. The site where todays cleaning action was conducted is just one of many in the Bay of Kotor, which is why we will strive to organize such and similar actions in the future.

Once again, we would like to express special thanks to the friends who voluntarily participated in todays action.