Traditional cleanup action held in Tribunj
The Adria Fishermen’s Cooperative once again organized the now traditional cleanup action of the fishing port in Tribunj. The activities took place on May 22, International day for biological diversity, as part of the #BeGreenGoBlue campaign.
7 Cubic meters of waste removed from the seabed and shore
The cleanup covered the waters of the Tribunj fishing port and the land area of the St. Nicholas breakwater.
-A significant amount of waste was pulled from the sea during the action, thanks to the efforts of divers from Vodice, Tribunj, Split, Šibenik, and Vranjic,- confirmed Matea Lovrić, manager of the Adria Fishermen’s Cooperative.
A total of 675 kilograms of waste was collected, amounting to 7 cubic meters. Monitoring of marine litter was carried out by students from the Maritime School in Split, who are involved in the FishNoWaste project.
-It is important to conduct marine litter monitoring to track the situation at specific locations and identify sources of marine pollution, – said Tea Kuzmičić Rosandić, Head of the Department for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development at Sunce.
‘Without those who spend time at sea, there are no sustainable solutions‘
After the field activities within the FishNoWaste project, a panel discussion titled “Passive catch, active responsibility: legislation and practice in fisheries” was held at the Tribunj cultural center.
The discussion brought together experts as well as representatives from institutions, the scientific community, civil society organizations, and the fisheries sector itself, with the aim of identifying challenges and opportunities to improve waste management systems in fisheries.
The panel began with the topic of the importance of proper handling of passively caught waste. The discussion addressed the current legislative framework, challenges in its implementation in the field, and specific solutions that could facilitate proper waste disposal and ensure a more efficient system.
One of the panelists, Valentina Andrić from the Ministry of agriculture, provided insight into the legal obligations of fishermen and emphasized the importance of informing them about their rights and responsibilities, as well as the role of institutions in clearer and more accessible communication with users in the field.
Fisherman Božidar Blaslov pointed out practical challenges in fishing ports—from lack of information to inconsistent infrastructure—and offered suggestions to make the system simpler and more adapted to the daily lives of fishermen.
Andrea Ivanković from WWF addressed the problem of abandoned fishing gear (ghost gear) and its devastating impact on marine ecosystems, while prof. dr. Pero Tutman from the Institute of oceanography and fisheries in Split highlighted the serious environmental issue of the omnipresence of marine litter in the Adriatic. He particularly emphasized the need for systematic cooperation between the scientific community, fishermen, and local communities in developing effective and applicable models for collecting and managing waste in the fisheries sector.
The discussion concluded that there is room and need for improvement in the legislative framework, communication, and infrastructure, but also a strong willingness among all involved to collaborate.
-This panel discussion was part of training for the fisheries sector, aiming to actively involve the fishing sector, because without those who spend every day at sea, there are no sustainable solutions,- emphasized Kuzmičić Rosandić, manager of the FishNoWaste project at Sunce.
