NGO Green Home, in cooperation with DOO Komunalne Djelatnosti Ulcinj, organized the third workshop in a series for fishermen, focusing on marine ecosystem protection from pollution, on Monday, 10 February 2025.

The aim of these workshops is to raise awareness and educate fishermen and citizens about the management of old fishing nets and plastic waste, which pose a serious threat to Ulcinj’s marine ecosystem, significantly affect the appearance of beaches, and create navigational hazards for boats.

The workshop was attended by representatives of fishing associations, NGOs, and institutions involved in waste management. Discussions focused on ways to improve the management of this type of waste in the Ulcinj municipality. It was concluded that cooperation between the local community and local authorities is essential to develop solutions to prevent improper disposal of waste along the coastal zone.

During the workshop, potential locations were identified for placing containers for discarded fishing nets. Fishermen also received training on sustainable fishing practices. Additionally, through collaborative work, participants identified ways in which fishermen can actively contribute to the protection of marine ecosystems.

The workshop was organized as part of the MARICES project (Marine Awareness, Recycling, and Innovation through Community Engagement and Solutions), which aims to prevent marine litter by improving the management of old fishing nets in the Ulcinj municipality. The project contributes to better collection of waste nets and explores opportunities to integrate them into a circular economy, including the potential production of new items from this material.

The MARICES project received indirect financial support from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation program, implemented through the Horizon Europe framework project REMEDIES.