The Nurs-Med project aims to advise on the designation of enhanced protection zones, incorporating essential nursery habitats for juvenile fish. It is financed within the framework of the “MedPan Small Projects”. Within this framework, Adrien, Virginie and Lucie carried out a field mission in the Adriatic region (Croatia and Montenegro).
In Croatia, the team joined their partners from the Sunce association and the “Sea and Karst” public institution. Together, they explored heterogeneous shallow-water nursery habitats (PFHs) around the island of Pakleni. PFHs are shallow habitats combining a mixed substrate of rocks, boulders and gravel on a gentle slope, offering numerous shelters for the development of juvenile fish of various species. In Montenegro, the field mission continued with partners from the Montenegrin Ecologists Society (MES) and MedCEM, where surveys were carried out along the coastal zone of the Katic marine protected area.
The main objective of this mission was to validate the preliminary mapping of nursery habitats identified remotely via satellite images, and to strengthen consultation with local managers on conservation issues.
Snorkeling and equipped with a GPS, the team carried out a slow drift survey along the coastline to locate, characterize and georeference the PFHs.
Their mapping will serve as a basis for discussions on future protection measures and the designation of new conservation zones within the marine protected areas investigated. While measures aimed at conserving adult populations generally concern harvesting actions, here we are talking about future measures to preserve the physical integrity of the seabed and the characteristics essential to its function as a nursery. 2 weeks of rich fieldwork, which strengthened cooperation between partners and ensured the smooth implementation of the project.
