General Information
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The Institute of Marine Biology was established in 1961 by decree of the People’s Republic of Montenegro on the foundation of the Institute of Marine Biology, headquartered in Kotor (Official Gazette of the PR Montenegro, No. 29, published on 11 December 1961). Following a series of organisational changes, the Institute took on its current structure in 1997, and since 2004 has been an organisational unit of the University of Montenegro.
Over the past six decades, the Institutes primary scientific goal has been the study of marine and coastal ecosystems of the southern Adriatic Sea – including the composition and relationships of plant and animal communities with abiotic and biotic factors, and the functioning of the sea–coast system. Special attention is given to environmental changes caused by climate change and anthropogenic pressures.
The Institute’s research has a predominantly ecological character, with a focus on the southern Adriatic and the Bay of Kotor as a natural phenomenon of outstanding importance.
In addition to fundamental research, the Institute carries out numerous applied projects in areas such as environmental protection, marine fisheries, mariculture, and integrated coastal zone management. The outcomes of these projects are applied in various sectors and practices.
Sixty years of continuous work and the contribution of generations of scientists have established strong links between Kotor and Montenegro and major scientific centres across Europe and beyond, lending the Institute considerable international credibility. The Institute enjoys the full support of key state institutions – including the Ministry of Science, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Ministry of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism, the Montenegrin Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Municipality of Kotor, and the Government of Montenegro.
The Institute is recognised as a key reference point for all matters related to the research, protection, and sustainable use of the marine ecosystem of the Montenegrin coast and the southern Adriatic. Our strategic goal is to become the national reference institution for marine research and conservation – the natural continuation of six decades of dedicated scientific work.
The Institute of Marine Biology is the only scientific research institution in Montenegro dedicated exclusively to the study of the sea. In the past five years alone, Institute researchers have published 113 scientific papers indexed in leading international databases (SCI, SCIE, SSCI, and A&HCI).
As of 2025, the Institute comprises more than 40 employees, including 17 PhD holders, with 35% of the staff forming the non-academic workforce.
National and International Cooperation and Projects
The Institute of Marine Biology is a recognised and reliable project partner across Europe. As the only marine-dedicated research institution in Montenegro, it is ideally suited to participate in a wide range of international and national programmes.
In the past five years, the Institute has participated in a total of 76 projects, acting both as lead and partner institution.
The majority of international projects have been funded through European Union pre-accession instruments, including programmes such as FP7, INTERREG IPA, INTERREG MED, among others.
The Institute actively collaborates with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Its scientists are members of expert working groups on:
- the assessment of small pelagic and demersal fish stocks,
- small-scale coastal and recreational fisheries, and
- Institute representatives contribute to the work of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) under the regional FAO project AdriaMed – Scientific Cooperation to Support Responsible Fisheries in the Adriatic Sea.
In addition, the Ministry of Science of Montenegro has supported the Institute through the HERIC programme (Higher Education and Research for Innovation and Competitiveness, funded by the World Bank), while the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management has financed several national monitoring activities and the MIDAS II programme.
Since 2008, Montenegro has taken part in the Mediterranean Trawl Survey (MEDITS) – a programme mandatory for all EU Member States bordering the Mediterranean. Montenegro’s participation has been made possible through AdriaMed project support.
Commercial Activities
Alongside research projects, the Institute engages in a variety of market-oriented activities, including:
- monitoring the quality of seawater at public bathing sites along the Montenegrin coast,
- marine environment monitoring,
- inspection and surveillance of shellfish and fish farms,
- and the management of Boka Aquarium – Montenegro’s first public aquarium.
The Institute is certified for scientific research by the Ministry of Science, and its laboratories are accredited for sanitary analysis of seawater, and phytoplankton identification.
The increasing development of tourism, maritime transport, fisheries, and other marine-related sectors has led to mounting pressure on the Adriatic marine ecosystem. Climate change, ballast water discharge, and pollution have contributed to the growing presence of invasive species, including various fish, crustaceans, molluscs, and other organisms.
As a result, the protection and sustainable use of marine ecosystems now demand greater human and material resources, as well as sustained scientific engagement.
AdriBioPro – International Conference on Adriatic Biodiversity Protection
Since 2019, the Institute has organised AdriBioPro, a biennial international scientific conference dedicated to the protection and sustainable management of biodiversity in the Adriatic region.
The conference brings together researchers, policymakers, and relevant institutional and civil society stakeholders to exchange knowledge, shape environmental policies, and strengthen regional cooperation.
Conference topics include:
- marine and freshwater ecosystems,
- climate change,
- marine litter,
- aquaculture,
- and the blue economy, with a particular focus on bridging science and practice.
Further information is available on the official conference website: AdriBioPro – Conference Website
Useful Links
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