Amend relevant national regulations for the application of ecosystem approach (EcAp), defined in the National Strategy for Integrated Coastal Zone Management of Montenegro, prepared by the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism in cooperation wit

Analyses of the state of marine environment indicate there is eutrophication and excessive pollution on certain locations, such as the Boka Kotorska Bay, marine area near Ulcinj, and partly near Budva and Bar. To remediate the existing and eliminate causes of further pollution, it is important to define objectives and undertake appropriate activities for achieving good environmental status of the sea. For this reason harmonisation of regulations and consequent harmonisation of monitoring programmes on the state of the marine environment with requirements relevant for application of EcAp as contained in the relevant EU legislation is crucial, primarily those from the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and the ICZM Protocol.
Activities
1. Additional analysis of key regulations should be performed starting from the preliminary analysis carried out in the course of preparing this Strategy, primarily for:
a. The Law on nature protection concerning inter alia the following issues:
−− definition of principles and norms (which are completely missing or are not integrated to the sufficient extent in the current provisions) that enable application of EcAp, paying special attention to the requirements of the ICZM Protocol and preservation of the completeness of valuable and specific coastal ecosystems: coastal forests, river estuaries, dunes and islands;
−− harmonisation with the List of protected species of the Protocol on Specially Protected Areas (SPA Protocol) from the aspect of protection of specific coastal ecosystems and marine species;
−− definition of obligations of in situ preservation of natural ecosystems, habitats and species;
−− adoption of a bylaw to detail the manner of establishing the prevailing public interest, the manner of informing the public and definition of compensatory measures.
b. The Law on forests concerning the questions of coastal forests protection, particularly those located outside protected areas.
c. Regulations governing coastal activities (urbanisation, shipping, concessions, geologic research, tourism, agriculture, transport), concerning the following issues:
−− protection of important ecosystems, remediation obligations, implementation of measures to mitigate negative impacts, implementation of compensation measures;
−− definition of principles, norms and instruments enabling application of EcAp (focusing on an equitable distribution of benefits from ecosystems, adjustment of planning and management practices to ecosystem characteristics, implementation of management actions on the level appropriate to solving the problem, encouraging intra- and inter-sectoral communication).
2. Based on the conducted analysis as well as on the pilot project to be implemented in the Boka Kotorska Bay, amendments of regulations should be suggested. Regulations should be amended in a synchronised manner as to ensure that the above-mentioned aspects of importance for EcAp application are considered in their entirety and to provide for mutual alignment of regulations.
3. Perform harmonisation of programmes for monitoring the state of marine ecosystem in the framework of regular implementation of the national Programme for Monitoring the State of the Environment in relation to EcAp objectives, target values and indicators developed within the Barcelona Convention and MEDPOL Programme. The need to ensure consistency of EcAp application with the obligations to transpose the Marine Strategy Framework Directive should be taken into account.