engleski

The Role of Civil Society Organizations and the Fishing Sector in the Issue of Marine Waste in the Republic of Croatia

Although the problem of marine litter in the Croatian part of the Adriatic has been present for a long time, we still do not know the extent of the amount, distribution, and its composition. In addition, there is a lack of a sufficiently effective legislative and legal framework for its elimination, both globally, regionally, and nationally. In recent times, with the growth of personal responsibility and social influence, the role of civil society is gaining more and more importance. Civil society organizations can play an important role in the issue of marine litter by carrying out ecological coastal cleaning actions, while trying to influence the public in sensitizing and raising the level of environmental awareness by changing the way waste is handled on land. Non-governmental organizations, such as ecological associations and clubs of recreational divers, can significantly contribute to reducing the amount of marine waste by participating in its removal through ecological actions of coastal and shallow coastal cleaning. Also, fishing can contribute significantly by including the so- called Fishing for Litter practice, that is, the collection of waste found as by-catch in nets during trawl fishing and its disposal on the shore, where it is disposed of within the framework of existing waste management systems. This activity is a simple and very effective way of involving the fishing sector in reducing the amount of waste from the seabed. By applying appropriate protocols, methodology and training, these actors can significantly contribute to the collection of data on the amount, composition, and distribution of marine debris, thereby improving the national research program. Their importance is recognized as a measure to achieve good environmental status (GES) and is part of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EK). Considering the number in the Republic of Croatia – about 270 environmental associations, 150 diving clubs and 480 trawlers, the mass of actions that are carried out every year, and the social benefits of their engagement, they have great potential in removing marine waste, as well as raising the level of environmental awareness more widely to the public. Therefore, there is a justified need for networking of the public sector, civil society associations and scientific institutions in the organized implementation of the aforementioned activities in order to realize their potential.

ecological associations, diving clubs, fishing sector, waste washed up on the coast, waste on the seabed

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