Heal the Bay: California Scientists on a Working Visit to Montenegro

The “Heal the Bay” initiative, focused on the protection and sustainable development of the Bay of Kotor, continues to grow through strengthened international and scientific cooperation, as well as through the current visit of prominent American experts in marine ecology. The initiative builds on the spirit of WindFest as a year-round effort—a natural continuation of the festival’s idea of preserving the sea and life by the sea.

 

As highlighted by Miloš Gezović, one of the initiators, “Heal the Bay” brings together a wide range of participants—from the local community and activists to scientific institutions and international partners—with a shared goal of long-term protection of the bay and responsible management of its resources, in line with UNESCO recommendations and European standards.

 

A key value of the initiative lies in the collaboration between the University of Montenegro – Faculty of Maritime Studies in Kotor and the Institute of Marine Biology, and the University of California, Santa Barbara. This partnership, born out of the sister-city relationship between Kotor and Santa Barbara, has already grown into concrete scientific and research work, including student exchanges and the preparation of a joint report on the ecological and economic aspects of managing the Bay of Kotor.

 

Following the visit of Montenegrin researchers to California, a return visit by American scientists Jenn Caselle and Steven Gaines is currently underway. Through fieldwork, meetings, and workshops, the teams are working on defining concrete proposals for better marine protection and more sustainable tourism development.

 

A special focus in the next phase will be on involving young people, who will work alongside experts in research and analysis, contributing to the development of long-term, practical solutions.

 

At the same time, the initiative is developing a digital platform to track its activities, while a documentary film is also planned to capture its progress and results.