Description
The project aims to restore and protect critical habitats for the endemic trout populations by securing free-flowing tributaries as spawning sanctuaries. This project marks a shift from previous conservation attempts, focusing on removing obsolete barriers, halting new hydropower development in key areas, and engaging local communities in the ecological stewardship of their waterways. By conducting in-depth field research, dye tracer studies, and feasibility assessments for barrier removal, the project will produce a scientifically-backed conservation action plan. Through active collaboration with local communities, government authorities, and hydropower stakeholders, this project aims to build a sustainable model of river basin management. In addition to providing legal support to oppose harmful hydropower projects, the project promotes eco-tourism and sustainable economic activities, ultimately ensuring a resilient future for the Neretva’s unique fish species and the broader ecosystem on which local populations depend.