Winner of the University of Montenegro Award: Scientific Associate of the Institute of Marine Biology, Dr. Vesna Mačić

The scientific associate of the Institute of Marine Biology, Dr. Vesna Mačić, studies the seabed, which, as she says, is neither simple nor cheap, nor can it be carried out successfully by one person as an individual. For that reason, she sees the recognition for the achieved results and contributions to the development of scientific research, artistic and professional work at the Institute of Marine Biology as a merit of all her colleagues with whom she cooperates both in the country and abroad.

Owing to this work, this year in the Bay of Kotor we have the settlements of golden coral (Savalia savaglia) which are unique in the Mediterranean, as well as three nature parks in the sea "Platamuni", "Katic" and "Old Ulcinj" under preventive protection.

"It is clear that these declarations of protection on paper are not enough and that more comprehensive measures, financial investments and socio-political awareness are needed in order to enable the survival of the functionality of marine ecosystems and their sustainable use." The situation with the corona virus pandemic has shown us how powerful the smallest organisms can be, and how helpless man, with all the most modern technology, is. That is why investing in the study and preservation of the sea and nature in general is always the right decision, and for me it is an inexhaustible motivation ", points out Dr. Mačić.

We are witnessing, she adds, that in recent years more and more people are planning to use the sea not only for transport but also for obtaining healthy food, new raw materials for the pharmaceutical and other industries, for the application of new renewable energy technologies and for mitigating the consequences of climate change.

"On the other hand, although we need the sea so much, the surface of the Moon is better explored than the seabed, and the results we now obtain on the state of marine organisms indicate that many regressive changes are caused by various pressures that man is increasing exponentially," explains Dr. Macic.