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Between 1993 and 2000 war ravaged Croatia. 10 years later this ancient Baltic state thanks to its pristine waters, species rich environment, ancient towns and villages and the wisdom of ist people, succeeded the challenge of a reconstruction and reconciliation process, developing an excellent tourism plan. At this moment in time a strongly contested plan for oil exploration and all the inconveniences incumbent to seismic research are projected.

The Northern Adriatic is one of the most productive natural areas in the Mediterranean Sea, highly ranked for its biological productivity and contribution to different life stages of threatened, endangered or declining species and their habitats. The highest density of Bottle Nose Dolphin population in the Mediterranean is found here. It is a major feeding ground for the rare loggerhead turtle.

The South Adriatic Ionian Strait are an important habitats of the Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris ) protected by both the UNEP Convention on Biodiversity and Barcelona Convention SPAW Protocols. There are other significant densities of protected megafauna which include the giant devil ray (Mobula mobular), the striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba), the declining Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) and a variety of other ‘vulnerable marine life formst that have a slow recovery rate.

The unique Jabuka/Pomo Pit hosts the largest populations of Norway lobster and their juveniles living in depths of over 200 m. This is the Middle Adriatic which precedes the deeper South Adriatic Pit and Basin which runs into the the borders of the Ionian Sea. A proposal for long term oil exploration in these zones is largely contested by local populations who call for the preservation of a land and sea that all too reently was subjected to a regime of deprivement and terror, but where their islands , their history, environment and marine life, are one of the Mediterranean’s major treasures.

Image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/Croatian_islands_map.png

Image source: http://www.croatiatraveller.com/Maps/CroatiaIslands.htm

See also

Croatians 'sleep-walking' into destroying tourism with Adriatic energy industry
www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/09/adriatic-coast-oil-gas-exploration-opposition-cherie-blair-summit

Slovenia examines Croatian oil exploitation impact on environment
www.balkaneu.com/slovenia-examines-croatian-oil-exploitation-impact-environment/

Downloads

Letter to Croatian Government - English (120Kb)

Official Form to the Croatian Government - Croatian (124Kb)