A Decade of Successful Cooperation with Fishermen of Prespa and PPNEA

PPNEA has, since 2015, established a long-standing bilateral collaboration with the Fishery Management Organisation (FMO) of Prespa National Park, grounded in principles of information sharing and support for monitoring efforts. This organisation has been one of the key working partners actively supporting the implementation of biodiversity conservation work, assisting PPNEA staff in all the key species in focus and water monitoring fieldwork undertaken.

Through the project “Biodiversity Conservation in Transboundary Prespa”, supported by the Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT), PPNEA has focused on the protection of species such as the Pelican, Otters, and bat monitoring along the lake caves’ (those accessible by boats). All these monitoring activities require spending the day together around the lake area, including for the reptile monitoring on the Maligrad island. This has facilitated the transfer of important knowledge and information such as water level changes, historically and recently, conservation threats to species in the Prespa lake and exchange information on the transboundary situation for the Prespa lakes.

Over the time frame of 2024-2027, PPNEA is implementing a 3-year project “Protecting Prespa’s waters and wildlife in Prespa-Ohrid-Shebenik Ecoregion through Community Engagement”, supported by Prespa Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT). This project takes a landscape scale conservation perspective and expands activities into the Pogradec Landscape and Shebenik National Park. The FMO members actively contributed to the water level monitoring during the set up of the piezometer for the monitoring station established in Gorice e Vogel village.

This decade-long collaboration has not only provided logistical support for monitoring efforts but also fostered a culture of mutual information sharing for species protection. It has been instrumental in raising awareness among local fishermen about the importance of ecological responsibility.  In December 2023, PPNEA established a volunteering Otter Rescue Team, with fishermen being one of the most important target groups within the team. Their insights on otter presence and threats have been invaluable, and the information-sharing network has proven effective in mitigating threats and addressing otter incidents in Prespa Lake.

To solidify this ongoing cooperation, a Collaboration Agreement was signed between the Head of the FMO of Prespa and PPNEA’s Executive Director on April 30, 2024, at PPNEA’s local office in Goricë e Vogël village. This agreement will further strengthen joint conservation efforts in the coming years

At the last Otter Rescue Team meeting, whilst sharing our report and to show appreciation for the strong collaborative relationship and long-term support of the fishermen, PPNEA provided them with equipment to facilitate their day-to-day work. This partnership is not only an institutional success but also a model for integrating the local community—including fishermen and other Prespa residents—into the core ecological goals of PPNEA’s work

By: PPNEA