Neretva River -- a magnificent and vulnerable natural heritage and a priceless treasure of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Today, foolish and corrupted Bosnian leaders and politicians are not satisfied with usage of the Neretva waters with 2/3 of the Neretva under an absolutely excessive utilization, so they call for more "sustainable" requisition of the Neretva head waters, the last untouched and unspoiled section of the Neretva.
They brazenly call it "national interest" while the nation echoing with public outcries for the preservation and statutory protection of the Neretva, its tributaries and surroundings.
Today, foolish and corrupted Bosnian leaders and politicians are not satisfied with usage of the Neretva waters with 2/3 of the Neretva under an absolutely excessive utilization, so they call for more "sustainable" requisition of the Neretva head waters, the last untouched and unspoiled section of the Neretva.
They brazenly call it "national interest" while the nation echoing with public outcries for the preservation and statutory protection of the Neretva, its tributaries and surroundings.
Neretva Trout -- Endemic and endangered species
Endemic Salmonids & Ciprinids of the Neretva
Dinaric karst water systems inhabit 25% of the total of 546 fish species in Europe. Watercourses of this area inhabits a large number of endemic species of fish. The river Neretva and its tributaries represent the main drainage system in the east Adriatic watershed and the foremost ichthyofaunal habitat of the region. According to Smith & Darwall (2006) the Neretva river, together with four other areas in the Mediterranean, has the largest number of threatened freshwater fish species.
Degree of endemism in the karst eko-region is greater than 10% of the total number of fish species. Numerous species of fish that inhabited this area live in very narrow and limited areal and are vulnerable, so they are included on the Red List of endangered fish and the IUCN-2006. The Adriatic basin has 88 species of fish, of which 44 are Mediterranean endemic species, and 41 are Adriatic endemic species. More than half of the Adriatic river basins species of fish inhabit the Neretva, the Ombla, the Trebišnjica, the Morača rivers and their tributaries, and more than 30 are indigenous.
Salmonids fishes from the Neretva basin show considerable variation in morphology, ecology and behaviour. The Neretva also has many other endemic and fragile life forms that are near extinction.
Among most endangered are three endemic species of the Neretva trout: Neretvan Softmouth trout (Salmothymus obtusirostris oxyrhinchus Steind.), Toothtrout (Salmo dentex) and Marble trout (Salmo marmoratus Cuv.).
All three endemic trout species of the Neretva are endangered mostly due to the habitat destruction or construction of large and major dams (large as higher than 15-20 m; major as over 150-250 m) in particular and hybridization or genetic pollution with introduced, non-native trout, also from illegal fishing as well as poor management of water and fisheries especially in form of introduction of invasive allochthonous species (dams, overfishing, mismanagement, genetic pollution, invasive species).
Endemic Salmonids & Ciprinids of the Neretva
Dinaric karst water systems inhabit 25% of the total of 546 fish species in Europe. Watercourses of this area inhabits a large number of endemic species of fish. The river Neretva and its tributaries represent the main drainage system in the east Adriatic watershed and the foremost ichthyofaunal habitat of the region. According to Smith & Darwall (2006) the Neretva river, together with four other areas in the Mediterranean, has the largest number of threatened freshwater fish species.
Degree of endemism in the karst eko-region is greater than 10% of the total number of fish species. Numerous species of fish that inhabited this area live in very narrow and limited areal and are vulnerable, so they are included on the Red List of endangered fish and the IUCN-2006. The Adriatic basin has 88 species of fish, of which 44 are Mediterranean endemic species, and 41 are Adriatic endemic species. More than half of the Adriatic river basins species of fish inhabit the Neretva, the Ombla, the Trebišnjica, the Morača rivers and their tributaries, and more than 30 are indigenous.
Salmonids fishes from the Neretva basin show considerable variation in morphology, ecology and behaviour. The Neretva also has many other endemic and fragile life forms that are near extinction.
Among most endangered are three endemic species of the Neretva trout: Neretvan Softmouth trout (Salmothymus obtusirostris oxyrhinchus Steind.), Toothtrout (Salmo dentex) and Marble trout (Salmo marmoratus Cuv.).
All three endemic trout species of the Neretva are endangered mostly due to the habitat destruction or construction of large and major dams (large as higher than 15-20 m; major as over 150-250 m) in particular and hybridization or genetic pollution with introduced, non-native trout, also from illegal fishing as well as poor management of water and fisheries especially in form of introduction of invasive allochthonous species (dams, overfishing, mismanagement, genetic pollution, invasive species).
