The construction of small hydropower plants (MHP) on the tributaries of the Tara River could permanently endanger the natural spawning grounds of indigenous trout, warn sports fishermen from Kolašin.
They say that Tara's tributaries are extremely important for the eco-system of the river, and that MHP projects have a negative impact in many ways.
Fishermen remind us that native trout "run away" to the tributaries during spawning, because "smaller and calmer waters" favor them.
"The cold, oxygen-rich tributaries, in the period from October to the end of November, when the trout spawn, as well as in the period from April to May, when the grayling, sable and bream spawn, are full of life. Suitable conditions for spawning are not only in the larger Tara tributaries such as Plasnica, Pčinja and Drcka, but also in the watercourses that flow into those tributaries. A large amount of autochthonous trout spawns in tributaries that do not have great strength and water level oscillations and have an ideal temperature, amount of oxygen and aquatic insects," sports fisherman Miodrag Maki Bulatović tells "Vijesti".
According to him, hydropower plants affect the quality of water, the temperature of the water increases, the bottom of the catchment area fills with decaying leaves over time, which further depletes the water of oxygen.
He also explains that most of the water from the water intake goes through kilometers of pipes, in order to get more energy, while the biological minimum remains in the main basin. That amount, claims Bulatović, is not enough for the undisturbed stay of the fish.
"Water level oscillations, which occur due to the release and closure of water under the HPP, are also a big problem. Fish spawn in some places while the turbines are working, and when they are turned off, they remain on dry land and a large number of eggs die due to lack of water."
According to the president of the Sports Fly Fishing Club (SFFK) "Maniro", Mile Lazarević, the construction of the HPP causes disruptions from which nature is very difficult to recover from. He warns that the implementation of those projects "has tragic consequences for the fish stock".
"The natural habitat is disturbed and the migration of fish is prevented. It is known that fish, by reducing the amount of water during the summer months, migrate towards the source, looking for larger and cooler water with more oxygen. Trout species, which are most abundant in our small rivers, stay away from the main streams during spawning, looking for calmer water, so that they can spawn in peace. Any disruption of that process has tragic consequences for the fish stock".
And when the Tara becomes cloudy, explains the president of the Spot fishing club "Tara i Morača" Momir Živković, "the fish escapes to the cleaner water of the tributary".
According to him, with the construction of the HPP, the tributaries are left without enough water, and the fish without a natural breeding ground.
"Concessionaires are required to make fish lanes in the part where the water is caught, until the water exits the power plant. That is, it must be possible to have plenty of water, that part of the bed must not be without water... I heard from the concessionaire, who is building the MHP at Skrbuša, that they have committed themselves to stocking the river. However, you should know that in Montenegro, as well as in the surrounding area, there are no autochthonous fry. According to the Law on Freshwater Fisheries, it may not be stocked with other fish. Not all rivers have the same type of fish, nor do all watersheds," said Živković. Because of all this, as he says, in SRK "Tara and Morača" are against the construction of MHP and give "full support to all river defenders".
According to Bulatović, "fish paths" have so far proven to be a bad solution. Previous examples have shown, he claims, that the riverbeds remain dry after the construction of the HPP.
Inspections rarely visit the rivers, says Bulatović, so they do not control how the concessionaire fulfills its obligations.
Bulatović also draws attention to inadequate stocking.
"Indigenous fish cannot be bought and introduced. Local fishermen are content with putting in a small amount of genetically defective (non-native) fish, which is far more damaging than immediate benefit".
Most of the concessionaires do not respect the obligation to leave enough water for "fishing paths", Lazarević claims.
"It is done only to fulfill the form. The fish paths were made so that the fish would have to complete the mountaineering course to jump over the obstacles created by the construction of the water intake".
Tara threatened from every side
Bulatović reminds that Tara has been suffering devastation for years due to various interventions in the construction of the highway, as well as numerous "excavations and illegal exploitation of gravel".
He states that it will take decades to form the river bed necessary for aquatic life.
"Given the state of the Tara, the tributaries are extremely important for the preservation of genetic material. Also, I would like to point out that the hatchery within the NP "Biogradska gora", which was built with foreign donations, is not being used. That hatchery should fill our rivers with real fish of pure genetic material".
The "tear of Europe", as Tara is also called, now sounds ironic, says Lazarevic. That river and its tributaries are "deserted".
"They were destroyed by the construction of the highway, various types of pollution, illegal fishing... It must be understood that the river and its tributaries are a connected system, so any disturbance in one has a great impact on other parts as well," says Lazarevic.
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