National Park Skadar Lake represents one of four national parks in Montenegro. In order to preserve the natural beauty and revitalize numerous cultural and historical monuments, on November 27, 1983, with the area of 40 000 ha, the Montenegrin part of the Skadar Lake was declared a national park (IUCN II category of protection – Protected natural good of great importance) of which 25 400 ha is a water surface, 14 600 ha peripheral land and swamp. Since 2005, the Albanian part of the Skadar Lake is also protected by the category “managed nature reserve” (IUCN category IV).
As a place of great natural value, in 1989, the lake received an IBA (Important Bord Areas) or an area of international importance for the stay of birds on all 40,000 ha, and in 1996 a part of the lake with an area of 20,000 ha was declared Ramsar area (World list of wetlands of international importance). Also, the lake has received the IPA status (Important Plant Areas) and the International Significant Plant Plant.
According to the criteria of the Berne Convention, in the Skadar Lake area, 17 Emerald habitats have been identified (areas where wild flora and fauna and their natural habitat are preserved in non-EU countries), while the list of Natura 2000 habitats is still not complete, although some habitats meet the conditions for obtaining the title “Specially Protected Areas”. These include: alluvial forests and offshore mixed forests. The lake is also proposed for nomination as a transboundary UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve.
National Park Skadar Lake belongs to the cities of Bar (Krajina I Crmnica), Cetinje (Rijeka nahija) and Podgorica (Lješanska nahija, Zeta and Malesija).
Special nature reserves are: Monastery Tapestry, Pancevo Eye and Black Grill, while the main attraction of the Lake is pelican, which is also the trademark of the lake. It attracts a large number of ornithologists every year and enchants them with its appearance.
Specialties from this region
In the area of the National Park Skadar Lake, between the mountains, in the south, and the lakes, the Crmnica region is located. Remarkably known for the cultivation of grapevine, home-made brandy and black wines of superior quality, you can visit famous wineries scattered all over the shores of the lake.
The specialties of the lake cuisine are smoked carp, marinated carp, baked rice with rice, trout and well-known dry cleansers that are dried in arches and then fried in light fires. In Virpazar, every December is a manifestation of Days of Wine and Dust, known for excellent food and pleasant atmosphere.