Naum Ohridski 50

Phone/fax No. : ++ 389 46 231 050

The first scientific instution in the city of Ohrid was established in 1935. That was the Hydrobiliogical Institute, devoted to the research of the quality and living world of the freshwater resources, particularly of that of Lake Ohrid. This was the first research institute of its kind to be established on the Balkan Peninsula. The establishment of this institution was initiated by a very experienced researcher, at the time the best expert on Lake Ohrid, the worldwide renown Yugoslav environmentalist and limnologist, Acc. PhD Sinisa Stankovic.

The first written document about Lake Ohrid dates back to the middle of 19-th century, whereas the first important discoveries and scientific research were carried out in the last decade of the same century. Eminent zoologists from Vienna University (F.Steindachner & K.Sturany) found a number of endemic fish and snail species in Lake Ohrid. A zoologist from Zagreb, Spiridon Brusina, introduced the world to the importance of these findings, after which various scientific research of the Lake followed.

Towards the end of the last century Jovan Cvijic carried out a series of basic geomorphological, geological and limnological studies. The present knowledge about the Lake, its basin, structure and its origin are based on the data collected during these studies.

The flora and fauna of the Lake have undergone more detailed studies in the first decades of 20-th sectury. During the First World War, detailed geological and geomorphological studies of the Lake in the area of Ohrid and in some parts of Albania were carried out by the three German zoologists, F.Goebel, F.Kosmat & E.Nowack. In the period between the two World Wars, a comprehensive research and biogeographic analysis of the living world of the Lake Ohrid was carried out.

In 1960 the founder of the Hydrobilogical Institute, Sinisa Stankovic, compiled his past studies and published the title "The Balkan Lake Ohrid and Its Living World", published by the worldly renowned Monographie Biologicae, Den Haag.

Since its establisment in 1935, the Hydrobiological Institute has been stocking Lake Ohrid with artificially produced larvae and offspring of Ohrid trout and European eel.

The result of the research of Lake Ohrid are over 600 published scientific studies. Today, the Institute comprises several research units, as follows: physical and chemical properties of the water research unit, aquatic microbiology unit, phytoplanctonic and zooplanctonic research unit, macrophytic vegetation, benthonic fauna (animals living on the bottom) and chub-like fish, fish diseases and practical fishing with spawning sites.

The Institute of Hydrobiology is a public scientific organization that is open for cooperation with all related institutes, organizations and individuals involved in freshwater reasearch and protection.