River Bojana/Buna Delta extends from Cape of Rodon in Albania to the entrance of Boka Bay in Montenegro. The area is under the influence of many freshwater inflows, including River Ishmi, River Mati, River Drini, the main River Bojana/Buna, and a few coastal lagoons. The River Bojana/Buna itself is the outflow of the nearby Lake Skadar/Shkodra, which is under the joint jurisdiction of Montenegro and Albania. The river has a length of 41 km and represents the second largest tributary of the Adriatic Sea (Petković & Sekulić 2019; Milošević et al. 2022), after the River Po in Italy. It is also second in terms of sediment supply (Del Bianco et al. 2015). Its delta is located in the middle of the area’s coastline. Before it enters the sea, the river splits into two branches, and creates an island (Ada Bojana Island). The southern branch creates the border between Montenegro and Albania, while the entire island falls within Montenegrin jurisdiction. The area does not include the estuary upstream of the meeting point of the river and the Adriatic Sea. The entire area is located directly opposite to the deepest part of the Adriatic Sea, the Southern Adriatic Pit, and is relatively close to the Strait of Otranto.

The area also includes the largest sandy beach of the eastern Adriatic (12 km long) which extends from the northern river branch northward. The beach is known for its unique sand dune vegetation and is recognised as a monument of nature (Stešević et al. 2020). The wider surrounding marine area is under the strong influence of the river, which supplies it with fine sediments and high nutrient concentrations (Marini et al. 2010; Campanelli et al. 2013; Del Bianco et al. 2015). An oceanic current disperses the river nutrients far northward through the waters of Montenegro (Marini et al. 2010). The Buna/Bojana River represents the southern counterpart of the River Po in the northern Adriatic, and it is easily distinguished in satellite images showing chlorophyll distribution in the Adriatic Sea (Marini et al. 2015).

Another important location is represented by the Kune-Vain lagoon complex, which is located on both sides of the estuary of the River Drini on the Adriatic coast. The area to the south comprises marshes and low-lying coastal lands that extend to the estuary of the River Mati. This complex spreads over 30 km², of which 11 km² are underwater, while the remainder are marshes, reeds, forests, shrubs, and cultivated lands (Miho et al. 2013).

This Important Shark and Ray Area is delineated from inshore and surface waters (0 m) to a depth of 200 m. The area is benthopelagic and includes both benthic habitats and the entire water column. The depth range was selected to encompass the entire area under strong river influence.