The Assembly of Dubrovnik-Neretva County, at its session held on 10 December 2004, adopted a Decision on the establishment of the Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Values ​​in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County.

Pursuant to the Nature Protection Act (Official Gazette No. 80/13, 15/18, 14/19, 127/19 and 155/23), the Public Institution for the Management of Protected Natural Areas of Dubrovnik-Neretva County manages 35 protected natural areas of Dubrovnik-Neretva County. The Public Institution's activities include the protection, maintenance and promotion of protected natural areas with the aim of protecting and preserving the authenticity of nature, ensuring the undisturbed development of natural processes and the sustainable use of natural resources, and supervising the implementation of conditions and measures for nature protection for the area it manages.

In accordance with the Regulation on the Ecological Network and the responsibilities of public institutions for the management of ecological network areas (Official Gazette No. 80/19, 119/23 and 87/25), 2 areas important for the conservation and achievement of a favourable status of wild bird species of interest to the European Union, as well as their habitats, areas important for the conservation of migratory bird species, and in particular wetlands of international importance (Important Bird Conservation Areas - IBC), 38 areas important for the conservation and achievement of a favourable status of other wild species and their habitats, as well as natural habitat types of interest to the European Union (Important Species and Habitat Conservation Areas - IBC), 31 special conservation areas important for species and habitat types - IBCs and 2 probable conservation areas important for species and habitat types (vBCs).