The extremely windy weather in spring and summer this year prevented our team from conducting expeditions to study the numbers and distribution of cetaceans along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast during these seasons. Instead, a period of relatively calm weather offered September. Of course, we immediately took advantage, and from September 23rd to 27th, association experts covered pre-determined transects in the 12-mile zone and collected unprecedented data on the distribution and abundance of our marine mammals in September.
This is the first expedition held in September. For a total length of transects of 414 kilometers, we recorded 26 observations with a total of 57 individuals. So far, we can summarize that we have the most sightings of bottlenose dolphin (14 sightings with 30 individuals), less of common dolphin (6 sightings with 19 individuals) and for the first time the least of harbour porpoise (6 sightings with 8 individuals). With these results, we marked a kind of record, albeit a negative one, since we have been conducting these expeditions, that is, for 8 years now.
We have yet to analyze the data. Whether the low numbers are due to the season (first September expedition) or some extreme factors, we will find out later. It is worth noting that this is a season with high numbers of some large predatory fish species in our waters - bonito and bluefish. This may also have an impact on the distribution of smaller fish species, which are a food base for cetaceans and especially the harbour porpoise and the common dolphin.
An alarming fact is the density of nets set for catching bonito and bluefish. In places, literally the entire coast was fenced with such, for example, the section between Ahtopol and Sozopol. We remind you that overfishing is one of the biggest threats to the sea and its inhabitants and the main reason for the decline in the number of some fish species! Unfortunately, the fish is harvested (i.e. fishing) from the sea at a rate greater than that the species can replenish its population naturally, which represents a true looting of the marine ecosystem. We will not get tired of repeating that the sustainable use of resources is beneficial not only for the environment, but also for the livelihood of the people.
Last but not least, our team also collected data on the distribution of the yelkouan shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan). The data show that the migration of the species in the Black Sea has already started and is running in full force. We will continue to monitor this process during our next expeditions.
For contact:
Dimitar Popov - dpopov@greenbalkans.org
Galina Meshkova - gmeschkova@greenbalkans.org
This is the first expedition held in September. For a total length of transects of 414 kilometers, we recorded 26 observations with a total of 57 individuals. So far, we can summarize that we have the most sightings of bottlenose dolphin (14 sightings with 30 individuals), less of common dolphin (6 sightings with 19 individuals) and for the first time the least of harbour porpoise (6 sightings with 8 individuals). With these results, we marked a kind of record, albeit a negative one, since we have been conducting these expeditions, that is, for 8 years now.
We have yet to analyze the data. Whether the low numbers are due to the season (first September expedition) or some extreme factors, we will find out later. It is worth noting that this is a season with high numbers of some large predatory fish species in our waters - bonito and bluefish. This may also have an impact on the distribution of smaller fish species, which are a food base for cetaceans and especially the harbour porpoise and the common dolphin.
An alarming fact is the density of nets set for catching bonito and bluefish. In places, literally the entire coast was fenced with such, for example, the section between Ahtopol and Sozopol. We remind you that overfishing is one of the biggest threats to the sea and its inhabitants and the main reason for the decline in the number of some fish species! Unfortunately, the fish is harvested (i.e. fishing) from the sea at a rate greater than that the species can replenish its population naturally, which represents a true looting of the marine ecosystem. We will not get tired of repeating that the sustainable use of resources is beneficial not only for the environment, but also for the livelihood of the people.
Last but not least, our team also collected data on the distribution of the yelkouan shearwater (Puffinus yelkouan). The data show that the migration of the species in the Black Sea has already started and is running in full force. We will continue to monitor this process during our next expeditions.
For contact:
Dimitar Popov - dpopov@greenbalkans.org
Galina Meshkova - gmeschkova@greenbalkans.org
