The training was held in the Black Sea waters near the southwestern part of Crimea Peninsula – Mirnyi/Evpatoria, Ukraine. The initiative was organized by the Black Sea Council for Marine Mammals (BSCMM) (www.dolphin.com.ua) with the support of the ACCOBAMS Secretariat (Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Contiguous Atlantic Area – part of the Convention on Migratory Species (Bonn Convention)).

The aim was participants from NGOs from Bulgaria - Green Balkans NGO and Romania – Mare Nostrum NGO (www.marenostrum.ro) to acquire skills for photo-identification of Cetaceans by photographing of distinctive marks of the Cetaceans, techniques for working on boat, collection of information, processing and analyzing of photos, identification of individuals, etc. The basis of photo-identification is photographing of dorsal fin and the aim is not to get a beautiful art photo but a clear image of the dorsal fin with high resolution, sharpness and contrast. Quite often the dorsal fin has different scars from bites, skin diseases or even different forms of albinism. These scars can be compared with the human finger prints and to help for identification of different individuals. This methodology is used widely in different countries and helps for defining of population abundances and structures, behaviour, preferred areas for breeding, feeding, calving. The experience of the Ukrainian colleagues in that field is very rich and has been applied for many years while in Bulgaria that methodology is not developed yet. The skills acquired by the Green Balkans experts area good basis for future realization of photo-identification also in Bulgaria and that will help the study and conservation of Cetaceans in our country, too.

We would like to use the opportunity to thank the experts from the Black Sea Council for Marine Mammals (BSCMM) and Brema Laboratory for the overall organization and carrying out the training as well as the ACCOBAMS Secretariat for the provided opportunity Green Balkans experts to take part in the initiative.

For further information:

Gradimir Gradev – ggradev@greenbalkans.org, tel. 0885609289
Dimitar Popov - dpopov@greenbalkans.org, tel. 0885108712


Cetaceans species found in the Black Sea are Common Dolphin /Delphinus delphis ponticus/, Bottlenose Dolphin /Tursiops truncatus ponticus/ Harbour Porpoise /Phocoena phocoena relicta/. All three species are classified as separate subspecies found only in the Black Sea and are distinguished (mainly genetically) by representatives of these species found in other seas.
According national legislation all three species are protected by the Biodiversity Act, Fisheries and aquacultures Act and Harbour Porpoise and Bottlenose Dolphin are listed in Bulgarian Red Data Book. At global level Black Sea Cetaceans are listed in a number of international agreements and conventions: Bonn Convention and ACCOBAMS, CITES Convention, Bern Convention, Directive 92/43/EЕС. After Bulgaria’s EU accession the commitments of the state to the implementation of Directive 92/43/EЕС and conservation of species and habitats listed in the Directive are taking greater importance.