In the period 19-20 October Green Balkans’ experts have made second training of volunteers interested in study and monitoring of Black Sea cetaceans along Bulgarian coast.
The participants have been informed about the activities of project “Citizens’ support for study of Black Sea cetaceans along Bulgarian coast” and the objectives of program BG03.SGP directed towards development of “citizen science” in Bulgaria through attraction of volunteers in monitoring of different flora and fauna species with the aim of enlargement and development of National Biodiversity Monitoring System (NBMS) coordinated by Environmental Executive Agency. Theoretical part of the training held in Sozopol town in the first day was complemented with lectures on the following topics: „Historical review of cetaceans’ studies in Bulgaria”, “Black Sea cetaceans – biology, identification, threats and conservation” and “Cetaceans’ study techniques”.
During the second day the volunteers had the chance to put in practice the lessons learnt in the first day. Divided in three groups experts and volunteers practiced the coast-based observation technique. The study areas have been selected within two SCIs of the European Ecological network NATURA 2000 - „Plazh Gradina-Zlatna ribka” BG0000146 (team 1) and „Ropotamo” BG0001001 (teams 2 and 3). This technique is employing regular scans of the adjacent marine area using marine binoculars with built-in compass and reticle rangefinder thus allowing in case of sighting to record distance and direction of observed cetaceans.
Unfortunately despite careful scanning, team 1 couldn’t detect presence of any cetaceans within the boundaries of SCI „Plazh Gradina-Zlatna ribka” BG0000146. The fortune though was on team 2’s side that were keeping a watch at St. Toma cape covering the bay closed between Agalina Cape and Cape Maslen nos. During the first scan 2 Black sea harbour porpoises have been detected to travel across the study area. Afterwards several groups of the same species have gathered to feed at the bay. After team 3 has spent 3 hours of scanning the sea south of Cape Maslen nos with no sightings and with news flow by team 2 showing constant presence of porpoises in the monitored bay, a decision was made to join both teams with the aim of more efficient practical training for the enthusiastic volunteers. Thus the members of both teams had the chance to observe these elusive marine mammals and to reinforce in practice the theoretical studies from the day before!
We would like to thank to all volunteers for the expressed enthusiasm and desire to help cetaceans’ studies! We will rely to you for future studies and monitoring!
For contacts and additional information:
Dimitar Popov – Project coordinator, e-mail: dpopov@greenbalkans.org
Aneliya Pavlova – Publicity expert, e-mail: apavlova@greenbalkans.org
Project „Citizens’ support for study of Black Sea cetaceans along Bulgarian coast“ is funded within the framework of Program BG03 in Bulgaria of Financial Mechanism of European Economic Area 2009 – 2014.
„This document is created with financial support of Program BG03 of Financial Mechanism of European Economic Area. Whole responsibility for the document’s contents is held by Green Balkans NGO and under any circumstances cannot be considered official statement of the Financial Mechanism of European Economic Area and the Program operator – Ministry of Environment and Water“ www.BG03.moew.government.bg
The participants have been informed about the activities of project “Citizens’ support for study of Black Sea cetaceans along Bulgarian coast” and the objectives of program BG03.SGP directed towards development of “citizen science” in Bulgaria through attraction of volunteers in monitoring of different flora and fauna species with the aim of enlargement and development of National Biodiversity Monitoring System (NBMS) coordinated by Environmental Executive Agency. Theoretical part of the training held in Sozopol town in the first day was complemented with lectures on the following topics: „Historical review of cetaceans’ studies in Bulgaria”, “Black Sea cetaceans – biology, identification, threats and conservation” and “Cetaceans’ study techniques”.
During the second day the volunteers had the chance to put in practice the lessons learnt in the first day. Divided in three groups experts and volunteers practiced the coast-based observation technique. The study areas have been selected within two SCIs of the European Ecological network NATURA 2000 - „Plazh Gradina-Zlatna ribka” BG0000146 (team 1) and „Ropotamo” BG0001001 (teams 2 and 3). This technique is employing regular scans of the adjacent marine area using marine binoculars with built-in compass and reticle rangefinder thus allowing in case of sighting to record distance and direction of observed cetaceans.
Unfortunately despite careful scanning, team 1 couldn’t detect presence of any cetaceans within the boundaries of SCI „Plazh Gradina-Zlatna ribka” BG0000146. The fortune though was on team 2’s side that were keeping a watch at St. Toma cape covering the bay closed between Agalina Cape and Cape Maslen nos. During the first scan 2 Black sea harbour porpoises have been detected to travel across the study area. Afterwards several groups of the same species have gathered to feed at the bay. After team 3 has spent 3 hours of scanning the sea south of Cape Maslen nos with no sightings and with news flow by team 2 showing constant presence of porpoises in the monitored bay, a decision was made to join both teams with the aim of more efficient practical training for the enthusiastic volunteers. Thus the members of both teams had the chance to observe these elusive marine mammals and to reinforce in practice the theoretical studies from the day before!
We would like to thank to all volunteers for the expressed enthusiasm and desire to help cetaceans’ studies! We will rely to you for future studies and monitoring!
For contacts and additional information:
Dimitar Popov – Project coordinator, e-mail: dpopov@greenbalkans.org
Aneliya Pavlova – Publicity expert, e-mail: apavlova@greenbalkans.org
Project „Citizens’ support for study of Black Sea cetaceans along Bulgarian coast“ is funded within the framework of Program BG03 in Bulgaria of Financial Mechanism of European Economic Area 2009 – 2014.
„This document is created with financial support of Program BG03 of Financial Mechanism of European Economic Area. Whole responsibility for the document’s contents is held by Green Balkans NGO and under any circumstances cannot be considered official statement of the Financial Mechanism of European Economic Area and the Program operator – Ministry of Environment and Water“ www.BG03.moew.government.bg
