The ACCOBAMS Survey Initiative project is unprecedented initiative for the region and it is the first coordinated joint survey of cetaceans in the whole basin of the Mediterranean Sea. During the survey was collected data not only for cetaceans but also for fish, birds, turtles and human activities.
To cover such a large area significant resources were mobilized including 5 research vessels, 8 aircrafts and about 100 experts that implemented coordinated survey at different sectors of the Mediterranean Sea. Important component in the whole initiative was the capacity building element for conducting aerial and vessel cetacean surveys. Given the plans that as a next stage basin-wide survey in the Black Sea should be conducted, experts from Bulgaria and Romania joined the team.
The survey has not been completed without obstacles and challenges but the ACCOBAMS Secretariat team and the experts have managed to successfully overcome these.
Collected data will contribute to global knowledge on density and distribution of cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea. Preliminary results are currently being analyzed. 11 species of cetaceans are present in the Mediterranean, all threatened due to different human activities. A bad surprise was significant presence of marine debris in all zones covered during the ASI.
You can find more about the initiative on the ACCOBAMS website.
For further info:
Dimitar Popov, email: dpopov@greenbalkans.org
To cover such a large area significant resources were mobilized including 5 research vessels, 8 aircrafts and about 100 experts that implemented coordinated survey at different sectors of the Mediterranean Sea. Important component in the whole initiative was the capacity building element for conducting aerial and vessel cetacean surveys. Given the plans that as a next stage basin-wide survey in the Black Sea should be conducted, experts from Bulgaria and Romania joined the team.
The survey has not been completed without obstacles and challenges but the ACCOBAMS Secretariat team and the experts have managed to successfully overcome these.
Collected data will contribute to global knowledge on density and distribution of cetaceans in the Mediterranean Sea. Preliminary results are currently being analyzed. 11 species of cetaceans are present in the Mediterranean, all threatened due to different human activities. A bad surprise was significant presence of marine debris in all zones covered during the ASI.
You can find more about the initiative on the ACCOBAMS website.
For further info:
Dimitar Popov, email: dpopov@greenbalkans.org
