Burgas Bay, south Bulgarian Black Sea

Why this site?

The site includes diverse coastal and marine domains (coastal, onshore and offshore), having valuable MPAs (nationally designated and Natura 2000), and coastal wetlands, that support large biodiversity of flora and fauna, as well as diverse ecosystem services
The site is of great ecological importance and has a significant impact, with substantial potential for replication, particularly in vulnerable or degraded habitats that need protection, strict conservation, or restoration.
The DS area is subject to significant human pressure due to activities such as coastal tourism, maritime transport, fisheries and aquaculture.

There are 12 Natura 2000 sites with marine areas.
The area is a key migration corridor for important fish species, important fish spawning and feeding grounds.
It is also the second largest bird migration route ‘Via Pontica’, where hundreds of thousands of birds migrate between Europe, Asia and Africa, pass through the Burgas Bay.
This is an important migration and feeding area for three species of marine mammals.
There are large fields of seagrass habitats, that have an essential function in reducing nutrient pollutions coming from the land and represent the coastal “blue carbon” ecosystems that serve as a sink for organic carbon. All habitat types in the area have notable (large) potential for carbon sequestration and storage.

There is a lack of precise scientific and spatial data concerning MPAs and marine habitats/species
MPAs lack detailed conservation objectives and measures, and there are no operational management plans put in place
There is a lack of sufficiently connected MPAs, both SPA and SCI, and there is insufficient coherency between the designated MPAs
No strictly MPAs are defined yet (there is no clear definition for strictly protected areas in the national legislation)
No specific measures are taken on the climate change impacts and mitigation on ecological features in MPA conservation goals and measures

How to improve MPAs management and support the establishment of co-management and co-ownership scheme
Conservation objectives and measures suggested
Addressing connectivity in the conservation process
Cumulative impact assessment, land-sea Interactions and MPAs integration in Maritime Spatial Planning

Establishment of Local Stakeholder Working Group to co-manage and co-use the MPAs
Identify the possible blue corridors within the DS and apply Blue Connect tools/models to enhance ecological connectivity
Adjustment and application of the common methodology for co-management and co-ownership scheme
Test/apply and validate the project Blueprint, including tools for Cumulative Effect Assessment and improved alignment of MSP and MPAs