Central Romanian Coast (Midia Cape - Aurora Cape)
Why this site?
The landscape of Romanian demo site consists of low-lying shores (sand barriers, pocket beaches) and relatively higher shores (cliffs up to 30 m). From typological point of view it includes both natural shore (beaches and cliffs and “built” shoreline – ports, protective hydraulic structures).
There are 4 MPA’s designated under the Habitats Directive and 1 MPA under Birds Directive.
The sector is affected by multiple anthropogenic uses (urbanization, ports activity and maritime transport, tourism and leisure activities, fisheries, hydrocarbons extraction, coastal protection infrastructure etc.) and pressures (physical disturbance of seabed, seabed/habitats loss, hydrological changes, pollution etc.).
Ecosystem characteristics
In terms of biodiversity, the pilot site includes very diverse underwater landscapes (both rocky, sandy and peat bottoms, plateaus, canyons, drop-offs, overhangs and small caves) and biodiversity hotspots. In terms of habitats it has some subtypes with very high conservation value such as Zostera nolti meadows on clean or slightly muddy fine sands, shallow fine sands with Donax trunculus, infralittoral rock with photophilic algae (Cystoseira sp.), infralittoral rock with Mytilus galloprovincialis and species of European interest.
Challenges
- Gaps in the scientific information and data about the marine species and habitats spatial distribution
- Lack of effective MPAs management (no custody) – non existing governance tools
- Lack of management plans and regulations (or not updated to the current size of the sites).
- No restoration measures in place (in the context of recent coastal works)
- Needs to establish an effective marine protection management and stakeholder’s involvement
What will be demonstrated?
- Support development of science-based conservation measures, enhance knowledge on land-sea interaction, close knowledge gaps on key habitats and their vulnerability, enhance monitoring capacity.
- Stakeholder engagement in conservation and research activities;
- Shift to strict protection.
Activities to be
carried out
- Stakeholder engagement, co-management
- Pressure analysis
- Test or validate the spatial tools and ecosystem models to support the definition of conservation objectives
- Setting a system for
- MPA monitoring and evaluation of conservation outcomes using innovative monitoring techniques
