Component 1.1.1 - Elaboration of detailed studies for a complete analysis of the Romanian and Bulgarian maritime areas

This activity started by taking into consideration the existing knowledge base, in particular the results of recent research projects in which some of the project partners have been involved:

  1. PlanCoast (2005-2008), funded by INTERREG, which includes a transnational, comparative study on integrated maritime spatial planning, transferring the developed MSP experience from the Baltic and Mediterranean seas to the Black Sea area (partner: NIMRD)
  2. MESMA (2009-2013), funded by FP7, which develops integrated management tools for monitoring, evaluating and implementing MSP and includes as case study the Black Sea Ecosystem-based management (partner: IO-BAS)
  3. PEGASO (2010-2014), funded by FP7, which expands to the Black Sea the instruments developed in order to support the Integrated Coastal Zone Management protocol for the Mediterranean Sea and created significant Geo Nods (partners: NIRD Danube Delta, NIMRD)
  4. COCONET (2012-2016), funded by FP7, which analyses the marine protected areas in the Black Sea (and Mediterranean Sea), including a pilot project and a Web GIS portal (partner: NIMRD)
  5. SYMNET (2011-2013), funded by Black Sea Operational Programme 2007-2013, which analysed the dynamics of manufacturing, logistics, tourism and energy industries in the Black Sea basin and proposed a symbiotic industrial system for mutual benefits to producers and consumers while reducing the environmental footprint (partners: NIMRD, IO-BAS)
  6. SPATIAL project;
  7. Zonal Urban Plan for costal area (2011-2013) in Romania (for south area) funded by Romanian Government and develop by NIRD URBAN-INCERC in order to ensure a sustainable urban development of the coastal area.

The activity was performed by the research institutions partners and by subcontracted companies or external experts, where necessary that will be selected based on public procurement procedures, in accordance with the specific law.

  • The studies are presenting the relevant information at least on the following subjects:
  • - Geographical and physical conditions: bathymetry and geomorphology, geological structure, coastline, wind, waves, currents, tides, water temperature and salinity, shore protection structures;
  • - Environmental protection: habitats, biodiversity, nature protection areas, cultural heritage;
  • - Population, human resources;
  • - Coastal economic activities and their impact on the sea;
  • - Tourism;
  • - Under water cultural heritage;
  • - Port activity, naval routes and transport flows;
  • - Fishing and aquaculture
  • - Installations and infrastructures for the exploration, exploitation and extraction of oil, gas and other energy resources, mineral and aggregates, and for the production of energy for renewable sources;
  • - Pipelines and cables;
  • - Coastal and marine energy industry;
  • - Military training areas;
  • - Main inland infrastructures relevant for maritime area;
  • - Natural and anthropic risk;
  • - Studies related to integrated coastal management, such as types of hydraulic structures used for harbors, construction techniques, existing monitoring systems (event warning systems, shoreline mapping);
  • - Studies of current standards for wind and wave effects (hazard mapping) on shore protection structures used in the world for similar cases in correlation with the Romanian and Bulgarian standards;
  • - Studies regarding influence of hydraulic structures over the nearby coastal zone taking into account predominant streams;
  • - The problem of seismic and tsunami risk assessments for the Black Sea Coast, and the institutional capacity for this incorporating risk in the planning process.

The inventory was made for all the maritime area and will also include time series data in order to present the recent trends and (where this is possible) long term evolutions. The studies were made on the territorial sea of Romania and Bulgaria (12 miles), with a particular focus on the cross-border area. The territorial scale will be selected in a flexible way, due the analysed domain, for example - the whole Black Sea basin will be analysed to identify the economical flows. The methodology proposed will include processing existing data but also gathering new data, such as itineraries of ships, water quality data.

In the final integrated report, a particular attention will be given to the following challenges for the Black Sea area:

  • - Environmental data and climate instability of the coastal area (strong winds, waves, floods, droughts, coastal erosion etc.), in correlation with the climate changes;
  • - Physical environmental features (bathyrnetry, currents, sediments; geo-morphological changes);
  • - Biological and ecological distributions, with a special regard for the marine areas within Natura 2000 network and the impact of economic activities on biodiversity;
  • - Cultural heritage (land and undersea);
  • - Socio-economic development of coastal areas, main economic activities and their impact on the sea uses;
  • - Use of maritime areas;
  • - Danube Delta-Black Sea interconnections.