Challenges and opportunities for maritime spatial planning of the Black Sea in Romania and Bulgaria Final Conference of the MARSPLAN-BS project

MARINE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE

Bucharest,

11th of January 2018

Black Sea riparian states have access to the same resources and it is very

important to be used for collection and assessment standardized methods. If

transboundary distribution stocks data assessment, from many sources and

countries, are not compatible, it is difficult to be compiled.

One of the common problem of each partner country, highlighted by the

Preliminary Transboundary Analysis of the Black Sea (2007) is the “inadequate

capacity to assess the ecosystem and to perform basin-scale assessments” and

also the poor co-operation between riparian countries for knowledge and for the

rational management of ecosystem and living resources, important by economical

and ecological point of view.

In this context, the project promotes:

- a stronger integration and development of research and scientific

partnerships in the fields of monitoring, control and protection of the Black

Sea ecosystem and its living resources;

- the use of research results as a basis for the setting of management

objectives, reference points and performance criteria, as well as for ensuring

adequate linkages between applied research and fisheries management,

targeting the all fisheries professional, artisanal, social groups and

communities related, from the individual to general, including autorities and

governmental levels.

- Geological and

- Ecological features

- Biological diversity

and plasticity of aquatic organisms

- Valuable fish species, most of them migratoy

- And it is affected in present by all kind of changes:

Ecologic,

Economic,

Demographic,

Politic

Why include fisheries in spatial planning? The suitability of spatial planning to regulate fisheries

Fisheries are one of the most important human uses of the sea, with a special economic and social importance, concerning the affected area (virtually all passable waters) and its impact on the marine environment: fisheries have probably altered marine habitats and the ecosystem to an extent that no other human activity has done.

Spatial planning should incorporate a spatial approach to allow non-biased and well justified decisions between competing claims. It is questionable if this can be adequately achieved if one of the most prominent users of the sea – fishermen – is being left out.

An ecosystem approach in spatial planning does not only demand an analysis of ecosystem services, but also an examination of all claims and prospected uses of natural resources – including fisheries – to be able to plan a sustainable use and reliably prevent an overuse of the available assets.

The spatial efficiency of different uses and users in the same area will be more successful if claims are applied to an area in a harmonized way. Spatial planning is the right platform to do just this. Including fisheries into spatial planning does by no means mean that it will be disadvantageous for fisheries – the opposite can be the case, as the marine resources will be put to a wiser and better coordinated use.

Why include fisheries in spatial planning? The suitability of spatial planning to regulate fisheries

WP1, Activity 1.1, Component 1.1.2 CASE STUDY 5. Special case of marine fishery and aquaculture under MSP - approaches towards integration CASE STUDY 2. Sfantul Gheorghe - SketchMatch analyses - Fisheries communities stakeholders

WP1, Activity 1.1, Component 1.1.1

2.3. Coastal and Marine natural resources 2.3.1. Natural living resources

• Fish (species, distribution, population, trends) • Spawning ground and nursery

• 5.2.1.3. Fisheries and Aquaculture

Introduction

Main fisheries and aquaculture activities in the Black Sea

National strategy, policy, planning, priorities

National laws, including scope and year adopted

Current situation of Romania and Bulgaria marine fisheries and space

Sub-sectors: artisanal, semi-industrial and industrial fisheries

Need of including fisheries into spatial planning processing

Identified instruments employed for regulating fisheries (total allowable catches,

maximum landing size, species restrictions, engine size restrictions, gear

restrictions, effort restrictions, closed areas, if them exists)

Suitability of spatial planning to regulate fisheries

Reasons for including fisheries into planning processing

Evolutionary historical data

Specifical Pressures and impact on marine fisheries

Active removal of species from ecosystem

Present good practices

Others

WP1, Activity 1.1, Component 1.1.2 CASE STUDY 5. Special case of marine fishery and aquaculture under MSP - approaches towards integration

• Aquaculture and fisheries for natural population recovery

• Danube Delta case • Lagoons area case • Exotical species case

WP1, Activity 1.1, Component 1.1.1 2.3. Coastal and Marine natural resources 2.3.1. Natural living resources

• Fish (species, distribution, population, trends)

• Shellfish (species, distribution, abundance, trends)

• Algae and marine plants

• Marine mammals (species,

distribution, population, trends)

• Birds (species, distribution,

population, trends)

• Invasive species (species,

distribution, population, trends)

• Rapana, Jelly Fish

Legal frame proposed for integrating marine fisheries into spatial planning *EU, MS and Black Sea experience concerning fisheries management *Black Sea Fisheries and EU Directives *Example of fisheries regulation on the Bulgarian – Romanian marine space Combined Methods of Fisheries and Maritime Spatial Planning • Stocktaking • Remote sensing • Experience from other projects • Legal and planning options • Suitability mapping • Fisheries in some specifical pilot areas

The legal frame of integrating marine fisheries into spatial planning General remarks “The EU Common Fisheries Policy is at present under thorough revision. Based on a Green Paper on the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) the Commission in 2009 initiated a public consultation asking for advice for reform. Among others, criticism has been uttered that the policy has failed to apply an ecosystem approach. The instruments of managing fisheries, it was alleged, uni-dimensionally aim at identifying and observing maximum sustainable yield. Fish stocks are taken as separate units while they are in fact depending on and contributing to more complex ecosystems.”

The Maritime and Fisheries Programme 2014-2020 for Bulgaria (MFP)

Romanian Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture 2014-2020

Instruments employed for regulating fisheries

• Total allowable catches (TACs)

• Minimum landing sizes

• Species restrictions

• Engine size restrictions

• Gear restrictions

• Effort restrictions

• Closed areas

-

Examples of fisheries regulations

• Temporal or partial Closure

Closure for industrial fishing

Closure for bottom trawling

Closure for specified gear

Closure for fishing on certain species

Effort and engine size restrictions

• Area with important assets for fish fauna

diversity - for all fishing activities

Examples of Aquaculture and Fisheries Cases

Spawning ground

Voluntary closure

Harbour porpoise and environment protection

Protection of the migratory species

Protection for the species spawning

Industrial fisheries in Natura 2000 sites

Prohibition of fishing tools; e.g. pelagic trawls

Key attributes o Territorial waters and internal waters o National fisheries legislation o Gear restrictions Measures Purpose of measures

Location

Regulating regime

Regulating instrument

Target uses to be regulated

Spatial category in an MSP

planning process

Transposition needs

Comment: Other fisheries uses of

an area

Fisheries zoning Fishe

The New Strategical Plan Sustainable development of the Black Sea and the fisheries and aquaculture is subject to a number of projects and programming and planning documents in Romania and Bulgaria such as the Strategic Plan for the Rehabilitation and Protection of the Black Sea (1996 and updated in 2002) Maritime Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria with the implementation measures 2016-2021, National Strategic Plan and Operational Programme for the Bulgarian fisheries sector development 2007-2013 (OPBFS), Multianual national strategic plan for aquacultures in Bulgaria 2014-2020, Maritime and Fisheries Programme (MFP) 2014-2020.

addresses the general reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and fully supports the priorities defined in the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) Regulation. The main objectives of the OP aim at enhancing the competitiveness of the aquaculture sector and processing sector, the viability of the sea fisheries sector and the sustainable development of traditionally fisheries - dependent areas. The programme also addresses the need for the protection and rehabilitation of the marine environment and its living resources, the control of fisheries activities, the collection of fisheries data and the improvement of knowledge on the state of the marine environment.

Migration routes, spawning, feeding and wintering areas for turbot

Turbot bimass distribution spring and autumn, 2013

Seasonal spatial distribution of the main fish stocks

SWOT ANALYSIS OF FISHERY SECTOR SWOT analysis was done for each component of the fishery sector: commercial marine fishing and inland water fishing, aquaculture, processing and marketing, local development of fishing areas, the control system, inspection, implementation and data collection.

Weaknesses Opportunities

• Seasonality of fish concentration; • Fish stocks located far from ports; • Most of this species are migratory or have an distributed character (the Romanian fishery is

dependent of the stocks situation at regional level and resources management practiced by neighboring states);

• The fleet structure does not correspond to the specific conditions of the resource and work conditions;

• Insufficient ships/boats for Black Sea fishing (the Sprat quota is not achieved); • Insufficient equipment for catch storage and conservation on the ships; • The boats for small scale fishing are improperly equipped in terms of safety and

preservation of catch; • Low selectivity of equipment (high percentage of dolphins and sharks caught in gillnets for

turbot); • Specific undeveloped infrastructure (ports, landing sites, points of first sale, shelters); • Lack of information regarding the fish market in Romania (market research); • INN Fishing (including the absence of taxes for fish catch)? • Low market value of the most fish species in the Black Sea; • Insufficient staff with medium professional training;

Seasonality of fresh fish production; The financial capital of operators is absent;

• An internal market with great potential for absorption; • Financial support from European funds; • Potential for ecotourism and other related activities; • The possibility of primary processing on the vessels board; • Improving (maintaining) the quality of the catch on vessels / ships; • Higher education in the field;

Research institutions in the field; • The establishment of regional tools for resources management on the Black Sea

(convention, common expeditions, standardized methodologies for stocks assessment and research);

• IT & C on-line system on licensing, authorization and reporting of fisheries and aquaculture activities;

• Establishing a collaborative framework between producers and research institutes / academic environment, possibly with the participation of interested public authorities.

SWOT ANALYSIS OF FISHERY SECTOR

Strengths Risks Specific needs regarding the environment, adaptation and innovation

• Diversified fishery resources - pelagic (sprat, anchovy, mackerel, Danube shad) and demersal species (turbot, shark, whiting, red mullet, gobious);

• Adequate facilities and equipment regulated in terms of selectivity and exploitation;

• Available workforce; • Tradition in this field, including

the primary processing; • Tradition of fish consumption

(religious holidays, other customs).

• Over-exploitation of resources; • The introduction of insufficiently studied

fishing equipment with a major impact on the ecosystem;

• Limited access to bank credits and difficult procedures to accessing funds;

• Increasing of production coast; • Lack of information regarding the ways to

bring added value; • Administrative and legislative instability in

the fishery sector; The lack of continuity in fishery policies; Inefficient administrative procedures.

• Modern means for marine research (research

vessel and equipment);

• Conservation of marine eco-systems;

Protection of natural areas for fish

reproduction and feeding;

• Using environmental friendly fishing

technologies;

Harmonizing the fishery interests with those

of conservation in protected marine areas.

SWOT ANALYSIS OF FISHERY SECTOR SWOT analysis was done for each component of the fishery sector: commercial marine fishing and inland water fishing, aquaculture, processing and marketing, local development of fishing areas, the control system, inspection, implementation and data collection.

Management Plan for Black Sea Fisheries

Project funded by the

EUROPEAN UNION

Common borders.

Common solutions.

• Reduce fishing mortality for different species

(turbot, spiny dogfish, sprat, whiting, anchovy, etc.)

• Improve the assessments (updated and detailed data of the GFCM Sub-regional Group for BS)

• Implement the roadmap to fight IUU fishing

• Avoiding transboundary conflicts

Black Sea Basin Joint Operational Programme 2007-2013, Annual Conference, 5th of December 2013, Istanbul, TURKEY

Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) “ “MSP is about planning when and where human activities take place at sea – to ensure these are as efficient and sustainable as possible.” Benefits of MSP • Reduce conflicts between sectors and create synergies between activities; • Encourage investment – by instilling predictability, transparency and clearer rules; • Increase coordination – between administrations in each country; • Increase cross-border cooperation – between EU countries; • Protect the environment – through early identification of impact. ABC

Zonning for Pelagic Trawl Zonning for gills installing

Pelagic trawl

Beam trawl

Set gillnet

The total conflict score was calculated using a 2 km GRID

Conflict score between Natura 2000 sites (Habitat Directive) and fisheries (pelagic trawl and beam trawl)

Zonning for small boats and tools activities

Project funded by the

EUROPEAN UNION

Common borders.

Common solutions.

Black Sea Marine Fisheries Specialists

THANK FOR YOUR ATTENTION!