Western Black Sea IMMA
Size in Square Kilometres
43 912 km2
Qualifying Species and Criteria
Black Sea harbour porpoise – Phocoena phocoena relicta
Criterion A, B(2), C(2)
Marine Mammal Diversity
Phocoena phocoena relicta, Delphinus delphis ponticus, Tursiops truncatus ponticus
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Summary
This IMMA is located in the shelf and offshore waters of the southwestern Black Sea and extends from the 60 m to 2000 m isobath. Seasonal aggregations of Black Sea harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena relicta ) (EN) and the Black Sea bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus ponticus ) (EN) were recorded during two aerial surveys and several vessel surveys in the past 10 years. Survey data show that in summer the IMMA includes more than 70% of the harbour porpoise population in the Black Sea. The area overlaps with several protected marine areas and includes the migration routes of the prey species of the three cetacean species inhabiting the Black Sea. These species are listed in IUCN Red List and covered by Annex IV of the European Union Habitats Directive falling under Criterion A, and the harbour porpoise is subject to Criterion C2.
Description of Qualifying Criteria
Criterion A – Species or Population Vulnerability
The Black Sea harbour porpoise (Phoconea phoconea relicta Abel, 1905) is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List of endangered species.
Criterion B: Distribution and Abundance
Sub-criterion B2: Aggregations
The IMMA is proposed based on the seasonal aggregation of harbour porpoises, observed during the CeNoBS/ASI survey in 2019 (Paiu et al., 2021) and Birkun (2014) within the western Black Sea waters. The IMMA includes waters from 60 m deep to the 2000 m isobath. The results of the CeNoBS project (Paiu et al., 2021) showed that in summer more than 70% of Black Sea harbour porpoise abundance was within the IMMA. The western boundary was selected as the 60 m isobath due to the additional available literature on cetacean presence during vessel surveys (abundance and distribution estimates or bycatch) performed in Romania, Bulgaria and western Turkey (Çelikkale et al., 1989; Cetacean bycatches, 2011; Gol’din et al., 2017; Mikhalev, 2005a,b; Panayotova and Todorova, 2015; Panayotova et al., 2017; 2020; Dede and Tonay, 2010; Paiu, 2019, Popov, 2017; 2018; 2019; 2020; Stanev, 1996). In the shelf regions of the IMMA, both species’ show a marked preference for shallow coastal waters. The shallow depth preference generally concurs with some historical evidence (Birkun, 2006; Gol’din et al., in press; Tonay et al., in press).
Criterion C: Key Life Cycle Activities
Sub-criterion C2: Feeding Areas
The shelf slope area in the IMMA is an important area for sprats and whitings the primary prey species for the harbour porpoises (BLASDOL, 1999; Gladilina and Gol’din, 2014). Presence of these prey species peaks in summer, which attracts the Black Sea cetacean species mentioned.
Supporting Information
Birkun, Jr., A. A. 2006. Cetaceans. In: Zaitsev, Y. P., Aleksandrov, B. G., Minicheva, G. G., eds. The North-Western Part of the Black Sea: Biology and Ecology. Naukova Dumka, Kiev, 314–332 [In Russian].
Birkun. A. Jr., Northridge, S. P., Willsteed, E. A., James, F. A., Kilgour, C., Lander, M. and Fitzgerald, G. D. 2014. Studies for carrying out the common fisheries policy: adverse fisheries impacts on cetacean populations in the Black Sea. Final report to the European Commission, Brussels, 347p.
BLASDOL. 1999. Estimation of human impact on small cetaceans of the Black Sea and elaboration of appropriate conservation measures: final report for EC Inco-Copernicus (contract No. ERBIC15CT960104). C. R. Joiris (Coord.), Free University of Brussels, Belgium; BREMA Laboratory, Ukraine; Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany; Institute of Fisheries, Bulgaria; and Institute of Marine Ecology and Fisheries, Georgia. Brussels. 113 pp.
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Cetacean bycatches in the northern Black Sea (CetByBlaS). 2011. Dataset assembled by A.Birkun, Jr. and S.Krivokhizhin. EMODNet. https://obis.org/dataset/f38e309b-60c0-4f79-8e6e-68dd7cef52b7
Dede, A., Tonay, A.M., 2010. Cetacean sightings in the western Black Sea in autumn 2007. J of Environmental Protection and Ecology 11, No 4:1491-1496.
Gladilina, E.V., Gol’din, P.E., 2014. New prey fishes in diet of Black Sea bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus (Mammalia, Cetacea). Vestnik zoologii, 48(1), pp.83-92.
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Paiu, R.M., Olariu, B., Paiu, A.I., Mirea Candea, M.E., Gheorghe, A. M., Murariu, D., 2019. Cetaceans in the coastal waters of southern Romania: initial assessment of abundance, distribution, and seasonal trends. Journal of Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment. 25(3): 266–279.
Paiu, R.M., Panigada, S., Cañadas, A., Gol`din, P., Popov, D., David, L., Amaha Öztürk, A. 2021. Deliverable 2.2.2. Detailed Report on cetacean populations distribution and abundance in the Black Sea, including proposal for threshold values. CeNoBS project – contract No 110661/2018/794677/SUB/ENV.C2. Celebris printing, Constanta. 97 pages. ISBN 978-606-9711-12-5
Paiu, M. 2019b. Cetacean sightings by boat 2010-2019. Data downloaded from OBIS-SEAMAP (http://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/832) on 25.02.2021
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Panayotova, M., Bekova, R., Prodanov, B., 2020. Assessment of marine cetacean populations in Bulgarian Black Sea in 2017 according to indicators of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. Ecologia Balkanica, Special Edition 3, 73-83 (in press)
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