On 30 December 2024 the Council of Ministers approved the updated River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) and the updated Marine Strategy for Bulgaria, which contains a new programme of measures for the period 2022–2027.
These decisions mark an important step towards fulfilling the requirements of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC) and towards resolving the infringement procedure opened against Bulgaria by the European Commission.
The Main Goals of the Marine Strategy
The updated Marine Strategy aims to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) of the marine environment, as well as to protect human health. The programme of measures envisages:
- Reducing anthropogenic pressure, including industrial pollution and fishing practices that adversely affect marine ecosystems.
- Strengthening biodiversity monitoring, with a focus on endangered species and habitats.
- Compliance with the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (2024), which requires the restoration of at least 20% of degraded ecosystems by 2030.
Involvement of the Protection of Biodiversity in Bulgaria Foundation
Our organisation actively participated in the public consultation on the draft Marine Strategy. Through our proposal regarding the inclusion of all sturgeon species listed in Annex 2 to the Black Sea Protocol under the Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (ratified by law in 2004), we achieved an important change: the Basin Directorate publicly stated, in response to our proposal, that it would revise the list of species subject to monitoring in the next MSFD cycle in 2026:
Register of proposals received during the public consultation on the draft Programme of Measures under the Marine Strategy of the Republic of Bulgaria 2022–2027 dated 24.01.2024 – here
Why Sturgeon Are a Key Factor
All sturgeon species require special conservation efforts, since their life cycle spans both the freshwater habitats of the Danube River and the saltwater habitats of the Black Sea. Sturgeon, including the beluga (Huso huso), the European sea sturgeon (Acipenser sturio) and the sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus), are critically endangered both globally and regionally. They are part of Annex 2 of significant species for the Black Sea and are included in the Red Data Book of Bulgaria.
However, the updated Marine Strategy has so far not included these sturgeon species in the list of representative species subject to monitoring by state executive bodies.
The latest data provided by the Executive Environment Agency show that over ten years only 11 field studies of sturgeon species were carried out, and none of them covered the Black Sea.
The EU Nature Restoration Regulation of 2024 creates a legal framework for developing national ecosystem restoration plans, including key habitats for sturgeon species.
Responding with Action: The SturNet Project
In response to these challenges, the Protection of Biodiversity in Bulgaria Foundation is actively working on the SturNet project. The project directly addresses the requirements of the 2024 EU Nature Restoration Regulation by providing data and tools to support national and international conservation strategies. This is an important research initiative in which we are the lead partner, and which covers several countries in the Black Sea region. The project’s main goal is to collect detailed data on all sturgeon species in the Black Sea and the Danube River in order to assess the dynamics of their populations and determine the influence of various abiotic and biotic environmental factors.
In addition, we will apply eDNA analyses to obtain accurate and timely data on the presence and condition of these important species in various ecosystems. These innovations will enable much more precise monitoring and analysis of the state of sturgeon populations, and this data will be used to optimise future conservation strategies.
As part of the SturNet project, we are developing a digital mapping tool and application that will visualise sturgeon habitats, providing key stakeholders — including bodies responsible for biodiversity conservation policy — with access to critical population data.
The Protection of Biodiversity in Bulgaria Foundation will monitor the implementation of the stated commitments and the integration of sturgeon species into monitoring programmes. We will work actively to implement measures such as those set out in the SturNet project — an initiative to protect sturgeon populations through regional cooperation and an integrated approach.
The conservation of biodiversity in the Black Sea and the Danube is not only an environmental but also a strategic goal for Bulgaria. Let us join forces for the sustainable development of our water resources and the health of our nature!