SPECIES DRAFT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE USE OF THE BLACK SEA COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS This strategy was prepared by a team of experts of SPECIES project. Team Leader: Dr. Plamen Peev Team members: Dr. Venislava Spasova Dr. Wouter Rommens Mr. John Bennett We acknowledge the substantial inputs provided by the following experts: Mr. Andrey Ralev Dr. Rumen Draganov Dr. Kremena Boyanova Mr. Dimitar Sabev Dr. Pavel Antonov Mr. Andrey Kovachev DRAFT STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE USE OF THE BLACK SEA COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS The Sectoral Policies to Enhance Commitment to Improving the Ecosystem Services in Bulgaria: SPECIES project is financed within Programme BG03 in Bulgaria under the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2009-14. http://www.BG03.moew.government.bg The Draft Strategy for Sustainable Use of the Black Sea Coastal Ecosystems is produced with the financial support of Programme BG03: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services under the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area 2009–2014. The full responsibility for the content of this document lies with Balkani Wildlife Society, BlueLink Foundation and GRID-Arendal, and under no circumstances shall be implied that this document reflects the official position of the Financial Mechanism of the European Economic Area and the Programme Operator: the Ministry of Environment and Water. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 5 2. Vision for protection and development of the Black Sea ecosystems and of the services they provide 6 3. State of the Black Sea coastal ecosystems, threats and risks 6 4. Assessment of ecosystem services of the Black Sea coastal ecosystems 13 5. Strategic framework of the strategy formulation 16 6. SWOT analysis 19 7. Strategic objectives 21 8. Priority measures 21 9. Territorial measures and action plan by type of ecosystem 26 10. Deployment, management and assessment of strategy implementation 28 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS APIA Access to Public Information Act BBF Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation BSCSPA Black Sea Coast Spatial Planning Act CBD Convention on Biological Diversity EAFA Executive Agency of Fisheries and Aquaculture EEA European Economic Area EFA Executive Forests Agency ESS Ecosystem services EU European Union ExEA Executive Environment Agency GESME Good environmental status of marine environment LIG Local initiative group LTFA Local Taxes and Fees Act MAES Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services MES Ministry of Education and Science MOEW Ministry of Environment and Water MRDPW Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works MSFD Marine Strategy Framework Directive MT Ministry of Tourism NAMRB National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria NAPCC National Action Plan on Climate Change NBMS National Biodiversity Monitoring System NDP BG2020 National Development Programme: Bulgaria 2020 NEPR North-East Planning Region NGO Non-governmental organisation NPAF National Priority Action Framework for Natura 2000 NRDS National Regional Development Strategy OP Operational Programme RBMP River Basin Management Plan in the Black Sea area RES Renewable energy sources SEPR South-East Planning Region SPECIES Sectoral Policies to Enhance Commitment to Improving the Ecosystem Sevices in Bulgaria UBBSLA Union of Bulgarian Black Sea Local Authorities WFD Water Framework Directive LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Figure 1. An excerpt of the map of the Black Sea coastal ecosystems 5 Table 1. Types and subtypes of ecosystems 5 Table 2. State of the Black Sea coastal ecosystems 8 Table 3. Types of pressure on the ecosystems 12 Table 4. Risks to the state of the ecosystems 12 Table 5. Areas of types and subtypes of ecosystems and the changes between 2000, 2006 and 2012 13 Table 6. List of selected ecosystem services from the CICES classification, redefined under SPECIES 14 Table 7. List and desription of the analysed ecosystems 15 Table 8. Sample table for assessment of Strategy implementation 30 The need for a strategy for sustainable use of the Black 1. Introduction Sea coastal ecosystems is justified, firstly, by considering the Bulgarian Black Sea coast an area with high natural, cultural and social value that must be preserved, but which also hides a huge potential for sustainable and ‘smart’ development1. Research, analysis, assessments and forecasts set out in the strategic and legal documents, as well as news and personal impressions of people testify that this valuable territory is under considerable pressure from different sectors: tourism, construction, agriculture, urbanization, transport and many others. All these negative processes, along with the global trend of climate change and related extreme events jeopardise the present and future of ecosystems along the Black Sea coast, as well as people who live in it. These threats and risks are the second reason to develop a strategy for sustainable use of the Black Sea coastal ecosystems that should outline the framework of a comprehensive policy for the protection and integrated management of natural resources along the Black Sea coast. The Bulgarian Black Sea coast is a critical area in terms of biodiversity conservation. It is one of the areas with the greatest variety of species, it contains unique communities, wetlands and critical habitats for migrating birds. Meanwhile, the coast is subjected to heavy negative anthropogenic impacts, leading to pollution and excessive use of biological re- sources. This requires urgent analysis of ecosystems and the pressure that various socio-economic factors exert on it. We need stricter enforcement of regulations and prohibitions affecting for instance pollution, bottom trawling and excessive use of fishery resources (National Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation). This strategy introduces in the analysis of the current state of the Black Sea coastal ecosystems, as well as in the defi- nition of strategic objectives and priority measures for sustainable use of these ecosystems, the concept of ecosystem services (ESS). This concept is a relatively new approach that provides a basis for integrated analysis of the man-nature system, focusing on the dynamic and complex interactions between abiotic and biotic components of the environment providing through its structures and functions the services necessary for life on Earth (Boumans et al. 2002, Limburg et al. 2002). The strategy for sustainable use of the Black Sea coastal ecosystems (the Strategy) is based on the vision of trans- forming the Black Sea coast into a more attractive place with preserved nature, increased well-being, with the develop- ment of sustainable business, especially tourism, agriculture, local production and product processing, ensuring sustaina- ble use of ecosystems and providing quality and diverse ecosystem services. The Strategy builds on the analysis of the relevant strategic and legal framework, on the analysis of projects and other literature related to its theme2, on the SPECIES project assessments of the state of the Black Sea coastal ecosystems and the services these ecosystems provide, including the impact of climate change on ecosystems, as well as on consul- tations with stakeholders. The Strategy follows the logic inherent in the analytical documents at European level, according to which the com- prehensive and reliable information on the state of biodiversity, ecosystems and ecosystem services, as well as the capac- ity to monitor changes, is crucial to whether policy objectives have been achieved or not, and whether additional meas- ures are needed. The ultimate goal is to help decision makers and institutions to achieve these goals through a variety of policies: with their synergy and a necessary compromise (MAES, 3rd Report)3. In this regard, the Strategy provides concrete strategic goals and measures through which conservation and sustainable use of the Black Sea ecosystems can be inte- grated in the planning on municipal, district, regional and national levels and in different sectors by providing mechanisms for promoting local development and environmental conservation. The area studied in the SPECIES project and covered by the Strategy includes the 3-kilometre coastline of the Black Sea, including zones A and B of the Law on the spatial planning of the Bulgarian Black Sea coastline4 and the Bulgarian shelf zone: up to 20 metres into the sea. It is believed that in the 3-kilometre zone the interaction between the sea and other ecosystems is the strongest5. 1 ‘Biodiversity is not only a natural resource but also a future development potential’ (NRDS 2012–20122). 2 For example, the analysis of the current status and of the tendencies in the socio-economic development of the Black Sea region was based mainly on the regional plans for development of the Southeastern and the Northeastern regions in 2014–2020, the regional strategies for development of Dobrich, Varna and Burgas, as well as on the development plans of the Black Sea municipalities. 3 The third report of the working group on the mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services (MAES) http://catalogue.biodiversity.euro- pa.eu/uploads/document/file/1328/3rdMAESReport_Condition.pdf. 4 Art. 10(1) Zone A covers part of the Black Sea territorial waters under Art. 3(2), the coastline and a strip of land 100 m wide outside of populated areas, measured horizontally from the boundaries of the sea coast or of the sea beaches. Art. 11(1) Zone B covers the territories within the 2-kilometre strip from the boundary of Zone A, except the urbanised territories of populated areas, defined at the