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The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires that biodiversity, structure and function of benthic ecosystems are safeguarded against adverse effects from various human activities. Bottom-trawl fisheries have been identified as a major cause of sea-floor abrasion and it is legally required to evaluate the pressure and its impact. The present study provides a pilot assessment of the physical disturbance on the seabed by mobile bottom-contacting gears and links the pressure intensity to benthic habitats st...

The present study is aimed to assess the status of Black Sea fish species harvested by the Bulgarian fishing fleet, according to the three criteria of Descriptor D3 under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Achieving healthy fish populations depends on the adverse impact on species as a result of fishing activity. Descriptor D3 of MSFD addresses the commercial fish stocks status by applying indicators assessing the exploited fish sustainability, reproductive capacity and recruitment, and the age and si...

Data analysis for multiple data source locations on the wave climate regime of the Western Black Sea Coast is significantly required in port design as well in the delineations of the sheltered conditions, various emergency situations in maritime port areas. Under the extreme wave’s regime circumstances, there is a limited possibility to find certain low-energy areas for ships sheltering. The wave regime presents specificities of the wave field generated by the wind, especially in the port adjacent areas, under the...

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires that biodiversity, structure and function of the marine ecosystems are safeguarded and benthic habitats, in particular, are not adversely affected by anthropogenic pressures. Evaluating the spatial and temporal variation of the benthic broad habitat types’ status in a six-year management cycle is mandatory under MSFD. The present study aims at assessing the benthic habitats status in the Bulgarian Black Sea shelf area in 2019. Benthic macrofauna diversity and...

The study aims to assess the diversity, density, and heterogeneity of seafloor litter, distributed in the Bulgarian Black Sea’s shelf area. The indicators for assessment follow the national monitoring program under Descriptor D10 of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive. The survey campaign took place between 19.10 – 14.11.2017. Marine debris was gathered by 53 trawl hauls distributed in four regions at depths between 30 and 100m. During the survey, all litter items were collected and classified into seven categ...

Concerning the volume of goods conveyed, maritime transport is leading, and the last period proved that the trend is ascendant. Increased marine traffic leads to raised accident risks. Despite the state of the art marine technology and consistent regulations regarding navigation safety, naval accidents still occur and produce severe damage to assets, human life, and the marine environment. The paper presents the main types of naval accidents, focusing on the Black Sea basin, a sea with a complicated status regardi...

Lakes on the Black Sea coast are the direct result of soil erosion and marine or hydrographic accumulations, consequence of the specific evolution of the nearby sea basin. They depend on the variations in groundwater levels, rainfall or other hydraulic surface sources. In recent decades, as a result of many small, local earthquakes, some deep currents have appeared. Lakes as origins, are of fluvial-marine estuary, lagoons or artificial. Many of them are tourist attractions, due to the specific microclimate establi...

The marine storms take place with a relatively high frequency at the Romanian Black Sea coast characterized by an active storm regime, especially in the winter times, when the reported values of wind speed at gust reach 40 m/s, producing the offshore waves high of 5-8 m and even more in the offshore area. Even the frequency of storm surges at the western Black Sea shore is relatively low comparing to other European seas, the North-East occurrence of such storms produces significant exposures. Due to the magnitude ...