Working Meeting with the Concerned Parties under the MARSPLAN-BS Project Held

A working meeting with the concerned parties under the MARSPLAN-BS project was held in Shabla. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Bulgarian partners in the projects: the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, the Institute of Oceanology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Maritime Administration Executive Agency and the Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company. The event was also attended by the mayor of Shabla Municipality, Mr. Mariyan Zhechev, Mrs. Tatyana Neykova – chief architect of the municipality, as well as representatives of the Green Training Center, the Shabla-Kavarna-Balchik Fisheries Local Action Groups, and local diving centers, among others. 

 

The Bulgarian partners in the project explained the necessity of maritime spatial planning, its objectives and expected results. The participants in the meeting noted that maritime spatial planning will contribute to a more efficient management of marine activities and sustainable use of marine and coastal resources within a transparent decision-making process based on objective data. 

 

During three sessions the representatives of the stakeholders were acquainted with the MARSPLAN-BS project and the national and European legislative framework concerning maritime spatial planning. The participants in the meeting discussed the preparation of the pilot plan for the marine space of the Mangalia-Shabla cross-border area. A discussion was held about the objectives, the methodology, the approach, the major marine and coastal activities identified beforehand: fisheries, whelk hunting with divers, marine tourism, etc., potential and existing conflicts between the main activities as well as those between them and the marine environment.

 

For Bulgaria MARSPLAN-BS is a pilot project for maritime spatial planning for the Black Sea basin whose implementation will support the application of the European Directive for planning of that type, which is binding for all EU Member States.

 

The project aims to create an institutional framework for cross-border maritime spatial planning for Bulgaria and Romania, to consolidate the cross-border cooperation and the exchange of information about marine areas, to define the vision and strategic goals for the Black Sea in respect of maritime spatial planning. A pilot maritime spatial plan for the Mangalia-Shabla cross-border area is planned to be prepared where MARSPLAN-BS is to ensure the wide dissemination of the obtained  information and best practices among the stakeholders in the Black Sea basin.

 

The representatives of the Bulgarian partners in the project participating in the meeting said that maritime spatial planning ensures the best possible coexistence between different maritime activities, resolution of conflicts between incompatible activities, identification and appropriate conservation of ecologically and biologically important areas as well as improved protection of the cultural heritage. Maritime spatial planning enables the allocation of marine space for new activities and also fosters active citizenship, which in turn ensures the adoption of maritime spatial plans in a transparent environment with the direct participation of the stakeholders.

 

When presenting the major legislation it became clear that under the Framework Directive for maritime spatial planning the statutory sectors to be covered are marine environment, fisheries and aquaculture, marine transport and energy. The main pillar in this respect is the Marine Strategy Framework Directive which requires from each EU Member State to develop a Marine Strategy taking into account the characteristics of its maritime territory and using an ecosystem approach to achieve good environmental status of its marine waters by 2020 in respect of 11 characteristics, by setting specific environmental objectives and measures to achieve them. The territorial waters of Bulgaria and the country's exclusive economic zone fall within the scope of the Directive. 

 

The methodology for developing the pilot maritime spatial plan for the Mangalia-Shabla cross-border area was presented during the meeting. A detailed study of the area will be carried in cooperation with the Romanian partners. Several phases in terms of approach and methodology have been included for the creation of the pilot maritime spatial plan for the area. The activities that will be carried out include:  description of the area, review of the existing documents, strategies and directives for spatial planning that are suitable for the area. An analysis of the current situation will be made with a description of the features of the environment, the population and infrastructure, the main coastal and marine activities in the cross-border area. Identification of existing and potential conflicts and compatibilities between users and users, as well as between users and environment has been envisaged, after which the key problems of the area will be defined. The second phase includes an analysis of the existing conditions in which the relevant areas will be studied and a strategic scenario will be developed. Finally the strategy for a maritime spatial plan will be defined whereby the parties concerned are expected to approve the prepared pilot plan.     

 

The participants in the meeting discussed the main marine sectors and existing activities in Shabla Municipality, the existing and potential conflicts between sectors and users, as well as the conflicts between sectors, users and environment in the marine and coastal zone of Shabla.       

 

 

The Cross-border Maritime Spatial Plan for the Black Sea – Romania, Bulgaria project has a duration of two years and is funded under an agreement on grant aid number EASME/EMFF/2014/1.2.1.5/2/SI2.707672 MSP LOT 1 Black sea/MARSPAN BS between the European Commission and the Romanian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Administration. The funding is provided by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. The aim of the project is to improve the cross-border cooperation between Romania and Bulgaria in the area of Black Sea strategic and spatial planning, in line with Directive 2014/89/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 July 2014 establishing a framework for maritime spatial planning.

 

The leading partner in the project is the Romanian Ministry of Regional Development and Public Administration. The Bulgarian partners are the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works, the Institute of Oceanology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Maritime Administration Executive Agency and the Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company. The other Romanian participants are the Department on Water, Forests and Fisheries, the Grigore Antipa National Institute for Marine Research and Development, the National Institute for Research and Development in Environment Protection - sub-unit Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development – Tulcea, the National Institute for Research and Development in Construction, Urban Planning and Sustainable Spatial Development – Urban - Incerc, and the Ovidius University of Constanta.