CeNoBS, the largest European project on the abundance of cetacean species in the Black Sea , has come to an end. For 30 months, volunteers and experts from 5 Black Sea countries monitored cetacean families from the air and at sea for the first official census.
The data collected within the project show that 21.0000 cetacean specimens were identified in the Romanian sector of the Black Sea
A possible solution for limiting bycatch is the use of purse strings and modified nets
The data collected by specialists also revealed the percentage of incidental catches of dolphins in fishermen's nets. " The rough estimate shows that between 11.000 and 20.000 porpoises can be caught annually in fishing nets throughout the basin. In percentage terms, this means that the level of incidental catches is up to 21,2% of the total abundance of this species, well above the accepted 1,7%. "
Specialists also recommend a possible solution for limiting accidental catches: the use of fishing nets and modified nets. In other words, mounting acoustic devices so cetaceans can sense danger. "The inclusion of acoustic means in monitoring programs is a necessity. I conclude by saying that we are already taking steps in these directions and we need all the support from the authorities, civil society, as well as the business environment and, last but not least, the European Commission", says Marian Paiu, project coordinator from the NGO Great Nostrum.
