The consortium of the project consists of 10 private and public entities, including the competent national authorities from the two Member states, both Romania and Bulgaria, Romanian Ministry of Waters and Forests and Bulgarian Black Sea Basin Directorate. Beside the partners from the member states: Mare Nostrum NGO, National Institute for Marine Research and Development “Grigore Antipa”, Green Balkans, Institute of Oceanology Varna, project involves third countries partners from Turkey and Ukraine (Turkish Marine Research Foundation, Karadeniz Technical University, Ukrainian Scientific Center of Ecology of the Sea). Their involvement is crucial in supporting the MSFD implementation in the Black Sea region.

The consortium involves the ACCOBAMS Secretariat, with extend involvement in the Black Sea cetacean conservation. ACCOBAMS brings the knowledge and experience in both cetacean conservation and noise monitoring from the Mediterranean area

The consortium partners have long partnership and working experience with Black Sea Commission, and other regional and international agreements and conventions (Bucharest Convention, Barcelona Convention, GFCM, FAO, etc.).

MARE NOSTRUM

We are the most active environmental NGO in Constanta, Romania. Since 1994, we've been raising environmental respect, developping projects each year in order to help Constanta to become a true European city. Each project we implement corresponds to clear strategic directions and to carefully defined objectives:

  • Education for sustainable development
  • Marine and coastal biodiversity conservation and natural resources management
  • Influencing public policies regarding urban management

This way we can build a framework for environmental responsible activities.

Every project we have is focused on biodiversity conservation and rational utilisation of resources. Black Sea dolphin monitoring is one of the long-term activities of the organisation, started in 2001. We implement projects on this direction and carry out activities that help us discover details about dolphin abundance in the Black Sea.

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, WATERS AND FORESTS
The responsible authority for MSFD implementation in Romania.
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FPOR MARINE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT "GRIGORE ANTIPA"
The National Institute for Maritime Research and Development “Grigore Antipa“- NIMRD (Institutul National de Cercetare-Dezvoltare Marina “Grigore Antipa” - INCDM) is a representative national organization with a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary structure, operating under the coordination of the Ministry of Research and Innovation. NIMRD carries out basic, applied and technological research for the knowledge, protection and management of the coastal zone and marine environment, oceanography, marine and coastal engineering, management of the marine living resources in the Black Sea and World Ocean. It is the support for solving the national and international problems regarding the Romanian marine sector and the Black Sea Exclusive Economic Zone, according to Romania’s tasks assumed under international conventions.
Also, NIMRD insures the national, regional and European marine strategies/plans implementation. According to the establishing legal document, NIMRD is the scientific responsible of the physical, chemical and biological national network for marine waters and for coastal erosion surveillance. NIMRD has specific responsibilities and extensive experience in the development of studies in the field of Black Sea Living Resources, as well as data reporting to regional bodies (Black Sea Commission) and international (GFCM, FAO, JRC/DG-MARE, MEDIAS, MEDITS, ICES); NIMRD hosts the National Oceanographic and Environmental Data Center (RNOEDC); National scientific responsibilities for the collection of fisheries data and the assessment of living marine resources (in accordance with GD No 253/2015) and for the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD); NIMRD hosts and ensures the functioning of the Training Centers for the Environment and Fisheries professions; NIMRD has qualified staff, an extensive experience in marine aquaculture and infrastructure. NIMRD has National Scientific Responsibility for the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM): Black Sea Working Group (WGSB) and Shellfish Aquaculture Demonstrative Center in Constanta (S-ADC).
BLACK SEA BASIN DIRECTORATE

Basin Directorate for Water Management in the Black Sea Region - Varna was established by the Minister of Environment and Water in 2002, in accordance with Directive 60/2000 of the European Union and national legislation and regional division of the Ministry.

Basin water management covers 14.7 percent of the country and 100% of the territorial sea. This is approximately 16,568 km2 and 6358 km2 water area. 12 nautical miles of the Black Sea is 27 000 km2 - against the coast from Cape Sivriburun north to south Mutludere with a total length of 378 km.

The Black Sea Basin Directorate region perform planning, monitoring, informational features, and management of water, exclusive state ownership.

IO-BAS
IO-BAS is a research institute under the auspice of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences with principle investigation activities, thematic competences and experiences in the field of marine biology and ecology, chemistry, geology, physics and coastal dynamics. The institute’s mission is to advance the scientific basis for sustainable management of the Black Sea ecosystem and its living and non-living resources. Being designated as the national body responsible for the implementation of the monitoring under the EU water environmental policies (Water Framework Directive, Marine Strategy Framework Directive) in the Bulgarian Black Sea, the institute carries out regular field survey campaigns and reports annually on the marine environmental status to the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment and Waters. The organisation sets the environmental targets and develops the associated indicators and classification systems for assessment of the marine environmental pressures, impacts and state in terms of its pelagic and benthic biodiversity, invasive non-native species, commercial fish and shellfish, marine mammals, eutrophicaton, physical disturbance of the seabed, hydrographic changes, underwater noise and marine litter. It has provided major support to the regional authorities (the Black Sea Basin Directorate, regional subdivision of the Ministry of Environment and Water) in designing the national marine monitoring programmes compliant to the WFD and MSFD.
IO-BAS has played prominent role in the designation of marine protected areas network under the provisions of the European Habitats Directive. IO-BAS has been involved in extensive number international Projects funded by various Programmes such as NATO, GEF/UNDP, FP6, FP7 Programms: SESAME FP6, SPICOSA FP6, Upgrade Black Sea Scene FP7, WISER, ODEMM, DEVOTES, PERSEUS, MESMA, KnowSEAS, MISIS and IRIS-SES (DG Env) and EEA Norwegian Grants - ISMEIMP, ESSENIAS-TOOLS, MARLEN and IMAMO Projects. The experts from IO-BAS participated in many EWGs STECF, WG BS GFCM and AG FOMLR, Black Sea Commission.
TUDAV
Turkish Marine Research Foundation (TUDAV) was established in 1997, in İstanbul, Turkey, to conduct scientific research on marine environments, protect marine life and share our love of seas & oceans with the people. For this purpose, we have created a data bank for information exchange, published more than 50 books on the subject, hold seminars and workshops regularly to educate people and bring together scientists and experts from many fields, and collaborate in many research projects. TUDAV has partnerships with several international organizations such as ACCOBAMS since 2008.
GREEN BALKANS
Green Balkans is a leading organization in the field of conservation of rare species and habitats in Bulgaria. The Organization was established in 1988 being Bulgaria's oldest nature conservation NGO. Main areas of work include: biodiversity conservation; habitat restoration; sustainable natural resource management; improvement of nature conservation policy and legislation; environmental education. The activities related to cetaceans' conservation were started in 2005 during the surveys for establishment of NATURA 2000 in Bulgaria.
ACCOBAMS
The Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area (ACCOBAMS) is an international treaty that aims to preserve cetaceans and their habitats within the geographical Agreement area, and aims to reduce threats by improving current knowledge on these animals and implementing appropriate conservation tools. Established under the auspices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (the Bonn Convention), the ACCOBAMS entered into force in 2001 and has 24 countries Party to the Agreement in 2020.
KTU
KTU Faculty of Marine Sciences carries out education at various levels and research activities on various aspects of marine living resources of the Black Sea, ecosystem/habitat as well. Main research areas are marine sciences, fishing technology, aquaculture and fisheries management. Faculty is one of the key partners of various EU funded projects due to its location representing the main fishery resources of the Black Sea basin and wide range of expert pool.
UKRSCES
The Ukrainian Scientific Center of Ecology of the Sea (UkrSCES) was founded in 1992. It is the main institution of the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Ukraine in marine ecological research. The main objective of the UkrSCES work is the applied research and providing expertise and policy activity in protection, management and restoration of marine ecosystems. Also, the UkrSCES is involved in action under international agreements in marine ecology, including the provisions of the EU-Ukraine Association, implementation of the WFD and MSFD.
The UkrSCES hosts all the national systems of marine environmental monitoring within the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, providing integrative monitoring activities. The UkrSCES has been designated as an IODE Associate Data Unit (ADU). Also, it is accredited as the Black Sea OBIS node.