Keywords Ichthyofauna • Conservation status • Management • MPA •
Sustainability
26.1 Aims and Backround
The Danube Delta is the second largest river delta in Europe. The Romanian Danube
Delta Biosphere Reserve (580,000 ha) is situated northwest of the Black Sea in
Eastern Europe. The area was created to conserve its diversity, both biological and
cultural (Navodaru et al. 2008). It has a triple international conservation designation:
UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserve since 1990 and Ramsar site due
to its importance for migratory birds. At EU level, the Danube Delta is recognized as
part of Natura 2000 network for the great diversity of birds listed on the Birds
Directive, as well as for the habitats and species listed on the annexes of Habitats
Directive. The following Natura 2000 sites are overlapping the area: ROSPA 0031
Danube Delta and Razelm – Sinoie Lagoon System, ROSPA 0076 Black Sea,
ROSCI 0065 Danube Delta, and ROSCI 0066 Danube Delta – marine zone.
The latter protected site, ROSCI 0066 Danube Delta – marine zone, is the focus
of this research, and corresponds to the geographical unit coastal zone of the Black
Sea, from the outflows of the Danube – Chilia Branch (north) down to Cape Midia
(south), up to the 40 m isoline to the east (Minister’s of Environment, Water and
Forests Order no. 46/2016).
The overall evaluation of the conservation status of marine species and habitats
in the analysed site derived from Annex E (V) matrix of the European Commission
official reporting format. This paper presents the results for marine fish species of
Community interest, whose presence is certain and confirmed by research in the
MPA perimeter (Table 26.1).
Given the particular conditions of the Danube Delta marine zone, the fish fauna
is highly diversified, compared to the other MPAs located along the Romanian
coast, 70 fish species being identified. This site is important both for migrant
species (shads and sturgeons), which use it during their passage to/from the Danube
and for all marine fishes, being the main spawning and foraging area (Nicolae et al.
2014) The five Community importance fish species inventoried (two shads and
three sturgeons) are briefly described below.
Family Clupeidae
Pontic shad – Alosa immaculata (Bennett, 1835) (Fig. 26.1)
444
C.G. Nicolae et al.
Sustainability
26.1 Aims and Backround
The Danube Delta is the second largest river delta in Europe. The Romanian Danube
Delta Biosphere Reserve (580,000 ha) is situated northwest of the Black Sea in
Eastern Europe. The area was created to conserve its diversity, both biological and
cultural (Navodaru et al. 2008). It has a triple international conservation designation:
UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Biosphere Reserve since 1990 and Ramsar site due
to its importance for migratory birds. At EU level, the Danube Delta is recognized as
part of Natura 2000 network for the great diversity of birds listed on the Birds
Directive, as well as for the habitats and species listed on the annexes of Habitats
Directive. The following Natura 2000 sites are overlapping the area: ROSPA 0031
Danube Delta and Razelm – Sinoie Lagoon System, ROSPA 0076 Black Sea,
ROSCI 0065 Danube Delta, and ROSCI 0066 Danube Delta – marine zone.
The latter protected site, ROSCI 0066 Danube Delta – marine zone, is the focus
of this research, and corresponds to the geographical unit coastal zone of the Black
Sea, from the outflows of the Danube – Chilia Branch (north) down to Cape Midia
(south), up to the 40 m isoline to the east (Minister’s of Environment, Water and
Forests Order no. 46/2016).
The overall evaluation of the conservation status of marine species and habitats
in the analysed site derived from Annex E (V) matrix of the European Commission
official reporting format. This paper presents the results for marine fish species of
Community interest, whose presence is certain and confirmed by research in the
MPA perimeter (Table 26.1).
Given the particular conditions of the Danube Delta marine zone, the fish fauna
is highly diversified, compared to the other MPAs located along the Romanian
coast, 70 fish species being identified. This site is important both for migrant
species (shads and sturgeons), which use it during their passage to/from the Danube
and for all marine fishes, being the main spawning and foraging area (Nicolae et al.
2014) The five Community importance fish species inventoried (two shads and
three sturgeons) are briefly described below.
Family Clupeidae
Pontic shad – Alosa immaculata (Bennett, 1835) (Fig. 26.1)
444
C.G. Nicolae et al.