Observations made in May resulted with recording a number of 156 marine
mammals, represented by the three species, as shown in (Figs. 27.7, 27.8, and 27.9).
The area in which the observations were carried out in May was about 1922 km
2
and represented 10% of the total surface taken into account (19,299 km
2 ) for the
purpose of estimating marine mammal abundance. By means of extrapolation, it
was estimated that the number of cetaceans present in the offshore area in May, on
the total surface covered, ranged between 290 individuals (D. D. ponticus) and
740 individuals (P. P. relicta).
Observation from boats at the Romanian coast was done with the “Marsuin”
speedboat in May 2013, aiming at tracing individuals or groups of cetaceans which
prefer areas closer to the coast. Observations made in May resulted in recording a
Fig. 27.3 “Steaua de Mare 1” research vessel
Fig. 27.4 Total number of
cetaceans by species
(by vessel, April 2013)
27 Assessment of Cetacean Population Abundance at the Romanian Black Sea. . .
477