522
Natural Resources of the Danube Delta) according to which a considerable part of
the delta was to be altered for agricultural purposes (crops and farms for animal
husbandry), and the development of fish and forest exploitation was to be extended.
Thus, the delta and the Razim-Sinoe lake complex were divided and shared among
six business ventures exploiting delta resources. These ventures were subordinated
to the Danube Delta Office seated in Tulcea (DDO).
A whole set of fish farming developments were subsequently created during that
period, including the Popina, ChiliaVeche, Stipoc, Dunavat, Holbina I, Holbina II,
Periteasca, and Ceamurlia developments, which together occupy approximately
40,000 ha. The fish farming system suggested for the delta was a closed one, which
meant that all the feed had to be supplied by the livestock farmers. Things did not
progress as expected because, due to economic recession after 1973, maintenance
and servicing of the water supply and drainage facilities became difficult; consequently, fish production did not measure up to the initial investment. Some authors
(Gastescu and Stiuca 2008) note that the location of these fish farming developments was not very wise to begin with. Either they were located on fertile land
suited for agriculture (Stipoc), the soil salinization brought about by these alterations led to the extension of the French tamarisk species (Tamarix gallica) (Popina
II, located eastward of the Letea levee), or the peat in the soil was harmful to the fish
fauna (Holbina I and Holbina II, located between the Razim Lake and the Dranov
Lake) (Fig. 17.3).
There are five agricultural development areas in the Danube Delta Biosphere
Reserve, with an overall surface area of 39,974 ha; these are located in various
places in the reserve on the territory of five communes (Table 17.1).
This intensive delta development period saw the setup of the many agricultural
developments that still exist on the right bank of the Sfantu Gheorghe Branch from
Tulcea down to Mahmudia. These agricultural developments do not significantly
influence the ecological balance of the delta because there are few lakes and marshes
in this area. These developments are considered profitable from an agricultural point
of view. The Pardina and Sireasa developments, which are located in the fluvial part
of the delta (Fig. 17.4), are considered to be the most radical.
Twenty-seven thousand hectares of the Pardina polder, which make up 10% of
the deltaic plain and 67.62% of the agricultural development area of the delta, were
fully altered (in the 1960s this depression was developed for fish farming) for agricultural purposes in 1983. This time, the natural landscape and the natural water
flow disappeared completely after the major development works conducted here
(drainage canals, irrigation canals) (Figs. 17.5 and 17.6).
Thus, five intensive agriculture farms were created in the Pardina polder. They
had the following land use structure: 84.32% tillable land, 15.46% grassland and
0.2% vineyards and orchards. Legally speaking, 95.3% of the polder’s surface area
is currently included in the public domain managed by Tulcea County Council, and
only 384 ha are owned by Pardina Commune inhabitants. The former Public
Agricultural Company (IAS in Romanian), which owned the exploitation rights
during the communist regime, was privatized after 1989. Nevertheless, the resulting
private companies soon went bankrupt, and the land became the property of the
S. Niculescu et al.
Natural Resources of the Danube Delta) according to which a considerable part of
the delta was to be altered for agricultural purposes (crops and farms for animal
husbandry), and the development of fish and forest exploitation was to be extended.
Thus, the delta and the Razim-Sinoe lake complex were divided and shared among
six business ventures exploiting delta resources. These ventures were subordinated
to the Danube Delta Office seated in Tulcea (DDO).
A whole set of fish farming developments were subsequently created during that
period, including the Popina, ChiliaVeche, Stipoc, Dunavat, Holbina I, Holbina II,
Periteasca, and Ceamurlia developments, which together occupy approximately
40,000 ha. The fish farming system suggested for the delta was a closed one, which
meant that all the feed had to be supplied by the livestock farmers. Things did not
progress as expected because, due to economic recession after 1973, maintenance
and servicing of the water supply and drainage facilities became difficult; consequently, fish production did not measure up to the initial investment. Some authors
(Gastescu and Stiuca 2008) note that the location of these fish farming developments was not very wise to begin with. Either they were located on fertile land
suited for agriculture (Stipoc), the soil salinization brought about by these alterations led to the extension of the French tamarisk species (Tamarix gallica) (Popina
II, located eastward of the Letea levee), or the peat in the soil was harmful to the fish
fauna (Holbina I and Holbina II, located between the Razim Lake and the Dranov
Lake) (Fig. 17.3).
There are five agricultural development areas in the Danube Delta Biosphere
Reserve, with an overall surface area of 39,974 ha; these are located in various
places in the reserve on the territory of five communes (Table 17.1).
This intensive delta development period saw the setup of the many agricultural
developments that still exist on the right bank of the Sfantu Gheorghe Branch from
Tulcea down to Mahmudia. These agricultural developments do not significantly
influence the ecological balance of the delta because there are few lakes and marshes
in this area. These developments are considered profitable from an agricultural point
of view. The Pardina and Sireasa developments, which are located in the fluvial part
of the delta (Fig. 17.4), are considered to be the most radical.
Twenty-seven thousand hectares of the Pardina polder, which make up 10% of
the deltaic plain and 67.62% of the agricultural development area of the delta, were
fully altered (in the 1960s this depression was developed for fish farming) for agricultural purposes in 1983. This time, the natural landscape and the natural water
flow disappeared completely after the major development works conducted here
(drainage canals, irrigation canals) (Figs. 17.5 and 17.6).
Thus, five intensive agriculture farms were created in the Pardina polder. They
had the following land use structure: 84.32% tillable land, 15.46% grassland and
0.2% vineyards and orchards. Legally speaking, 95.3% of the polder’s surface area
is currently included in the public domain managed by Tulcea County Council, and
only 384 ha are owned by Pardina Commune inhabitants. The former Public
Agricultural Company (IAS in Romanian), which owned the exploitation rights
during the communist regime, was privatized after 1989. Nevertheless, the resulting
private companies soon went bankrupt, and the land became the property of the
S. Niculescu et al.