Plans to do with the Black Sea

The Black Sea does get attention

The Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution

TACIS: technical assistance to the Black Sea Environment Programme (BSEP).

In 2000 and 2002, Georgia, initially together with the U.S., tried to get Black Sea bottlenose dolphins - Tursiops truncatus - moved from CITES Appendix II to Appendix I, which would have meant a ban on the trade in these animals. They are wanted and purchased by marine amusment parks and similar establishments, which has helped lead to a large decrease of their numbers in the Black Sea (see for instance this report from 2002 or this page for more information), even though the trade in the Black Sea animals is already regulated under CITES. The proposal did not receive the needed number of votes.

Black Sea Strategic Action Plan (BSAP) (about, with links to the actual document, in Word and PDF format). Signed on 31 October 1996.

Bucharest Convention. Officially known as "The Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution " Signed in April 1992. Ratified in early 1994.

Odessa Declaration: the Ministerial Declaration on the Protection of the Black Sea of April 1993.

UNDP-GEF: Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project (BSRP).

What can you do to help?

• If you have a web site, link to this site and to Dr. Vershinin's site and let more people know about it.
• Buy 'organic'.
• Use environmentally friendly products.
• Limit your water use.
• Talk to collagues, friends and family about the Black Sea problems. Discuss it in school. Do projects.
• Write to politicians.
• Write to corporations' PR officers and ask what their contribution to the solution is.
• Help prevent oil spills at sea. We must rid the world of obsolete, single-hulled oil tankers. You can write to politicians and contact organisations like Greenpeace. The world needs better maritime legislation as well as measures to make sure that these regulations are complied with.
• Remove a few pieces of litter when you go to the beach. And certainly do not leave your own trash behind.

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Most recent update: January 19, 2008