Environmental Data collection

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Environmental Data collection within The Black
Sea Commission
3rd meeting of the UNECE Joint Task Force on
Environmental Indicators Geneva, July 11-13, 2011
Volodymyr Myroshnychenko, Project
Expert Permanent Secretariat Commission on the
Protection of the Black Sea Against
Pollution www.blacksea-commission.org
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Content

• Legal framework
• Institutional framework
• Monitoring
• Reporting
• Challenges future plans

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Black Sea environmental problems
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Black Sea

• Enclosed water body
• Large catchment
• Unique ecosystem

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Regional Environmental Problems

• Eutrophication/Nutrient Enrichment
• Chemical Pollution, including Oil
• Changes in Marine Living Resources, Overfishing
• Biodiversity Changes/Habitats Loss, including
  Alien Species Introduction
• Climate Change

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Eutrophication

• Eutrophication levels in the Black Sea
  (hypertrophic red, eutrophic orange,
  mesotrophic yellow and blue).
• (Source GIWA, Eutrophication in the Black Sea
  region, 2005)

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(No Transcript)
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Algal blooms
Ref Presentation of chair of AG CBD Dr.
Alexandrov at BSC-23 meeting, Jan 2011
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Chemical pollution
Mean concentrations of selected parameters in
water of the Black Sea, 2000-2005 (TDA 2007)
Total suspended solids
Total petroleum hydrocarbons
Dissolved copper
Color Dissolved copper (µg/l) Total petroleum hydrocarbons (mg/l) Total suspended solids (mg/l)
  lt1.000 lt0.018 lt1.550
  gt1.001-2.667 gt0.018-0.020 gt1.550-4.194
  gt2.667-3.000 gt0.020-0.050 gt4.194-8.031
  gt3.000-13.346 gt0.050-0.180 gt8.031-14.853
  gt13.346 gt0.180 gt14.853
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Land Based Sources of Pollution

• River loads
• Industrial discharges
• Municipal discharges
• Atmospheric deposition

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Vulnerability of the Black Sea
Due to large catchment area as compared to its
own area, the Black Sea is very vulnerable to
pressure from land based human activities and its
health is equally dependent from the coastal and
non-coastal states of its basin. Due to the same
reason Black Sea is vulnerable to climate change.
Black Sea catchment
Strong currents of the Black Sea is an important
factor in transporting of dissolved substances,
floating matter, and living organisms throughout
the sea thereby causing transboundary
dissemination of pollution, invasive species,
marine litter etc.
Black Sea currents
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Need for regional approach

• Sea possess no physical borders!
• Most marine problems are transboundary and
  require collective action
• Environment, the easiest area of cooperation

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Legal framework
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Bucharest Convention

• In April 1992 six Black Sea countries (Bulgaria,
  Georgia, Romania, Russian Federation, Turkey and
  Ukraine) signed and shortly thereafter ratified
  the Convention on the Protection of the Black Sea
  Against Pollution (Bucharest Convention) with its
  (three) integrated protocols.

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Protocols to the Convention

1. Protocol on the Protection of the Black Sea
   Marine Environment against Pollution from Land
   Based Sources (1992)
2. Protocol on Cooperation in combating pollution of
   the Black Sea Marine Environment by Oil and Other
   Harmful Substances (Emergency Protocol)
3. Protocol on the Protection of the Marine
   Environment Against Pollution by Dumping
4. Black Sea Biodiversity and Landscape Conservation
   Protocol
5. Protocol on the Protection of the Marine
   Environment of the Black Sea from Land-Based
   Sources and Activities (2009)

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Obligations of Contracting Parties

• General obligation to prevent, reduce and
  control the pollution in the Black Sea in order
  to protect and preserve the marine environment
  and to provide legal framework for co-operation
  and concerted actions to fulfill this obligation.
  
• To protect the biodiversity and the marine living
  resources
• To provide framework for scientific and technical
  co-operation and monitoring activities.

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Obligations of Contracting Parties (2)

• In particular, to prevent pollution
• by hazardous substances or matter
• from hazardous wastes in transboundary movement
  and the illegal traffic thereof
• To prevent, reduce and control the pollution
• from land-based sources
• from vessels
• resulting from emergency situations
• by dumping
• caused by or connected with activities on the
  continental shelf, including exploration and
  exploitation of natural resources
• from or through the atmosphere

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The Strategic Action Plan for the Rehabilitation
and Protection of the Black Sea

• Signed on October 31, 1996 (commemorated as the
  Black Sea Day)
• Adopted by all Black Sea countries
• Updated in 2009
• Ecosystem approach

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• SAP-1996 Assessment and monitoring of pollutants
• A Black Sea Monitoring System, based upon
  biological effects measurements and measurements
  of key contaminants, will be established in
  compliance with the Bucharest Convention.
• A State of Pollution of the Black Sea report
  will be prepared and published every five years,
  beginning 2006. It will be based on the data
  collected through the coordinated pollution
  monitoring and assessment programmes.
• Data regarding actual and assessed contaminant
  discharge measurements for point sources, rivers,
  and, where possible, diffuse sources, shall be
  compiled and freely exchanged beginning 2002 on
  an annual basis. It is advised that the Advisory
  Group Control of Pollution from Land Based
  Sources make these compilations in future.
• SAP-2009 Develop/improve the existing monitoring
  system to provide comparable data sets for
  pollutant loads (from direct discharges and river
  inputs) and for other parameters.

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SAP Ecosystem Quality Objectives

• EcoQO 1 Preserve commercial marine living
  resources through
• Sustainable use of commercial fish stocks and
  other marine living resources
• Restore/rehabilitate stocks of commercial marine
  living resources
• EcoQO 2 Conservation of Black Sea Biodiversity
  and Habitats through
• Reduce the risk of extinction of threatened
  species
• Conserve coastal and marine habitats and
  landscapes
• Reduce and manage human mediated species
  introductions
•  
• EcoQO 3 Reduce eutrophication through
• Reduce nutrients originating from land based
  sources, including atmospheric emissions.
•  
• EcoQO 4. Ensure Good Water Quality for Human
  Health, Recreational Use and Aquatic Biota
  through
• Reduce pollutants originating from land based
  sources, including atmospheric emissions.
• Reduce pollutants originating from shipping
  activities and offshore installations

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SAP Ecosystem Quality Objectives

• EcoQO 3 Reduce eutrophication through
• Reduce nutrients originating from land based
  sources, including atmospheric emissions
• EcoQO 4. Ensure Good Water Quality for Human
  Health, Recreational Use and Aquatic Biota
  through
• Reduce pollutants originating from land based
  sources, including atmospheric emissions.
• Reduce pollutants originating from shipping
  activities and offshore installations

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Institutional Framework
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Black Sea Commission

• Intergovernmental body for promoting the
  implementation of the provisions of Bucharest
  Convention, its protocols and Strategic Action
  Plan
• The regional focal point for any aspects of the
  coastal and marine environment of the Black Sea
• Made up of 6 Commissioners (one for each coastal
  country) and a chairman
• Chairmanship for one year and rotates between
  coastal countries

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BSC Structure
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SAP implementation

• Conducted by countries
• Regional monitoring program
• Annual reporting to BSC
• Periodical assessment (5 years)
• State of Environment Report
• Assessment of SAP implementation and SAP revision

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MONITORING
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Black Sea Integrated Monitoring and Assessment
Programme (BSIMAP)

• Implemented since 2001.
• Build on established national monitoring
  programmes
• Operational
• Last version of BSIMAP was adopted in 2006.

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BSIMAP Goals

• The main purpose of the BSIMAP is to provide data
  for the state of the environment (SOE) reporting,
  impact assessments of major pollutant sources,
  and for transboundary diagnostic analysis (TDA).
  
• BSIMAP seeks to maximize the use of historical
  data from previously established monitoring sites
  for trend analysis, supported by new additional
  sites to improve the assessment of the current
  chemical/ecological status of the Black Sea.
• The sites, parameters and monitoring frequencies
  also reflect data requirements for compliance
  with relevant national and international
  legislation and agreements.

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BSIMAP Pollution Monitoring Network
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Monitoring network spatial coverage
Territorial waters Pollution Hot Spots Sampling Sites Coastline (km) Average distance (km) represented per sampling site
Bulgaria 9 5 300 60
Georgia 6 5 310 62
Romania 5 21 (9 transects) 225 25
Russian Federation 4 5 475 95
Turkey 10 63 (21 transects) 1400 66
Ukraine 9 14 1628 116
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National institutions involved
Bulgaria Regional laboratories in Varna and Burgas
Georgia Environment Pollution Monitoring Department, MoEP
Romania National Institute for Marine Research Development Water Directorate Dobrogea Litoral Constanta
Russian Federation Socchi Hydrometeorological Centre, Tuapse Roshydromet Monitoring Laboratory, Southern Branch of SIO RAS
Turkey MoEF, Istanbul University
Ukraine UkrSCES , State Ecological Inspection of the North-West region of the Black Sea (MENR)
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BSIMAP monitoring requirements

• Sampling media water
• Parameters nutrients, oxygen, physical
  chemical parameters, petroleum hydrocarbons,
  suspended solids
• Frequency 4 times per year

• Sampling media sediments
• Parameters organic contaminants, heavy metals
• Frequency 1 time per year

• Sampling media biota
• Parameters organic contaminants, heavy metals
• Frequency 1 time per year

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BSIMAP monitoring requirements (1)

• Problem Eutrophication. Sampling media Water

Mandatory parameters Frequency Optional parameters Frequency
T 4 pH (site-specific)  
Salinity 4 BOD5 (site-specific)  
O2 (saturation and dissolved) 4 TOC 4
TSS (filter 0.45 µm) 4 H2S 4
Secchi 4    
P (PO4) 4    
P total 4    
N (NH4) 4    
N (NO3) 4    
N (NO2) 4    
N, Total 4    
SiO4 4    
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BSIMAP monitoring requirements (2)

• Problem Pollution. Sampling media Water

Mandatory parameters Frequency Optional parameters Frequency
Oil pollution  
TPH (Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons) 4 Oil slicks  
Heavy Metals
Cd 1 Fe
Cu 1 Zn  
Hg 1 Cr, Co  
Pb 1 Mn, Ni  
 
Pesticides, Phenols
Detergents
PAHs, PCBs  
137Cs, 90Sr , Tr  
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BSIMAP monitoring requirements (3)

• Problem Pollution. Sampling media Sediments

Mandatory parameters Frequency Optional parameters
Particle size 1 Granulometry
Description of BS 1 Calcination losses
Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb 1 Al, Co, Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn
DDT, DDD, DDE 1 TOC
Lindane 1 P total
PCBs 1 Phenols
Hydrocarbons Total 1 137Cs, 90Sr
PAHs 1 Total radioactivity
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BSIMAP monitoring requirements (4)

• Problem Contamination of Biota

Media Bivalves, Anchovies, Sprat, Turbot, Horse
mackerel - meat
Mandatory parameters Optional parameters
Cd Phenols
Cu Co
Hg Zn
Pb Fe
DDT Ni
DDD Cr
DDE PAHs
Lindane Cs
PCBs Tr
Sr
Total radioactivity
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BSIMAP monitoring requirements (5)

• Problem response of biodiversity on pollution
  and destruction of habitats. Sampling media
  Biota

Mandatory parameters Frequency
Chl a 4
Phytoplankton 4
Mesozooplankton 4
Biomass of Noctiluca 4
Macrophytobenthos 1
Macrozoobenthos 1
Fish landing (annually) 1
Fish stocks (optional, annually) 1
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Chemical pollution
Mean concentrations of selected parameters in
sediments of the Black Sea, 1996-2005 (TDA 2007)
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Monitoring of pressuresBSIMAP LBS component

• Complementary to the Pollution Monitoring, the
  BSIMAP LBS component includes monitoring of
  pollution loads from LBS, including
• River discharges
• Industrial discharges
• Municipal (WWTP) discharges
• The emphasis is given to the
• Pollution Hot Spots.

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Hot spots
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Parameters

• BOD5
• Total Nitrogen (TN)
• Total Phosphorus (TP)
• Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
• Flow (Q)
• Heavy metals
• Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons

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Reporting
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Reporting

• Who National Focal Points / Members of Advisory
  Groups
• What Different parameters of the Black Sea
  ecosystem state, pressures, impacts, measures,
  changes in legislation/policy, programs,
  investments, etc.
• PMA (pollution in water, sediments, biota)
• LBS (pollution loads)
• CBD (phyto- and zoo-plankton, conservation
  status)
• ESAS (ship traffic, oil spilled during accidents,
  fines)
• ICZM (state of the coast and management)
• FOMLR (stocks, landings, fishing fleet,
  measures)
• When annually (in Autumn), data for previous
  year
• How in standardized formats

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Data flow
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Analysis of official data reporting
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Usage of monitoring data information
State of Environment reporting (SoE)
Transboundary diagnostic analysis
Impact assessments of major pollutant sources
Assesment of SAP implementation and SAP revision
GIS, mapping
Trend analysis
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State of Environment Report 2006/7

• More than 60 scientists involved
• 12 chapters addressed to different environmental
  problems as well as socio-economic pressures and
  impact
• Last chapter overall assessment of the state of
  the Black Sea Ecosystem

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Challenges, Recommendations, Future Plans
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Challenges (monitoring)

• Gaps in countries monitoring programs the
  monitoring is mainly not integrated.
• Mandatory parameters are often not covered
• Recommended frequency of observations is not
  always observed
• Difference in sampling and sample analysis
  techniques
• Different approach in assessment of environmental
  status
• Pure coordination between responsible authorities
• Insufficient financial support of monitoring

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Challenges (reporting)

• Gaps in data availability (i.e. data have not
  been collected due to some reasons)
• Gaps in data reporting (i.e. data are available
  in the country but due to lack of inter-agency
  coordination did not became available to AG
  members for including in reports)
• Insufficient data for indicator-based assessment
  (datasets are not consistent)
• Insufficient time-series data for trend analysis

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Data availability needs in details
Indicator group Indicators/Parameters In BSIS Outside BSIS
Eutrophication Nutrients Y Y
Eutrophication Chl-a (in-situ) limited Y
Eutrophication Transparency limited Y
Eutrophication Hypoxia (dis. oxygen) Y Y
Eutrophication Alga blooms Y Y
Eutrophication Macroalgae limited limited
Contamination Concentrations in sea water Y Y
Contamination -- in biota limited -
Contamination -- in sediments limited -
Contamination Biological effects not considered yet -
Biodiversity Species composition (zooplankton, phytoplankton, benthos, fish, seagrass) limited Y
Biodiversity Population abundance biomass limited Y
Biodiversity Non-indigenous species Y Y
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Major targets in improvement of monitoring

• Strengthening of existing program mandatory
  parameters covered, monitoring frequencies
  observed
• Further harmonization to meet requirement of
  new SAP and LBS protocol, common understanding
  of Good Environmental Status (GES) and
  indicators, further development of guidelines,
  inter-comparison exercises, etc.
• Improving the List of Black Sea-specific
  priority pollutants
• Standardization of sampling and sample analysis
  techniques
• Proper geographical coverage, networks
  development
• Sustain stations and transects with long-terms
  observations
• Sustainable quality control and assurance

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Supporting activities

• Utilization of the capacities of all Institutes
  dealing with monitoring in the region
• Avoiding overlapping of activities and efforts
• Partnership with international organizations
  EEA, IMO, ESA, EMSA, HELCOM, utilizing their
  experience
• Capacity building regular trainings, bringing
  BAP to the region, strengthening the
  collaboration between different authorities
  engaged in monitoring
• Sharing data and metadata. Further development
  of BSIS to make its data and metadata services
  accessible online, and to make sure that the
  special information needs of stakeholders are
  met.

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Near-term tasks

• Development of the Regional Database on Pollution
  with GIS based Web interface providing public
  access to metadata and data products (maps,
  charts)
• Elaboration of the Black Sea reference and target
  concentration levels of eutrophication parameters
• Elaboration of a regional methodology on
  identification of water quality classes for
  eutrophication
• Development of implementation plan on setting up
  a modelling tool, linking pollutants triggering
  eutrophication in the Black Sea with requirements
  for reducing input of nutrients, including
  riverine loads

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Thank you for your attention
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