Within the "Support MSFD implementation in the Black Sea through establishing a regional monitoring system of cetaceans (D1) and noise monitoring (D11) for achieving GES", financed by European Commission - No. 110661/2018/794677/SUB/ENV.C2, a dedicated aerial survey for marine mammals using distance line transect methods was performed in 2019 in territorial and EEZs of the six Black Sea riparian countries.

The Green Balkans dataset contains effort-based occurrence records collected during a cetacean monitoring programme in the Bulgarian Black Sea waters, since 2016. The project is led by the Green Balkans NGO and aims to ensure regular monitoring of cetaceans in Bulgarian territorial and shelf waters in the Black Sea. Platforms are motor sailing yachts and at one occasion a fishing vessel. On-board trained marine mammal observers collected data on: survey effort including meteorological conditions and cetacean sightings. Data is provided in the recent OBIS-ENV-DATA format and comprises 2643 georeferenced positions associated with 1663 occurrences of 3 marine taxa. On several occasions, data was recorded only to level of Family or Superfamily. For each recorded sighting, perpendicular distance is recorded.

Within the "Support MSFD implementation in the Black Sea through establishing a regional monitoring system of cetaceans (D1) and noise monitoring (D11) for achieving GES", financed by European Commission - No. 110661/2018/794677/SUB/ENV.C2, a dedicated aerial survey for marine mammals, sea birds and marine debris using distance line transect methods was performed in 2019 in territorial and EEZs of five of the Black Sea riparian countries.

<p>Cetaceans' strandings along Bulgarian Black Sea coast compiled and recorded within Green Balkans NGO's Cetacean Monitoring and Conservation Program.</p>