black sea red data book - Department of Biology

INTRODUCTION
This book was created within the framework of the GEF Black Sea Environment
Programme, at the Data Base Laboratory of Marine Hydrophysical Institute,
Sevastopol, Ukraine, but contributors came from all Black Sea countries (for a list,
see further).
The GEF Black Sea Environmental Programme (BSEP) was established in June 1993
with three primary objectives: to strengthen and create regional capacities for
managing the Black Sea ecosystem; to develop and implement an appropriate policy
and legal framework for the assessment, control and prevention of pollution and the
maintenance and enhancement of biodiversity; and to facilitate the preparation of
sound environmental investments.
The BSEP is to be implemented through an interactive matrix of national
coordinators, thematic regional activity centers and focal point institutions targeting:
emergency response, routine pollution monitoring, special monitoring, biodiversity
protection, coastal zone management, environmental legislation and economics, data
management and GIS, and fisheries. The overall programme coordination was
conducted by a Project Coordination Unit (PCU), based in Istanbul.
As described in the Strategic Action Plan for the Rehabilitation and Protection of the
Black Sea: "A regional Black Sea Red Data Book (BSRDB), identifying and
describing endangered species, will be developed because, at present, there are no
Red Data Books or Lists which cover all the threatened and rare species of the entire
Black Sea ecosystem. To date, no regional Red Data Book had been prepared for the
marine environment anywhere in the world — the BSRDB is the first; the BSRDB
includes Black Sea species which are already mentioned in national and international
Red Data Books and Lists, plus other Black Sea threatened species which will be
introduced to the BSRDB by specialists using accumulated data. The Black Sea Red
Data Book includes: threatened and rare species of marine plants and animals; and,
threatened and rare species of coastal organisms which are ecologically close to the
marine environment
The BSRDB exists in two versions: as a conventional book (this version), and as a
web site and CD-ROM. Both versions include an Introduction (how to use the
document.), a main text with species files, and a list of references.
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