Cetaceans sightings by boat since 2010

In the Black Sea the cetaceans are represented by three species, Phocoena phocoena relicta, Tursiops truncatus ponticus and Delphinus delphis ponticus.

The main threat and cause of decline for the Black Sea dolphins are the fishing nets, so-called bycatches.

For protection of the dolphin populations from Romanian Black Sea area in conformity with the objectives of the „National Action Plan for Conservation of Dolphins” and „Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic
Area”, with finance from European Union true the Sectorial Operational Programme – Environment, NGO "Mare Nostrum” started a series of activities in partnership with National Institute for Marine Research and Development „Grigore Antipa” Constanta, Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority, National Agency for Fishing and Aquaculture, Natural Science Museum Complex „Dolphinarium” Constanta, Border Police Inspectorate of Constanta County. Among these activities the cetacean sightings were collected either within dedicated ship-based or opportunistic surveys. The data recorded between 2010 and 2020 are reported. Along the years the data were collected in the frame of the inhouse monitoring program, projects and private funding.