Institute of Fish Resources (IFR), the Bulgarian partner in the Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin Programme project “Raising Awareness for the Black Sea People to Recognize and Protect Black Sea Biodiversity” (BIOBLACK, BSB 00794), will host an upcoming workshop and coordination meeting from 11–13 November 2026 at the Hotel Cherno More in Varna, Bulgaria.
The three-day gathering will bring together project partners, marine researchers, and key regional stakeholders to evaluate project progress, review recent activity outcomes, and align implementation plans for upcoming field initiatives including the project’s sea survey agenda. Designed as an interactive forum for knowledge exchange, the event highlights the critical role of stakeholder insights in shaping actionable, community-driven strategies for conserving Black Sea marine ecosystems and biodiversity.
The scheduled event features a multi-faceted agenda aimed at advancing marine conservation through collaboration and active stakeholder engagement:
- Day 1 (11 November): Stakeholder & Partner Workshop — Hosted at Hotel Cherno More, featuring opening remarks from Elitza Petrova-Pavlova and Sonya Uzunova, progress reports from lead partner KTU (Prof. Dr. Hacer Sağlam) and regional institutes, presentations on specialized scientific tools (such as TIMMOD NEXT, DINOPATH, MARMAPS, and the BIOBLACK App), citizen science initiatives, commercial benthic species, and an interactive brainstorming session followed by feedback and conclusions, culminating in a workshop dinner.
- Day 2 (12 November): Sea Survey Agenda — On-site biological and ecological field operations starting from Varna Harbour, focusing on field observations and the sampling of fish, plankton, and benthos to monitor coastal biodiversity and evaluate project field protocols.
- Day 3 (13 November): Steering Committee & Project Partner Meeting — An administrative and strategic session dedicated to the Steering Committee meeting, reviewing project activities progress, planning the final project period, and addressing financial issues.
The event reinforces cross-border collaboration and community-driven actions to safeguard Black Sea ecosystems by combining interactive discussions, field sampling activities, and strategic planning.