In order to thoroughly monitor the situation caused by the oil spill near the Kerch Strait, the Ministry of Environment and Water turned to the Laboratory of Marine Ecology at the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Studies (IBES) – Bulgarian Academy of Science (BAS) for a scientifically based stduy on the impact on marine organisms and ecosystems of oil and petroleum spills.

The study, authored by Dr. Dimitar Berov and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ventsislav Karamfilov, submitted to the ministry, tracks changes in the type, concentrations and properties of petroleum products during oil spills, which are of fundamental importance for assessing the potential negative effects on living organisms and ecosystems. The processes of distribution and change of these properties of petroleum products in the marine environment have been well studied.

The authors identify Black Sea habitats and how they may be affected by the impact of oil spills. Brief conclusions are drawn on the expected impacts in the Kerch Strait region. This is an area with a concentrated presence of marine mammals that migrate through the strait from the Azov Sea to the Black Sea. The area is directly affected by the oil products dumped on the shore, so the habitats in this area will be affected by oil spills. There are also large wetlands, lagoons, and freshwater lakes located adjacent to the strait, which are likely bird habitats. The extent and degree of impact on coastal ecosystems and species can only be established on-site during specialized studies and observations, the conclusions state.

Given the great distance of the Kerch Strait from the Bulgarian Black Sea coast (about 700 km to Cape Shabla, 780 km to Cape Maslen), the long time required for spills to travel such a distance, and the natural processes of decomposition, dilution, and sedimentation of oil products in the sea, direct negative impacts of the oil spill on coastal ecosystems and habitats along the Bulgarian coast are not expected - is the categorical conclusion of the scientists from IBES - BAS.

See the full text of the study "Impact on marine organisms and ecosystems from spills of petroleum products and oil"