CMEMS’ Downstream Operational Services for the monitoring-modeling-management of the marine and coastal areas of the western Black Sea Basin

The western Black Sea basin is a region of scientific interest in terms of its past and present level of ecological degradation by anthropogenic influences among the European Seas. Its coastal areas are the subject of continuous remote monitoring and operational observing system, towards human activities harmonization. Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM), as a long-term management tool integrated within Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP), was established to protect the population, sustain exploitation of coastal resources and mitigate the effects of climate change and marine hazards. In the same direction, the Ocean forecast systems and Earth Observation (EO) data can significantly contribute to the advance of oceanographic knowledge, but also to support maritime activities, including MSP/ICZM measures’ implementation in the area.

The Earth Observations data provided by Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), including the model data provided by several marine forecast systems, constitutes the source for several user-orientated, operational downstream services for specific activities in the western Black Sea basin.  

In the present work, will be described, two CMEMS’ funded projects, develop based on a holistic approach that covers different elements with potential environmental impact. To deliver specific support at regional and national level, several serviced were developed, being supportive for the strategy concerning the Blue Growth in the region, by facilitating the access to key environmental variables related to safe navigation, marine pollution, coastal tourism, and beach management. In the present work certain modelling/EO-based results of CMEMS uses uptake projects, will be presented together with associated lessons learned, for future implementations in various areas and activities domains within the western Black Sea Basin.