1. Research and Restoration of the
Essential Filters of the Sea –
REEFS
Mariana Stoyanova, Partnership Coordinator
Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation

2. The Beautiful Black Sea Region

3. TTourist wrecks in Bulgaria

5. İzin Verilen Yapay Resif Projeleri
NO YEAR PROVINCE LOCATION MATERIAL
1 1989 İzmir Inside the Bay Tram units
2 1992 İzmir Hekim Island Cubic concrete blocks
3 1994 İzmir Between Foça- Orak Island Plus shaped concrete blocks
4 1995 İzmir Çeşme - Dalyanköy Cubic and plus shaped concrete blocks
5 1997 İzmir Inner Bay Orowed multi holed concrete blocks
6 1998 İzmir Ürkmez Pentagonal cubic concrete blocks
7 1998 İzmir Gümüldür Cubic concrete blocks
8 1999 İzmir Urla Blocks suitable for octopus
9 2000 Zonguldak Merkez, Ereğli Çaycuma 200 blocks with 40 units each
10 2001 Muğla Marmaris Concrete blocks (230 pieces)
11 3.4.2006 Antalya Alanya Ship and plane wrecks
12 18.4.2006 Antalya Merkez Concrete blocks and ship wreck
13 17.5.2006 İzmir Mordoğan Concrete blocks
Here is the list of 14 30.5.2006 Balıkesir Ayvalık Ship
15 1.1.2006 MUĞLA Bodrum Coast guard boat
reefs licensed and 16 1.1.2006 Muğla Bodrum Navy tankership
settled in Turkey 17 16.4.2007 Muğla Bodrum C-47 Plane
18 1.10.2007 Antalya Üçadalar Coast guard boat
19 16.11.2007 İzmir Gümüldür Floating artificial reef
20 27.5.2009 Mersin Erdemli Ship
21 26.6.2009 Antalya Kaş Plane
22 15.9.2009 Adana Yumurtalık Concrete blocks

6. Why more artificial reefs in the Black Sea?
Marine life of the Black Sea certainly is less diverse than that of
coral reefs, but don’t we have a chance to help our sea to
diversify? It has been observed that the ecosystem of the Black
Sea quickly responds to external influences, both to the natural
ones, like environmental factors fluctuations, or anthropogenic
effects, like fisheries, construction works in the coastal zone,
and all kinds of marine pollution. Therefore the creation of
manmade structures is very promising in increasing the
biodiversity, and filtering the coastal waters most of all.
Recently, existence of some unique habitats were reported which
is an indication that there is unforeseen potential in enriching
the marine life in our coastal waters.

7. The REEFS project team
PARTNERS:
BENEFICIARY Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation – Bulgaria
PARTNER 1 Odessa Branch of O.O.Kovalevskiy Institute of Biology of Southern Seas of, National
Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,Odeska Oblast;
PARTNER 2 ONG Mare Nostrum – Constanta, Romania,
PARTNER 3 Ilia State University, Dr. Bela Japoshvili
IPA PARTNER Karadeniz Technical University – Trabzon, Turkey

8. Most appropriate definition considered
according to the London Convention and
Protocol “Guidelines for the placement of
Artificial Reefs” (UNEP 2009), an artificial
reef “is a submerged structure
deliberately constructed or placed on the
seabed to emulate some functions of a
natural reef such as protecting,
regenerating, concentrating, and/or
enhancing populations of living marine
resources. Objectives of an artificial reef
may also include the protection,
restoration and regeneration of aquatic
habitats, and the promotion of research,
recreational opportunities, and
educational use of the area. The term
does not include submerged structures
deliberately placed to perform functions
not related to those of a natural reef -
such as breakwaters, mooring, cables,
pipelines, marine research devices or
platforms - even if they incidentally
imitate some functions of a natural reef.”
NOW AVAILABLE AT www.reefsproject.net

9. WE FOCUS ON
RESEARCH ON LOST OR DAMAGED BY POLLUTION/TRAWLING
HABITATS OF BLACK SEA MUSSELS /Mytilus Galloprovincialis/
RESTORATION VIA EXPERIMENTAL
REEF GRID STRUCTURES WITH TOTAL
AREA OF 31 292M3

10. Grid Structures Reef Ball Structures
VS.
•Open structure allowing free flow
•Increased active surface for certain cost of structure
•Low risk of sedimentation inside the structure
•Lack of non-overgrowing surfaces inside the structure
•Well compacted for transport, handling , and installation
•Easy pre-assembling the modules before placement

11. Test on Different AR Materials in Odessa Bay October, 2012

12. Structures Proposed by Scientists from
Constanta, Romania
Figure no.3.
rages/sleepers (cross
tie)
Figure no. 1. Concrete slabs
Figura nr.4 Pyramid structures of sleepers
Figure no. 2.platform of concrete
slabs

13. Early Grid Reefs

14. In meeting the specific objectives to establish long-term partnership platform for scientific
and technical activities in favor of artificial reefs, prospective reef structures are studied
at a conceptual level and proposed for pilot installation
Pioneering
Mussel
Reefs at
the
Bulgarian
Coast
„Pyramid“
28.05.2010
28.05.2010
Modules
Unlike the traditional heavy structures, the so called “light structure approach”
presumes creation of light weight low-cost modules that when installed in a certain
way form the strata where larvae attach and grow. Growing mussels make the
initially light and flexible structure more heavy and rigid

15. The Pyramids 14 months later on the
national TV channel

16. „Accordion“ Modules
Height 1.4m / Width 1.5m
Varna, Jan, 2012
05.01.201
2

17. Seven Units of Tubular-Robe
Structure have been sunk
close to the Golden Sands
Resort, Varna in 2011

18. Spiral Reef Structure Has Been Already Tested
in October, 2012 in Varna Bay

19. Commercial Aquaculture Reefs to Be Tested in
Early 2013

20. EXPECTED FOLLOW-UP
•Development of more industrialized method for manufacturing these structures (on the
way);
•Recommendation on the design wave conditions, i.e. return period of design wave. (to
be proposed)
•Recommendation on stability calculations (to be proposed);
•Recommendation on the geotechnical aspects, basically prevention of sinking in soft
silt or mud (to be proposed);
•Recommendation and practical implementation of a monitoring program with respect
to the previous items.
•Conclusions based on the monitoring data gathered and recommendations on further
development and application on larger scale.

21. Mariana Stoyanova
REEFS Partnership Coordinator
THANK YOU FOR THE ATTENTION
@REEEFS Project
reefs.bsb@gmail.com
www.reefsproject.net