BlackSea4Fish is the GFCM capacity development programme for the Black Sea. Established in 2016, it contributes to the sustainable management of Black Sea fisheries, providing scientific and technical support and coordinating priority activities of the Subregional Group on Stock Assessment in the Black Sea (SGSABS) and the Scientific Advisory Committee for the Black Sea (ACBS).
Through targeted activities in line with agreed workplans, BlackSea4Fish supports countries in strengthening fisheries management and scientific capacity, while members provide technical, financial and in-kind contributions as appropriate.
BlackSea4Fish brings together key regional actors, providing the resources needed to support the priority activities of the ACBS and the formulation of advice for sustainable fisheries in the Black Sea.
In line with the GFCM mandate and the objectives of the GFCM 2030 Strategy, BlackSea4Fish plays a central role in addressing fisheries priorities in the Black Sea. By strengthening national expertise and scientific capacity, it contributes to creating a level playing field for fisheries across the region.
Objectives
BlackSea4Fish is built around three core components, that align with the Outputs defined in the BlackSea4Fish Guiding document, as follows:
Knowledge - Fisheries and ecosystem monitoring
- Data collection
- Field and laboratory research
- Scientific and socioeconomic surveys
Effective monitoring underpins the formulation of sound scientific advice. Through a wide range of activities, BlackSea4Fish supports the regular collection of comprehensive biological, fleet and socioeconomic data at the national level. These activities cover outputs 1, 2 and 4, and include stock assessment data preparation and analyses for Black Sea priority species, harmonized scientific surveys-at-sea, management-oriented research for select species and fisheries, socioeconomic surveys, monitoring of discards and bycatch of vulnerable species, biological sampling and age-reading, improved knowledge of small-scale fisheries.
Expertise - Training and capacity building
- Expert meetings and exchanges
- Training of trainers
- Regional and subregional fora
The demand for increasingly detailed scientific advice and the emergence of new tools and technologies to support it requires substantial efforts in capacity development, training and sharing of expertise and best practices among fishers, fish workers, scientists and administrators across the region. To meet the needs of each country, under output 5, BlackSea4Fish runs a range of tailored courses and ad hoc training sessions, training-of-trainers programmes and stock assessment data preparation meetings, as well as study tours and exchanges. Along with fostering collaboration and cooperations among institutes, partners and stakeholders within and across national borders, this component places a strong emphasis on inclusivity, participation, engagement and awareness-raising, and ensures outreach and dissemination of results.
Infrastructure - Provision of facilities and technology
- Procurement of equipment and services
- Enhancement of facilities
- Innovative solutions
Improvements in infrastructure can make an important contribution to a more efficient and sustainable fisheries sector. BlackSea4Fish supports the upgrade, expansion and construction of key facilities in Black Sea countries, providing the technology and tools needed to strengthen and maximize national capacities. BlackSea4Fish works to improve facilities and equipment, including for the implementation of standardized monitoring, in order to contribute more sustainable, cost-efficient, ecologically safe and less-polluting fleets and fisheries services.
BlackSea4Fish is structured to enable cross-sectoral opportunities that cut across these components, strengthening its contribution to levelling the playing field in the Black Sea. It encourages technical cooperation between research and policy institutes on specific topics, the exchange of best practices and the creation of expert hubs to share specialist knowledge and facilities.
How we work
BlackSea4Fish delivers its objectives through a range of complementary activities, including:
- Recruiting external experts to address priority topics and carry out ad-hoc studies
- Supporting the participation of Black Sea scientists in SGSABS, ACBS, and other GFCM meetings and activities
- Coordinating and supporting the launch and implementation of strategic activities such as surveys-at-sea, vessel monitoring and control systems, socioeconomic surveys, and bycatch monitoring programmes
- Organizing targeted activities in response to GFCM decisions, including management plans, research programmes, and pilot projects, and addressing knowledge gaps to strengthen scientific advice underpinning fisheries management in the Black Sea
- Promoting training opportunities and capacity-development actions in member countries
- Enhancing cooperation among Black Sea initiatives
- Supporting outreach and dissemination of programme results
The Scientific Advisory Committee for the Black Sea (ACBS) was established in 2025 as a result of the evolving work in the Black Sea. It replaces the Working Group for the Black Sea (WGBS), which was established in 2011 to advance the GFCM’s work while taking into account the specificities of the Black Sea. Throughout its mandate, the WGBS successfully delivered high-quality advice underpinning decision-making in the Black Sea region.
The objectives of the ACBS are to:
- Provide advice on fisheries-related issues of relevance to the Black Sea region, including the status and trends of marine living resources, taking into account, where applicable, any advice related to the Black Sea that may be provided by other committees
- Facilitate the exchange of scientific data and information between contracting parties, cooperating non-contracting parties, and relevant non-contracting parties, and promote cooperation in the fight against IUU fishing in the Black Sea region
- Undertake any other functions or responsibilities as may be conferred by the Commission
Black Sea priority species
- Pelagic species
- European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus)
- European sprat (Sprattus sprattus)
- Horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus)
- Demersal species
- Turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)
- Whiting (Merlangius merlangus)
- Red mullet (Mullus barbatus)
- Non-indigenous species
- Rapa whelk (Rapana venosa)
- Species of conservation concern
- Piked dogfish (Squalus acanthias)
BlackSea4Fish is a multi-partner initiative operating in all countries bordering the Black Sea, bringing together a wide range of fisheries stakeholders from across the region.
Scientists and other experts
The work of scientists and experts – usually carried out within national fisheries institutes and authorities – forms the foundation of the GFCM fisheries advisory process, establishing the knowledge base that underpins scientific advice and technical assistance. Strengthening their capacity contributes to more robust and effective advisory outcomes.
Fishers and fish workers
Especially in small-scale fisheries, fishers and fish workers have a vital role to play in data collection, traceability and scientific monitoring. They should also be empowered to participate in decisions that affect them. Through training, technical support and financial assistance, BlackSea4Fish helps strengthen their capacity, diversify their activities and improve their livelihoods.
Administration representatives
As a regional project encompassing national objectives, BlackSea4Fish works closely with administration representatives in each country to provide the means and tools needed to strengthen fisheries management capacity, plan national contributions, participate in GFCM processes and deliver against GFCM requirements.
Partner organizations
Partnerships and collaborations with a range of organizations and fora are fundamental to BlackSea4Fish, fostering synergies while avoiding duplication and maximizing the strategic and operational strengths of each partner and scaling up overall impact. Partner organizations play a key role in implementing targeted activities on the ground, as well as in developing and sharing knowledge and best practices across the region.
Resources
Explore meetings reports, technical documents and publications from BlackSea4Fish.
Read more
Contact
Hüseyin Ozbilgin
BlackSea4Fish Coordinator
Inner pages MENU - Capacity development
Fisheries
Aquaculture ComplianceBlackSea4Fish operates at the regional, subregional and national levels.
For more information on current activities across the Black Sea, please visit the following pages:
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