Rapa whelk (Rapana venosa) is a non-indigenous species originating from the western Pacific, first observed in the Black Sea in 1947. Since then, the population of this gastropod has become established and expanded greatly and has become a significant source of revenue for Black Sea countries, particularly for small-scale fishers.
Rapa whelk is exported in large quantities to East Asia. Recent assessments indicated the stock as overexploited and in overexploitation, with biomass approaching the limit reference point.
As a result, earlier efforts to curb or eradicate rapa whelk population in the Black Sea have shifted towards policies aimed at managing the exploitation of the stock.
In this context, the GFCM launched in 2019 a regional research programme on rapa whelk fisheries in the Black Sea, in 2019, under the coordination of the BlackSea4Fish project.
Coverage
Focus countries
Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Türkiye, Ukraine
Period
Ongoing
Objectives
The main objective of the research programme was to improve scientific, technical and socioeconomic knowledge of fisheries exploiting rapa whelk through the collection of fishery-dependent and fishery-independent data, with the aim to achieve sustainable levels of exploitation, maintain the stock at maximum sustainable yield and protecting the socioeconomic viability of rapa whelk fisheries.
Activities
The research programme was structured around six specific goals, each corresponding to a dedicated work package (WP).
- WP 1. Biology and ecology
Conduct studies on size, genetics, density, abundance, biomass, recruitment, growth, reproduction, physiology, interactions with other species, environmental parameters influencing the rapa whelk lifecycle, preferred habitats and feeding behaviour - WP 2. Fishery-independent data collection – Surveys at sea
Carry out standardized scientific beam trawl surveys at sea to collect information on rapa whelk biomass, abundance, size and age distribution across all Black Sea countries - WP 3. Fishery-dependent data collection
Conduct biological sampling of catch, bycatch and fishing effort at landing ports and through onboard observers - WP 4. Stock assessment
Investigate methodologies used to assess the status of rapa whelk, including through the compilation of historical data - WP 5. Socioeconomic elements
Carry out socioeconomic surveys to develop economic indicators and understand external factors affecting the fishery and its economic sustainability - WP 6. Management proposals
Test the effects of possible management measures through management strategy evaluation
Partners
- Institute of Fish Resources, Bulgaria
- National Environmental Agency under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, Georgia
- National Institute for Marine Research and Development ‘Grigore Antipa’, Romania
- Central Fisheries Research Institute, Türkiye
- Istanbul University, Faculty of Aquatic Sciences, Türkiye
Resources
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