State of the Environment Bulgaria 2003
What is being done to solve the problems
In accordance with the Hunting and Protection of Game Act, 679 statements have been drawn up and 622 penal ordinances have been issued in 2001. The sanctions imposed amount to 157 045 leva.
In 2001, 138 permits for export, import and re-export have been issued, of which 131 were for export, 3 for import and 4 for re-export. Subjects of trade (including exchange), as per the Convention, have been 7 956 162 specimens from 43 plants and animals (excluding fishes) including 7 950 000 plant parts such as snowdrop bulbs and 31 leather products from species included in the appendixes of the Convention. The total quantity of spawn from Huso huso that possess a permit for export is 1 016,2 hg. Only 4 permits were issued for export of plants, mainly for medical purposes – bulbs of Galantus nivalis.
Most of the permits--94--were issued for hunting trophies acquired in Bulgaria (turtledove, bear, wolf, jackal) as well as stuffed and trophy characters for exhibitions, intended mainly for Western European countries.
An illegal trading of species of two types of tortoises was stopped in 2001 – 49 individual tortoises were seized by the border custom and veterinary controls. After the 45-day waiting period in the Sofia Zoo the tortoises were released within the territory of “Valchi Dol” preserve.
A database of the protected territories has been established at the Ministry of Environment and Water. The software product allows the introduction, treatment and storage of information regarding the protected territories, preparation of reports on their condition and the changes and the status, area, regime of activities within the protected territories. Data is introduces for the categories protected territories – preserve, national park, supported preserve, protected area and natural landmark, the introduction of the data for the natural parks is forthcoming.
As the Protection of Territories Act envisages, in 2001 management plans for Rila National Park Central Balkan National Park, the Srebarna Supportive Preserve, and the Koreniata–Kolokita Protected Area were adopted.
List of Visitors Centres and Nature Protection Centres:
In the National Parks:
”Central Balkan” National Park – tourism and nature protection centre and 4 information–training centres
“Rila” National Park – Visitors centre and information centre
“Pirin” National Park – Information Centre
In the Natural Parks:
Blue Stones” Natural Park - Visitors centre
“Vrachanski Balkan” Natural Park – 4 Visitors centres
“Strandja” Natural Park –“Forest collection” museum and Information and nature protection centre
“Golden Sands” Natural Park –Aladja Monastery museum complex
“Vitosha” Natural Park – 2 Information Centres
“Shumen Plateau” Natural Park – Visitors centre
In other protected territories:
“Poda” Visitor centre
“South Rhodopi” Nature protection centre
“Kaliakra” Information Centre
Last update on March 2003