ПОКАНА за участие в Жива лаборатория, организирана от Община Каварна в изпълнение на проект с № 15910 и название ОЛАМУР за Черно море (OLAMUR for Black Sea), сключено споразумение за грантово подпомагане с института Хавфорск, Норвегия с № 101094065 по програма HORIZON-MISS-2021-OCEAN-04-01 и процедура за изграждане на „Фар в басейните на Балтийско и Северно море - морска аквакултура със слабо въздействие и многоцелево използване на морското пространство“
Уважаеми съграждани,
С настоящата покана отправяме призив към неправителствения сектор, местните рибарски общности и бизнес предприемачи в сферата на енергетиката и аквакултурите да вземат участие в изгражданата от Община Каварна Жива лаборатория (Living Lab) като дейност по проект ОЛАМУР за Черно море.
Живата лаборатория (Living Lab) е иновативен механизъм, чиято основна цел е да се създаде работещ модел, чрез който да се обменят знания и опит между: община Каварна, граждани, научни институции, бизнеси, неправителствени организации и други, за създаването на устойчиви и приложими иновации, които адресират върху реални екологични, икономически и социални предизвикателства в крайбрежните райони на Черно море.
Чрез нея се цели да се постигне натрупване на информация като обобщение на най-актуалните познания относно местните условия и потенциалните видове аквакултури, които могат да се култивират в съответствие с локалните условия на околната среда. Целим да се установят и идентифицират ключови препятствия за развитие на нискотрофните аквакултури в региона. Ние знаем, че секторът среща няколко съществени пречки като липса на изградена пазарна верига и добавена стойност, административни и регулаторни бариери, ограничен човешки капацитет и нужда от обучение, диетични и потребителски предпочитания.
Нашата Жива лаборатория ще функционира като иновативна платформа за срещи и взаимодействие с цел развитие на сектора на различните видове, съставляващи аквакултури.
Живата лаборатория ще действа като основна платформа за създаването на „Пътната карта“, чрез събиране на експертни знания, провеждане на консултации със заинтересованите страни, организиране на тематични работни групи и валидиране на предложенията чрез реални пилотни дейности. Така изготвената Пътна карта ще бъде практичен и прилаган документ, който да насочва усилията на всички участници към устойчиво развитие на морските аквакултури в региона.
Каним ви да се включите в нашата Жива лаборатория, като моля всеки представител на НПО, местните рибарски общности и бизнес предприемачи в сферата на енергетиката и аквакултурите да заяви участието си до 22.04.2025 г. на e-mail: obshtina@kavarna.bg чрез посочване на имена, телефон и имейл за връзка, както и коя организация и/или пазарен сектор представлявате. Срещите на Живата лаборатория ще се осъществяват основно онлайн, с оглед на по-ефективна организация и оптимално използване на времевия ресурс.
Project No. 15910 “OLAMUR for the Black Sea” has been implemented by Kavarna Municipality since February 2025, under a signed sub-grant agreement with the Havforsk Institute, Norway, No. 101094065, under the Horizon Europe Programme, Call HORIZON-MISS-2021-OCEAN-04-01 and the procedure for building a “Lighthouse in the Baltic and North Sea basins – low-impact marine aquaculture and multi-use of marine space.”
OLAMUR (Offshore Low-trophic Aquaculture in Multi-Use scenario Realisation) is a four-year EU-funded project supporting the EU’s “Ocean Lighthouse” Mission to restore and protect oceans and waters by 2030. The project’s efforts aim to make the sustainable blue economy carbon-neutral and circular, in line with the European Climate Law and the holistic vision laid out in the Sustainable Blue Economy Strategy. The objective of cascade funding is to initiate better practices for the use of marine space, where certain industries can operate together. Examples include innovative concepts proposed for development in Germany, Denmark, and Estonia for the cultivation and development of low-trophic aquaculture (LTA) within offshore wind farms. By leveraging the potential of this innovative approach—combining aquaculture with green energy production—we can contribute to a much more sustainable use of our marine resources.
Pilot projects like the one in Bulgaria will play a significant role in gathering data and achieving OLAMUR’s objectives. They will also help local communities become more informed and aware of the latest innovations and technologies in the fields of aquaculture and green energy.
Traditionally, Kavarna has been a region where aquaculture has developed very well, along with activities related to the production of alternative green energy. Therefore, implementing such a project will greatly benefit the development of good practices, both in terms of innovative local business initiatives and in fostering collaboration among all stakeholders.
The aim is to establish close ties between local businesses, the local administration, the scientific community, and national-level authorities such as the Executive Agency for Fisheries and Aquaculture (EAFA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (MAF), the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW), and others.
Another key objective is for Kavarna Municipality to gain more experience and expertise in implementing such projects, carried out by large EU-level consortia and financed under programmes such as Horizon. This will open up more opportunities and prospects for the municipality to access EU funding from programmes directly managed by the European Commission.
Kavarna Municipality is already in the process of implementing the project proposal, which covers several key impact areas:
- Establishment of a so-called “Living Lab” – an innovative mechanism whose main goal is to create a working model through which knowledge and experience can be exchanged among municipalities, citizens, research institutions, businesses, NGOs, and others, to create sustainable and applicable innovations addressing real environmental, economic, and social challenges in the coastal regions of the Black Sea.
- Summary of the latest knowledge regarding local conditions and the potential aquaculture species that can be cultivated in accordance with the local environmental conditions.
The Bulgarian Black Sea coast, and particularly the area around Kavarna, is characterised by favourable natural conditions for the natural development of aquaculture. This geographical region features shallow coastal waters, moderate salinity, good light penetration, and nutrient-rich waters, all of which support the cultivation of various plant species. Ocean currents and relatively low levels of anthropogenic pollution in certain areas further contribute to the potential for sustainable production. There are also available marine areas suitable for offshore installations. In this regard, one of the main tasks of the so-called "Living Lab" is to summarise existing scientific and practical knowledge regarding potential plant and animal species, including:
- Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis): a species endemic to the Black Sea with a high filtration capacity. It improves water quality by absorbing excess nutrients. Mussels have an established market in Bulgaria and Europe and possess good economic potential.
- Oysters (Crassostrea gigas): although less widespread in the Black Sea, this species can be cultivated under controlled conditions. It has high economic value and is in demand in the culinary sector. It is suitable for integration into sustainable aquaculture systems.
- Seaweed (Ulva spp., Gracilaria spp., etc.): species with relatively high potential for use in Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) systems, performing an ecological function by absorbing carbon dioxide and excess nutrients from the environment. These types of aquaculture products have market value in the food industry, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals.
- Identification of additional local species: through the work of the Living Lab, opportunities will be explored and analysed for cultivating other local or under-researched species, in accordance with the region’s environmental and economic conditions.
- Establishing and identifying key barriers to the development of low-trophic aquaculture.
Despite the favourable natural conditions for aquaculture development along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast, including the area around Kavarna, the sector faces several significant obstacles:
- Lack of an established market chain and added value:
- There is no well-developed logistics or processing infrastructure to ensure the economic viability of cultivating and selling products such as mussels, seaweed, or oysters.
- Small-scale producers do not have access to distribution, certification, or export platforms, which limits their competitiveness.
- Administrative and regulatory barriers:
- The procedures for obtaining permits to use marine areas for aquaculture are complex and ambiguous.
- There is a lack of specific regulatory frameworks and strategic documents to facilitate the implementation of IMTA as innovative models of sustainable production.
- Limited human capacity and need for training:
- There is no structured training or technical support available in the region for farmers and entrepreneurs interested in the sector.
- Insufficient understanding of the benefits of different marine species also limits public and institutional support.
- Dietary and consumer preferences:
- Some consumers are poorly informed and show little interest in products such as seaweed or oysters, which hinders the development of the domestic market.
- An active information and promotional campaign is needed to encourage sustainable consumption and highlight the health and environmental benefits of products derived from such organisms.
In this context, the so-called "Living Lab", which will be established under the project, will function as an innovative platform for interaction and sectoral development of the various aquaculture species through:
- Direct dialogue between institutions, producers, and the scientific community, aimed at identifying administrative barriers and formulating proposals for simplifying regulatory and permitting procedures;
- Training and capacity building for local stakeholders, including through technology demonstrations, practical workshops, and exchange of best practices tailored to local environmental and economic conditions;
- Development and testing of marketing strategies and pilot sales channels, aiming to promote aquaculture products to the local community, tourists, and the hospitality sector, with a focus on sustainability and local origin.
This approach will contribute to building a sustainable and adaptive aquaculture production system that meets both the environmental and economic needs of the region. The Living Lab will provide a real opportunity for a transition to sustainable practices, supported by scientific evidence, active community participation, and support from local authorities.
- Development of a “Roadmap” for Change
The creation of a “Roadmap” for change represents a strategic process aimed at planning and managing specific steps toward achieving sustainable transformations in a given field. In the context of marine aquaculture, the “Roadmap” will include both short-term and long-term measures to facilitate the development of the sector in line with the region’s natural, social, and economic conditions.
The Living Lab will serve as the main platform for the development of the Roadmap, by gathering expert knowledge, conducting stakeholder consultations, organising thematic working groups, and validating proposals through real pilot activities. The resulting Roadmap will be a practical and actionable document to guide the efforts of all participants towards the sustainable development of marine aquaculture in the region.
Several informational events are planned as part of the project, the most significant of which will be a conference scheduled for October 2025. This event will bring together all key stakeholders with the aim of enabling active participation in discussions and the decision-making process. Participants are expected to include representatives from the OLAMUR consortium, including organisations representing the business interests of the aquaculture and energy sectors, as well as representatives from the European Commission and other institutions involved in the sustainable use of marine resources.
Kavarna Municipality’s participation in the OLAMUR project, alongside Bulgarian research institutes, government agencies, NGOs, and industry organisations in the fisheries and aquaculture sector, enables both organisations and individuals to contribute to collective efforts aimed at restoring and protecting Black Sea ecosystems, addressing shared challenges faced by businesses and ecosystems, and advancing the objectives of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” at both regional and global levels.
Ultimately, organisations or individuals interested in ocean and water conservation, the development of the maritime and aquaculture sectors, sustainable development, and joint approaches to environmental and economic challenges may find that participating in the OLAMUR project is a strategic and rewarding opportunity to make a meaningful contribution and foster collective action for positive change.