Ecological Crisis In Sasik Region As A Negative Example Of The Black Sea Coastal Management
ecological crisis in sasik region as A negative example of the black sea coastal management
I.T. Rusev
Nature protection and regeneration fund named after prof. I.I. Pusanov
"Natural Heritage Fund", Odessa, Ukraine
Lake Sasik, approximately 200 square kilometre in size, lies between the deltas of the Danube and Dnester rivers - 45 degrees/30 minutes latitude, 29degrees/30 minutes longitude - in the Tatarboonarsky region, Odessa oblast. In the late 1970’s, Soviet authorities initiated a large agro-industrial project dying off the lake from the Black Sea and infusing into the lake a large volume of fresh water from the Danube through a 14 kilometer - long artificial channel. Their objective was to transform the Sasik lagoon into a fresh water lake for irrigation purposes. the project not only failed in achieving its intended objective, due in large part to natural saline underground in the region, it has had serious environmental consequences for the area as a whole. The problem has been aggravated by unregulated commercial fishing practices that are also related to the irrigation project.
The environmental challenges are as follows:
–Due to the water diversion, fewer beneficial sediments and nutrients flow into the Danube delta, thus reducing its natural productivity.
–Stansovskie plavni, a large fresh wetlands, cut in two by the artificial channel, has been seriously degraded by stopped exchanging of water between different parts of wetlands. reduced water exchange has damaged feeding places for rare birds like spoonbill, pelicans and glossy ibises.
–The opening of the channel has caused a significant increase in commercial fishing, which is further deteriorating the watershed area.
–The increased traffic and infusion of contaminants have altered the physiochemical characteristics of the lake. Dissolved oxygen in the summer months has increased the volume of algae bloom during the same months.
–Agricultural lands have become salinized. Fresh water wells have been contaminated, fruit trees have died, and the production of vegetables has dropped. Public health has consequently been undermined.
The Sasik irrigation project was completed in 1982 Just a few years latter, its negative effects had become apparent to local; residents. However, powerful parties at higher levels of government were loathe to admit they had erred, particularly since the project had resulted in higher budgets for their departments. Particularly culpable were the Ministers of Water Economy, Economy and Agriculture. A relatively weak Ministry of Health and Environment had been marginalized. Local collective farms (kolkhozy) were also caught in a bind. Although increased saline in the soil was reducing crop yields, there was fear that further tampering with the water supply would result in yet greated declines in production.
The situation in the Sasik liman continued to deteriorate until the mid 1990’s. A turning point came in 1992 -1995 when the ecological commission of Odessa oblast rising this problem and issued a report by Dr. Ivan Rusev’s highlighting the problem in the region. For the first time a failed program was being openly discussed by the local people and in the media. An organization called «Renaissance» was created, composed of the chairmen of all the local councils in the region. It’s mission was to increase public awareness and to facilitate dialogue between affected parties. In the face of such pressure, the authorities commissioned studies which have demonstrated that Sasik will never become a truly fresh water lake and that it is of very limited value for irrigation purposes. This fact is now recognized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of water Economy (renamed the State Committee for Water Supply). The position of the Ministry of Environment has also been strengthened by these developments.
Suspicion, fear, and misunderstanding, however, continue to divide stakeholders and prevent effective management of the problem.
Fisherman fear further collapse of their industry should the Sasik liman be opened to the sea again.
The agricultural sector, although economically depressed. knows what it can produce under the current circumstances and fears that change will further erode its already precarious position.
The State Committee for Water Supply fears loss of power, additional budget reductions, and loss of staff.
The Ministry of Agriculture would like to see major change in the very policy of irrigation (which many experts view as uneconomical) but is barely holding on as an administrative entity.
People at the grassroots level recognize that the current situation is untenable. But unaccustomed as they are to civic activism, fearful for their livelihoods in a highly depressed economy, and lacking information about a range of possible solutions to the problem that are environmentally sustainable and economically viable, they remain mostly acquiescent.
Recommendations
Increasing public understanding about the environmental problems facing the lake Sasik region and reducing fear among stakeholders about the potential impact of remedial measures throw restoration this very important Ramsar site wetlands. But firstly it is necessary to organize workshop. Examples of cases where citizens have joined together to resolve siminar problems will be introduced into all discussions. Concurrent with the problem identification phase will be a series the of non-technical, intensive workshops on collaborative problem-solving. These will stress the importance of a collective commitment to resolve complex socio-economic problems. The main focus of these workshops will be corrective steps that can be taken to improve the situation in the near future and the long term feasibility of sustainable development and pollution of various implementation strategies that address the concerns of all the stakeholders.
Sustainable development and pollution prevention require a creative mix of advanced technologies and sound management practices. It bears repeating that economic growth and environmental protection need not be in opposition. Sustainable development can be both marketsensitive and envinromentally friendly, thus offering the best hope for economic development consistent with protection of environmental parameters in Black Sea region of Ukraine.
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