Pike a typical "clearwater system" fish

Since the 1950s, the Ukrainian banks of the Lower Danube have been successively raised to resist floods and more than 28,000 ha of floodplains drained and poldered for agriculture and fish production. Prior to this interference, the Danube lakes/wetlands comprised a "clear water floodplain system," with transparent water, submerged macrophytes and low nutrient loads. The migratory Common Carp was the dominant fish species, along with non-migratory species, such as Pike, Rudd, Tench, Bream and Roach. The artificial flood protection scheme completely changed this ecosystem.

By the end of 1959, the abundance of migratory Common Carp entering the floodplain from the Danube River for spawning had been seriously reduced and catches dropped to almost zero. As a result, from 1960-73 hydrological works were put in place to maintain high lake water levels until late autumn. In addition, large stocks of Goldfish and domesticated Common Carp were introduced to boost the productivity of the lakes. As a result, the Danube lakes became merely large fish farms, used to produce fish in bulk through stocking programmes.

During the 1970s, however, another trend occurred - the nutrient loads in the Danube River and the lakes increased rapidly and they became eutrophic and turbid. Species such as Pike, Tench, Rudd and Catfish, which have more specific habitat requirements, were replaced by typical representatives of eutrophic murky waters, in particular Bream. By the early 1980s, the stocking programmes had to switch to various exotic Chinese carp species able to tolerate these new conditions. Unfortunately, these species have little commercial value and their production is uneconomic without substantial subsidies, which have been recently withdrawn.

Restoring Nature and the Economy

The EU TACIS Programme, in cooperation with WWF and FIELDFARE INTERNATIONAL ECOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT have developed a multidisciplinary programme for the restoration of the wetlands around lake Kartal and Kugurlui in the Ukraine.

NEFISCO provides free service to the implementation of this well formulated initiative.

The programme encompasses;

The restoration of Kugurlui polder

Kurgurlui polder, between Lakes Kartal and Kurgurlui and bordering the Danube River, covers an area of 1,200 ha. Until the mid-twentieth century, the area now occupied by the polder was part of the extensive natural floodplains inundated by seasonal flooding of the Danube. Created in 1957 for intensive agriculture, a pumping station drained the polder in winter and irrigated it in summer. For a time, grain production was successful, owing to state subsidies for chemicals, fuel, seeds and the electricity required by the pumping station; subsidies which have since collapsed. Irrigation of the polder stopped in 1994. Productivity decreased accordingly and the area under cultivation fell to around 250 ha in 1997.

At present construction of a regulator is underway. This regulator will be used to make the polder once again a seasonally flooded wetland, to restore the former high biodiversity and provide economic opportunities for grazing, forestry, reed harvesting and ecotourism.

Transformation of the abandoned fish ponds in a clearwater sport fishing facility

Economic incentives will be used to improve the water conditions and restore native fish communities in 150 ha of abandoned fish ponds adjacent to Kartal Lake.

The project will re-landscape the existing fish ponds to make them more suitable for native species, and institute a gravity-fed water management system that reduces the nutrient loads entering the ponds.

The ponds will be stocked with species attractive for anglers, especially European Catfish (Wels), Pike and Zander. Other native species will colonise via the water management system.

Accommodation will be constructed for anglers, and other facilities, such as restaurants, boats, guides, and transport to/from Odessa will be put in place.

The development of fish stocks and the angling business will be closely monitored for sustainability, and the lessons learned, both ecological and economical, will be used to encourage wetland restoration elsewhere in the region.

Fisheries restoration lake Kartal

In cooperation with the local fishermen a community based fisheries management system for lake Kartal will be developed. This programme aims at the restoration of an economic viable fisheries on native species.

Fisheries in the Lower Danube Delta lakes

For a TACIS project fisheries in the Lower Danube Delta Lakes was monitored through a fish stock assessment programme and the results were presented at a seminar Odessa, July 2002

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Contact Addresses of implementing organisations

WWF Project Office
Novoshchepnoy Ryad 23
Odessa 270007 Ukraine
Tel/Fax: +380 482 344774
e-mai:wwf@te.net.ua

Fieldfare International Ecological Development plc
36 Kingfisher Court, Hambridge Road
Newbury RG14 5SJ, UK
Tel: +44 1635 550380
fax: +44 1635 550230
e-mail: fieldfare@naturebureau.co.uk