Russia to launch large-scale project to preserve Black Sea ecosystems

JTI Russia will launch a large-scale "Living Black Sea" project to eliminate the consequences of the fuel oil spill that occurred in December 2024. The project will be carried out jointly with the Zapovednoye Embassy Foundation, the company noted.

The Living Black Sea project, which was announced as part of the V Congress of Young Scientists held in Sochi, will start at the end of November 2025 and last until the end of 2027. The partners will be the Utrish Nature Reserve, the Delphi Scientific and Ecological Dolphin Rescue Center, and the Directorate of Natural Parks of the Krasnodar Territory (Anapa Peresyp Nature Park).

"In partnership with the Zapovednoye Embassy Foundation and leading environmental organizations, we were among the first to develop a long-term, large-scale program to restore the Black Sea. Our Living Black Sea project is aimed not only at eliminating the consequences of the incident, but also at creating an effective ecosystem of cooperation," said Ekaterina Levshina, head of the JTI Russia social investment project.

According to Polina Grigorieva, an expert at the Zapovednoye Embassy Foundation and head of the Living Black Sea project, this is not a one-time action, but rather the study and creation of an "integrated system for protecting the fragile world of the Black Sea." "We combine cutting—edge science, animal rescue practices, and large-scale education to give the ecosystem not just a chance to recover from a disaster, but tools for sustainable existence in the future," the expert noted.

Instead of targeted efforts, the organizers will create a comprehensive project "that should work for the preservation of the sea for many years," Grigorieva stressed. The Living Black Sea will include support for scientific research, purchase of equipment, training of volunteers and creation of special educational projects.

So, together with the Delphi Scientific and Ecological Dolphin Rescue Center, they are implementing a comprehensive project to protect marine mammals. In particular, experts will establish regular monitoring of the dolphin population off the coast of Anapa to assess their condition and recovery dynamics after the oil spill.

Modern equipment will also be purchased for the Delphi center: a van for mobile work, an ultrasound machine, and an amplifier for PCR diagnostics. This will allow you to quickly and accurately help the affected animals. In addition, the project will support the creation of an infrastructure for dolphin rehabilitation in the port of Imereti (Sirius). This will lay the foundation for the permanent work of the rescue service in the region, the initiators of the project are confident.

A separate area is the organization of training seminars and trainings for rescue volunteers and veterinary volunteers. The first seminars will be held in early December. It is also planned to create educational materials and a traveling exhibition about the dolphins of the Black Sea and their conservation efforts.

In addition, the "Living Black Sea" includes monitoring the effects of the oil spill on marine ecosystems in the waters of the Utrish Nature Reserve and along the coast of Anapa. These are the first studies that will allow us to study the impact on the entire ecosystem as a whole, and not just on its individual components, the organizers noted.

The project will also support the restoration of the Anapa Embankment Nature Park. During the liquidation of the consequences of the spill, heavy machinery drove through the territory, polluted sand was removed from the coast — this damaged the natural complexes of the park.

"We are confident that the cooperation of socially and environmentally responsible businesses with experienced non-profit environmental education organizations gives the maximum effect," said Natalia Danilina, President of the Zapovednoye Embassy Foundation. According to her, the peculiarity of the project is that it is based on an integrated approach that allows achieving long-term changes and achieving sustainable results.

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