For Special Protection Areas (SPA),
Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI),
Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and
for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. SITE IDENTIFICATION
• 2. SITE LOCATION
• 3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
• 4. SITE DESCRIPTION
• 5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS
• 6. SITE MANAGEMENT
• 7. MAP OF THE SITE

1. SITE IDENTIFICATION

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1.1 Type

A

1.2 Site code

BG0002006

1.3 Site name

Ribarnitsi Orsoya

1.4 First Compilation date

2005-10

1.5 Update date

2015-07

1.6 Respondent:

Name/Organisation:	Ministry of Environment and Water, “National Nature Protection Service” Directorate
Address:	Sofia  22    Sofia    1000  Kn. Maria Luiza Blvd.
Email:	natura2000@moew.government.bg

1.7 Site indication and designation / classification dates

Date site classified as SPA:	2007-03
National legal reference of SPA designation	Site classified as SPA by Council of Ministers Decision No. 122/02.03.2007 (promulgated SG 21/2007).

Explanation(s):

Site classified as SPA by Council of Ministers Decision No. 122/02.03.2007 (promulgated SG 21/2007). Issued designation order by the Minister of Environment and Water with prohibitions and restrictions on activities contradicting the conservation objectives of the site – Order No. RD – 565/05.09.2008 (promulgated SG 84/2008).

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	23.090278
Latitude:	43.790556

2.2 Area [ha]

475.4302

2.3 Marine area [%]

0.0000

2.4 Sitelength [km] (optional):

No information provided

2.5 Administrative region code and name

NUTS level 2 code	Region Name
BG31	Severozapaden

2.6 Biogeographical Region(s)

Continental

(100.00 %)

3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION

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3.1 Habitat types present on the site and assessment for them

No habitat types are reported for the site

3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them

Species					Population in the site						Site assessment
G	Code	Scientific Name	S	NP	T	Size		Unit	Cat.	D.qual.	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Min	Max				Pop.	Con.	Iso.	Glo.
B	A402	Accipiter brevipes			r		1	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A168	Actitis hypoleucos			c				P	DD	C	B	C	C
B	A229	Alcedo atthis			c	3	3	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A229	Alcedo atthis			p	3	3	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A054	Anas acuta			c	7	12	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A056	Anas clypeata			r		1	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A056	Anas clypeata			c	10	50	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A052	Anas crecca			c	4	40	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A052	Anas crecca			r		4	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A050	Anas penelope			c		20	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A053	Anas platyrhynchos			p		10	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A053	Anas platyrhynchos			w		3	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A053	Anas platyrhynchos			c	116	1160	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A055	Anas querquedula			r		10	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A055	Anas querquedula			c	7	290	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A051	Anas strepera			c	20	112	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A051	Anas strepera			r		7	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A051	Anas strepera			r	4	6	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A041	Anser albifrons			w		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A043	Anser anser			r	1	3	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A043	Anser anser			c	1	4	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A028	Ardea cinerea			r	3	6	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A028	Ardea cinerea			c	26	106	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A028	Ardea cinerea			w		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A029	Ardea purpurea			r		2	p		G	B	B	C	A
B	A029	Ardea purpurea			c	3	38	i		G	B	B	C	A
B	A024	Ardeola ralloides			c	4	33	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A059	Aythya ferina			c	100	261	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A059	Aythya ferina			w		1	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A059	Aythya ferina			r		12	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A061	Aythya fuligula			c	8	15	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A060	Aythya nyroca			r		10	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A060	Aythya nyroca			c	48	79	i		G	A	A	C	A
B	A021	Botaurus stellaris			r	1	2	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A021	Botaurus stellaris			c		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A087	Buteo buteo			w		11	i		G	D
B	A087	Buteo buteo			c	2	3	i		G	D
B	A087	Buteo buteo			p		1	p		G	D
B	A403	Buteo rufinus			c		4	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A149	Calidris alpina			c	1	25	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A147	Calidris ferruginea			c	15	23	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A145	Calidris minuta			c	25	100	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A136	Charadrius dubius			r	5	5	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A136	Charadrius dubius			c	1	6	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A196	Chlidonias hybridus			r		88	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A196	Chlidonias hybridus			c	20	50	i		G	B	B	C	B
B	A198	Chlidonias leucopterus			c		6	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A197	Chlidonias niger			c	3	30	i		G	B	B	C	B
B	A197	Chlidonias niger			r	1	2	p		G	B	B	C	B
B	A031	Ciconia ciconia			r	8	8	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A031	Ciconia ciconia			c	40	60	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A030	Ciconia nigra			c	1	45	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A081	Circus aeruginosus			r		1	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A081	Circus aeruginosus			c	1	4	i		G	C	A	C	C
B	A082	Circus cyaneus			w		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A082	Circus cyaneus			c	1	4	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A084	Circus pygargus			c		2	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A231	Coracias garrulus			r	12	12	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A122	Crex crex			r	3	3	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A036	Cygnus olor			r	1	1	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A036	Cygnus olor			w		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A429	Dendrocopos syriacus			p	1	1	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A027	Egretta alba			c	2	70	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A026	Egretta garzetta			c	14	234	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A026	Egretta garzetta			r	10	12	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A097	Falco vespertinus			c	10	10	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A125	Fulica atra			w		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A125	Fulica atra			c	450	800	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A125	Fulica atra			p		35	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A153	Gallinago gallinago			c	7	50	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A154	Gallinago media			c		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A123	Gallinula chloropus			c	41	47	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A123	Gallinula chloropus			p		10	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A002	Gavia arctica			c		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A075	Haliaeetus albicilla			w		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A131	Himantopus himantopus			c	2	2	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A131	Himantopus himantopus			r				P	DD	C	B	C	C
B	A022	Ixobrychus minutus			r		10	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A022	Ixobrychus minutus			c	12	12	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A338	Lanius collurio			r	17	17	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A339	Lanius minor			r	12	12	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A459	Larus cachinnans			c	2	9	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A182	Larus canus			c				P	DD	C	B	C	C
B	A182	Larus canus			w		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A180	Larus genei			c		20	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A177	Larus minutus			c		3	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A179	Larus ridibundus			c	20	400	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A156	Limosa limosa			c	19	34	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A246	Lullula arborea			p	1	1	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A242	Melanocorypha calandra			p	3	3	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A230	Merops apiaster			r	10	10	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A160	Numenius arquata			c		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A023	Nycticorax nycticorax			c	250	300	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A094	Pandion haliaetus			c		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A017	Phalacrocorax carbo			c	15	110	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A017	Phalacrocorax carbo			r		6	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A393	Phalacrocorax pygmeus			c	40	180	i		G	B	A	C	A
B	A151	Philomachus pugnax			c	11	600	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A034	Platalea leucorodia			c	1	50	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A032	Plegadis falcinellus			c		2	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A140	Pluvialis apricaria			c	10	10	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A005	Podiceps cristatus			w		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A005	Podiceps cristatus			c	24	130	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A005	Podiceps cristatus			r		4	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A006	Podiceps grisegena			r	2	3	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A008	Podiceps nigricollis			r	1	2	p		G	C	B	C	C
B	A120	Porzana parva			c	1	1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A120	Porzana parva			r				P	DD	C	B	C	C
B	A118	Rallus aquaticus			c	6	9	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A190	Sterna caspia			c		7	i		G	A	B	C	B
B	A193	Sterna hirundo			c	10	10	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A004	Tachybaptus ruficollis			r		5	p		G	C	C	C	C
B	A004	Tachybaptus ruficollis			w		1	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A004	Tachybaptus ruficollis			c	8	83	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A048	Tadorna tadorna			c		7	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A161	Tringa erythropus			c	3	18	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A166	Tringa glareola			c	7	51	i		G	B	B	C	A
B	A164	Tringa nebularia			c	2	16	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A165	Tringa ochropus			c	2	13	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A163	Tringa stagnatilis			c				P	DD	C	B	C	C
B	A162	Tringa totanus			c	1	3	i		G	C	B	C	C
B	A142	Vanellus vanellus			r		2	p		G	C	C	C	C

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Type: p = permanent, r = reproducing, c = concentration, w = wintering (for plant and non-migratory species use permanent)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the Standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting (see reference portal)
• Abundance categories (Cat.): C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present - to fill if data are deficient (DD) or in addition to population size information
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation); VP = 'Very poor' (use this category only, if not even a rough estimation of the population size can be made, in this case the fields for population size can remain empty, but the field "Abundance categories" has to be filled in)

3.3 Other important species of flora and fauna (optional)

Species					Population in the site				Motivation
Group	CODE	Scientific Name	S	NP	Size		Unit	Cat.	Species Annex		Other categories
					Min	Max		C|R|V|P	IV	V	A	B	C	D
B	A247	Alauda arvensis			10	10	p						X
B	A251	Hirundo rustica			1	1	p						X
B	A383	Miliaria calandra			3	3	p						X

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, Fu = Fungi, I = Invertebrates, L = Lichens, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• CODE: for Birds, Annex IV and V species the code as provided in the reference portal should be used in addition to the scientific name
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting, (see reference portal)
• Cat.: Abundance categories: C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present
• Motivation categories: IV, V: Annex Species (Habitats Directive), A: National Red List data; B: Endemics; C: International Conventions; D: other reasons

4. SITE DESCRIPTION

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4.1 General site character

Habitat class	% Cover
N06	26.00
N08	8.00
N10	32.00
N12	10.00
N16	19.00
N23	5.00
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

Fishponds overgrown with hygrophyte vegetation, occupying the place of the former Orsoysko Marsh, together with the flooded territories around it. The fishponds are located in North-west Bulgaria, between the villages of Orsoya and Dobri Dol, in close proximity to the Danube. They are separated from the adjacent wet meadows by dykes. The area includes also the tree and shrub vegetation along the riverbank. In spring, during the high Danube waters a big part of the Orsoya lowland is being flooded and the water stays until mid-summer. The main habitat is the fishponds, overgrown with marsh and swampy hygrophyte vegetation. The common reed Phragmites australis and the reed mace Typha angustifolia prevail (Bondev 1991). In the deep parts of the water pools Nymphoides peltata, Hydroharis morsus-ranae and more rarely Nymphaea alba occur. Open water pools, reedbeds, swampy meadows and dry hills, at places covered by artificial poplar cultures and hygrophyte grass formations, alternate around the fishponds. The Danube banks are occupied by riverine forests of willow Salix spp. and poplar Populus spp..

4.2 Quality and importance

The extensive operation of fishponds through the years, existence of natural vegetation as well as the proximity of Danube river make the wetland one of the most important in the country for water birds. The area holds 177 bird species, 42 of which are included in Bulgaria’s Red Data Book (1985) and 53 are protected by the national legislation. Of the birds, occurring there 77 are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 5 of them being included in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened, 23 in category SPEC 2 and 49 in SPEC 3 as threatened in Europe. In total 45 bird species, included in Annex I of Birds Directive, as well as other migratory waterbirds, regularly occur in the fishponds. The area has global importance for the Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, both during the breeding season and during migration, and for the Pygmy Cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus during migration. The most numerous breeding population of the Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus in Bulgaria is to be found there. The fishponds are one of the most important sites in Bulgaria on European Union Level for the breeding Little Bittern Ixobrychus minutus and Purple Heron Ardea purpurea. They are one of the few places in the country where the Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena and the Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis breed. Orsoya Fishponds are proposed to be included in the National Ecological Network for conservation of the habitats of a complex of 28 breeding birds and 4 more species, gathering in the region during migration.

4.3 Threats, pressures and activities with impacts on the site

The most important impacts and activities with high effect on the site

4.4 Ownership (optional)

No information provided

4.5 Documentation (optional)

Initial proposal and description of the site made by Dr. Nikolai Petkov, Tihomir Stefanov, Anton Antonov - Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds, Bulgaria, 1111 Sofia, P.O.Box 50, phone (+359 2) 9715855, fax (+359 2) 9715856, www.bspb.org .Data revised by a team of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (http://www.bas.bg).Documents: BDZP/BirdLife Balgariya. 2005. “Nacionalna banka za ornitologichna informacia 1988-2005”, Balgarsko Druzhestvo za zastita na pticite;Bondev, I. 1991. Rastitelnostta na Balgariya. S. Universitetsko izdatelstvo “Sv. Kliment Ohridski”, 183 s.;Iankov, P. 2002.(red.). Svetovno zastrasheni vidove ptitsi v Balgariya. Natsionalni planove za deystvie za opazvaneto im. Chast 1. BDZP-MOSV, Prirodozashtitna poreditsa, Kn. 4, Sofiya: 204-219.;Kostadinova, I. (sast.) 1997. Ornitologichno vazhni mesta v Balgariya. BDZP, Prirodozashtitna poreditsa. Kniga 1, BDZP, Sofiya, 176 s.;MOSV. 2005. Arhiv na zastitenite teritorii v Balgaria. Baza danni (nepubl.);Nikolov, Hr., S. Marin, A. Darakchiev. 1999. Malkiyat kormoran v Balgariya. Razprostranenie, chislenost I zaplahi. – Nauch. Tr. Plov. Univ., Animaliya, 35, 6, 67-81.;Petkov, N. 1997b. Savremenno sastoyanie na belookata potapnitsa (Aythya nyroca) v Balgariya. Diplomna rabota, Biologicheski Fakultet pri SU “Sv. Kl. Ohridski”, Sofiya, 104 s.;Petkov, N., 2004. Comparative Ecological Research of the Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca Guldenstaedt, 1979) and the Pochard (Aythya ferina ferina Linnaeus, 1758) During the Breeding Season in Bulgaria. PHD Thesis. BAS, Sofia, 232 pp. (In Bulgarian.)BirdLife International. 2000. Threatened birds of the world. Barcelona and Cambridge, UK: Lynx Edicions and BirdLife International, 695pp.;Birdlife International. 2004. Birds in Europe: Population estimates, trends and conservation status. Cambridge, UK: Birdlife International (Birdlife Conservation Series No. 12).;BirdLife International. 2005. World Bird Database – Important Birds Areas.Bulgaria. Cambridge. (unpublished);Iankov, P., N. Petkov, A. Kovachev, D. Plachiisky. (in print). Pygmy Cormorant in Bulgaria 2001/2002. Final Report.;Kostadinova, I., S.Dereliev. 2001. Results the Mid-Winter Counts of Waterbirds in Bulgaria for the period 1997- 2001. BSPB Conservation Series. Book 3, BSPB, Sofia, BG;Kostadinova, I., M. Mihailov, (comp.) 2002. Guide for NATURA 2000 in Bulgaria. BSPB nature conservation series No5. BSPB, Sofia, 80pp. (In Bulgarian.);Kostadinova, I. 2005. Application of C criteria for Identification of Important Bird Areas of European Union importance in Bulgaria. Preliminarily implementation and analysis of the gaps. – In: Petrova, A. (ed.), Current state of Bulgarian biodiversity – problems and perspectives. Pp. 533-548. Bulgarian Bioplatform, SofiaMOEW. 1998. CORINE Biotopes Database of the sites of European Importance for the biodiversity. Bulgaria, MOSV (nepubl.);Osieck, E. 2000 Filling in the requirements of the EU Birds Directive: Lessons from the ‘Dutch Case’“. In: European IBA Workshop. 29 March - 2 April 2000, Brussels, Belgium. Proceedings. BirdLife International, 86-99;Petkov, N. 1998a. Current Status of the Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) in Bulgaria. – Partimadar, 6-7, MME, Budapest, 44–49.Waliczky, Z. 2000 “Important Bird Areas of European Union Importance: explanation of the EU Criteria applied in IBA 2000“ In: European IBA Workshop. 29 March - 2 April 2000, Brussels, Belgium. Proceedings. BirdLife International, 12-16;

Link(s):http://natura2000.moew.government.bg/Home/ProtectedSite?code=BG0002006&siteType=BirdsDirective

5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS

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5.1 Designation types at national and regional level (optional):

Code	Cover [%]
BG00	68.00
BG06	32.00

5.2 Relation of the described site with other sites (optional):

Designated at national or regional level:

Type code	Site name	Type	Cover [%]
	IBA	=	100.00
BG06	ORSOYA FISHPONDS	+	32.00

Designated at international level:

Type	Site name	Type	Cover [%]
Other	IBA	=	100.00

5.3 Site designation (optional)

About 32% of the area of Orsoya fishponds (the fishponds themselves) has been under legal protection since 2001. The aim is to protect rare and threatened species of plants and animals. In 1998 the area was designated as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. The same year it was designated also as CORINE Site because of its European value for habitats, rare and threatened plant and animal species, including birds. The proposed SPA is close to a proposed Special Protection Area in Romania.

6. SITE MANAGEMENT

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6.1 Body(ies) responsible for the site management:

Organisation:	Regional Inspectorate of Environment and Water -Montana; Danubean River Basin Directorate
Address:
Email:

6.2 Management Plan(s):

An actual management plan does exist:

	Yes
	No, but in preparation
X	No

6.3 Conservation measures (optional)

No information provided

 

7. MAP OF THE SITE

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