State: PazardzhikArea: 1570,68 ха
Ownership: state - 28%; municipality - 14%; private - 58%;
Description:
Zvanichevo Fishponds are located to the west of Pazardzhik, in the region between the rivers of Maritsa and Topolnitsa, in the grounds of the villages of Boshulya, Velichkovo, Yunatsite, Dragor, Mokrishte, Zvanichevo and Kovachevo. It is a complex of extensive used fishponds and small basins located on the two sides of the Maritsa River. The area includes also the wet meadows and farmlands between the Maritsa and the Topolnitsa, the two riverbeds and the place where the Topolnitsa River joins the Maritsa River. The different basins of the fishponds are between 36% and 65% overgrown with water fringe vegetation, mainly Phragmites australis, Scirpus lacustris, Scirpus triqueter and Bolbochoenus maritimus. The open water surface is partly covered by Trapa natans, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, Salvinia natans, Ceratphyllum demersum, Potamogeton spp., etc. The Maritsa River banks are overgrown of riverine forest of willow (Salix alba, Salix fragilis), poplar (Populus nigra, Populus alba) and Black Alder Alnus glutinosa.
Birds:
Zvanichevo Fishponds supports 96 bird species, 24 of which are listed in the Red Data Book for Bulgaria (1985). Of the birds occurring there 34 species are of European conservation concern (SPEC) (BirdLife International, 2004), 3 of them being listed in category SPEC 1 as globally threatened, 10 in SPEC 2 and 21 in SPEC 3 as species threatened in Europe. The area provides suitable habitats for 27 species, included in Annex 2 of the Biodiversity Act, which need special conservation measures, of which 22 are listed also in Annex I of the Birds Directive. Zvanichevo fishponds are the only place in the Tracian Plain where the Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybridus breeds. It is one of the most important sites in the country on European Union scale for the conservation of this species, as well as for the Ferruginous Duck Aythya nyroca, which breed there in considerable numbers. The complex has a great value during migration and in winter for a big number of waterfowl species. It is of global importance for the Great White Egret Egretta alba that forms there congregations bigger than 1% of its biogeographical population. The globally threatened Pygmy cormorant Phalacrocorax pygmeus regularly use the area as feeding ground during the winter. The Crane Grus grus is observed there during migration.
Threats:
The Zvanichevo fishponds are situated close to a densely populated town with developed industrial area – the town of Pazardzhik. It is influenced by the high pressure of the continuing urbanization of the area, as well as intensive human activities. The biggest impact on the wetland habitats is the drainage of the fishponds, caused by stopping the fishery activities, as well as the high price of the water. The dried fish pools cannot be used by breeding and migratory birds. The extensive way of fish production, which allow appearance of water floating and water fringe vegetation is crucial for the value of the area. Intensification of fish production will cause further deterioration of the key habitats for birds. Cutting of trees and shrubs along Maritsa River and afforestation with non-native species, burning of water fringe vegetation, as well as the change of the fish pools to sand pits, degrade the habitats important for the Ferroginous Duck, Pygmy Cormorant and other species related to that habitats. The general threats to birds are the fragmentation, deterioration and change of valuable habitats. Because of the easy access to the area there is high disturbance to birds caused by illegal hunting on protected species, illegal net fishing, leisure fishing, traffic of motor vehicles and direct disturbance to fish-eating birds. Domestic animals, mainly dogs and cats destroy the nests, eggs and chicks of the ground nesting birds.
Legal protection:
Zvanichevo fishponds do not have legal protection status according to the Bulgarian nature conservation legislation. In 2005 it was designated as Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
