National Pilot Monitoring Studies (NPMS –EMBLAS) in the Russian Federation in 2016 were conducted in two stages: in Kerch strait (5-8 August) and near Sochi-Adler (20-30 November). In Kerch strait, environmental monitoring, including meteorological, hydrological, chemical and biological works was done at 19 stations from Azov to the Black Sea.dsc01124_dsc3596The goal of the field surveys is more detailed initial assessment of marine waters, reinforcement and improvement of the regional monitoring system, regularly conducted by Departments of Hydrometerological Services of Russian Federation, by means of the increase of the number of the stations and number of analyzed parameters.

In Sochi-Adler district, environmental monitoring was done at 14 stations, two of which were the most remote from the coast in order to obtain background concentrations.img_3589The monitoring program included meteorological and hydrological observations, hydrochemical water sampling, analysis of granulometric composition of sediments, hydrobiological sampling including different types of plankton and benthos for assessment of bottom habitats as well as sampling of goby and mussels to obtain the information about the contains of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in them. At 8 stations in Kerch strait and 8 stations in Sochi-Adler district, the samples were taken for chemical analysis of POPs – these parameters are not included in the routine monitoring, but required by MSFD._dsc3418