Why are the Seagrasses so important?

Three organisations have joined forces to reveal a little-known world beneath the surface of the Black Sea in Bulgaria’s first permanent exhibition dedicated to seagrasses.

What lies beneath the surface of the Black Sea? What is the difference between algae and seagrasses? How do underwater meadows help people and fish, protect the coastline and play a part in combating climate change?

The answers to these questions can now be found on St Anastasia Island and at the Burgas Bridge. The new exhibition is the result of a partnership between the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation (BBF), the Burgas Regional Tourism Association (BRTA) and Burgas Municipality, which brings together science, nature conservation, tourism and education in a shared narrative about our sea.
The idea, concept and content were developed by the Bulgarian Biodiversity Foundation as part of its work on the international BLUE CONNECT project. The aim is to present the complex scientific information about seagrasses and their role in the Black Sea in an accessible, engaging and understandable way – for visitors aged 5 to 105.

The creation of a permanent exhibition has been made possible thanks to the Burgas Regional Tourist Association and its BLUE C project. With their support, the exhibition has taken on its final form – printed, installed and illuminated, it is now an integral part of the experience for visitors to the island.

Burgas Municipality has provided its natural home – St Anastasia Island, one of the city’s iconic tourist attractions, which welcomes 35000 tourists per year. 

The new exhibition is now open to visitors on St Anastasia Island – children and adults, residents of Burgas and visitors to the city, anyone curious to discover one of the lesser-known worlds of the Black Sea – the underwater seagrass meadows. Some of the information is available to the left of the Burgas Bridge, where residents and visitors can learn more about the seagrasses they encounter on the shore.