Assessment and management of Dreissena invasions in the Bulgarian water bodies

In the period 9-13 November 2009 the Institute of Zoology was visited by two scientists from the Republic of Macedonia: Prof. Dr Goce Kostoski, Director of the Hydrobiological Institute Ohrid and Prof. Dr Sasho Trajanovski, Head of the Department of Benthic Fauna at the same Institute.

The visit was part of the activities within a collaborative research project entitled 'Assessment and management of Dreissena spp. invasions in the Bulgarian water bodies' (Project leader Assoc. Prof., Dr Ivan Pandourski), implemented by the Institute of Zoology and the Hydrobiological Institute Ohrid, and funded by the Bulgarian Science Fund, Ministry of Education, Youth and Science. During this visit, several working meetings with project participants were held; a field survey of infested reservoirs in Lovech region was conducted together with the National Agency of Fishery and Aquaculture - Lovech; laboratory research was carried out at the Institute.

The scientists from the Republic of Macedonia had a meeting with Prof. Dr Paraskeva Michailova, DSc, Director of the Institute of Zoology, Assoc. Prof., Dr Snezana Grozeva, Secretary of Scientific Counsel and Assoc. Prof., Dr Roumen Kalchev, Head of Hydrobiology Department, Teodora Trichkova, as a member of the team. Potential opportunities for development of the scientific collaboration between the two Institutes in the future were discussed. Prof. Dr P. Michailova, DSc and Prof. Dr Goce Kostoski signed a Memorandum for collaboration in the following areas: exchange of scientific information; exchange of scientists and students; organisation of training courses for students and young scientists; participation in joint research projects and programs.