Natural resource governance in the Bulgarian Black Sea: Identifying context-sensitive institutional arrangements

ABSTRACT The main objective of this article is to study the local governance dynamics around natural resources in the delimitated Marine reserve Kaliakra, on the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Our research focuses mainly on formal/informal institutional arrangements for that zone. This article aims to achieve several objectives. First, it seeks to contribute to the common pool resources (CPR) theories, applying Ostrom’s socio-ecological framework and broaden its scope to the larger institutional context. Second, it will focus specifically on one marine protected area and the harvesting of the invasive species Rapana Venosa in the Bulgarian Black Sea. Although formal institutions are important in setting the rules for natural resource governance, this study finds that informal institutions, specific to the country’s context, tend to shape the results and objectives of this governance and reflects the socio-economic characteristics of the macro context in which it is embedded.