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British TV producer Charlie Ottley released on Monday afternoon in Tulcea the 'Wild Danube' documentary shot last year in the Danube Delta and which will air next year on the BBC.
The film captures the Delta in all four seasons and presents the reserve with both its biodiversity and the problems facing the local communities.
"There needs to be a great communication between all the different authorities around the Delta. I think we can probably all agree on the importance of preserving the natural habitat here, the biodiversity, the nature, the precious eco-system that is the Danube Delta, it's vitally important, but also protecting the needs of the people that live and work here. Our film was about attempting to achieve a balance or show there could be a balance between the needs of people and the needs of natural ecosystems. There can be tourism, and there can be fishing, and these activities don't have to be invasive, they can be done in a way that is not to the detriment of the natural landscape. The Danube Delta is not only the jewel in the crown of Romania in terms of tourism and also biodiversity, but it's also a place that needs to be protected for the future and in perpetuity," Charlie Ottley told AGERPRES.
He called for better payment of the fishermen and for tourism to be done in a responsible manner.
"Fishermen cannot sustain their families, which forces them to leave, or start poaching, or look for other sources of revenue. Tourism can provide that source of revenue but only if it's done responsibly and we have to police and help educate people to do it in a way that's respectful of the existing architectural landscape. If we don't do that, we will start trashing this place it will look like Torremolinos or Mamaia. And we don't need this in the Danube Delta, it's too precious, it's too beautiful, and it needs to be protected and promoted in the right way," said Charlie Ottley.
The British television producer expressed hope that he will be able to continue working on promoting the Danube Delta as the Amazon of Europe, which was also confirmed by the leadership of the Danube Delta Tourist Destination Management Association (AMDTDD).
"There are possibilities to continue our cooperation, starting from a documentary related to the fishery resource or gastronomy, from minorities. However, it's for him to decide what happens next," said AMDTDD president Catalin Tibuleac.
In his opinion, the documentary is a major opportunity to promote the Delta globally, but also an alarm signal to the authorities.
"In addition to the beauties of nature offered by the Delta, there are the issues related to poaching, waste management, the hard life of the Delta locals, the quality of water, which should sound the alarm to the authorities, that things cannot continue like this. On the one hand, it's encouraging that Charlie Ottley has approached this perspective, but it's not so good for us, Romanians, that a Briton has to come to do this," Tibuleac said.
The 'Wild Danube' documentary will feature next year on the BBC, with the County Council's financial support.
