The protected area “Lake Shabla” is a wetland of international importance included in the Ramsar Convention. “Lake Shabla” is the best preserved wetland along the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria in terms of human activity.
Lake Shabla is located near the sea beach, 5 km north-est of the town of Shabla. After the origin it is a haven lake formed by the small bay of the old valley (dry valley) of Shablenska river. The lake has an area of 79 ha of open water (together with Ezerets lake – about 150 ha) and a maximum depth of 9,5 m.
To the east is separated from the sea by a long beach – sand dune (approximately 100 m long and 30-50 m wide), and to the north of Ezeretsko lake it is separated by narrow sandy coast, whereby an artificial channel is digged. The Lake Shabla has no drainage, but freshwater – salinity was just a Promille(thousandth). In its western part th lake is fed by kartsic underwater springs, and to the east, through the stripe of sand, some infiltrations of seawater.
The flora of the lake is rich. There are 32 species of algae and over 79 species of higher plants. The banks are covered with reeds and rushes, and on the surface water, which shines like a mirror, turn it to white the refined colors of water lilies. In autumn rush dries and surrounds the blue waters with a halo of gold.
Many birds are the greatest wealth of Lake Shabla.Here are nesting 57 of the species, of which ten are very rare and during the birds migration, in the lake are wintering up to 30 000 large headed white geese, and almost the entire population red-breasted goose (about 16 000), which is a an endangered species worldwide. Here are also wintering ducks and their number is significantly increasing during migration. The Lake Shabla is rich in fish and crabs from the lake. In the past, the average amount caught of the carp reached 6 tons and of crabs – 300 000 pieces.