Atanasovsko is one of the four lakes of the Burgas wetland complex surrounding the city on the Black Sea coast. It is a shallow hyper-saline lagoon composed of salt marshes, reedbeds, a complex of salt pans and settling pools surrounded by a dike and a freshwater canal. The Site is one of the three most important wetland complexes for waterbirds along the coast, hosting 317 bird species and the largest populations in Bulgaria of pied avocet, black-winged stilt and Kentish plover, all of which are nationally threatened. A significant part of the Site is used for salt production using traditional methods. This is done in accordance with conservation objectives, and helps maintain the water regime to ensure the preservation of the Site’s biodiversity. Overgrowing of reeds is the main threat, as it reduces the availability of open water and restricts potential nesting grounds for waterbirds. A yearly clean-up of reeds is organized to minimize this. The management plan for the Site was being updated in 2019.