The Marine Forum and the Calant Xarxes Alliance bring together the fishing sector to promote sustainability in the fisheries of the Balearic Islands

The Calant Xarxes Alliance has brought together fishers, institutional representatives, and other key stakeholders in the fisheries sector of the Balearic Islands at a round table held at the Estudi General Lul·lià in Palma. The event – Calant Xarxes Alliance: Promoting responsible consumption of Balearic seafood products – promoted dialogue and collaboration to advance the sustainability of fishing in the Balearic Islands, and highlighted the importance of working together to ensure the traceability and responsible consumption of local seafood.   

During the session, Elisa Martinez, coordinator of the Alliance, explained the work being carried out with fishers from the four islands to promote a sustainable supply of traceable, legal, and high-quality seafood products. She also highlighted the development of tools to guide consumers so that their consumption decisions promote marine conservation. One of these is the Guide to Sustainable Consumption of Fish and Seafood from the Balearic Islands, which is being developed in collaboration with the Socio-Environmental Observatory of Menorca (OBSAM). 

Several prominent speakers from the sector attended the roundtable. Marcial Caracena, commercial director of OPmallorcamar, spoke about the Millorquín collective brand. Antoni Tur Serra, skipper of the Cofradía de Ibiza (Ibiza Fishers Guild), shared the experience of the Peix Nostrum brand. Cisco Canals, second skipper of the Cofradía de Pescadores de Ciutadella (Ciutadella Fishers Guild), detailed the efforts made in Menorca to improve the marketing of seafood products. Domingo Bonnín, president of the Federation of Fishers Guilds of the Balearic Islands, also participated in the event, highlighting the main challenges and opportunities for the fishing sector in the Balearic Islands. 

  

A commitment to a more sustainable fishery  

Participants took an active part in a question-and-answer session with the panellists, exploring ways of collaborating to move towards more sustainable fishing in the Balearics. The open dialogue between fishers, institutional representatives, and marine conservation experts highlighted the need for long-term collaboration to ensure the future of the Balearic fisheries sector.  

The event was attended by the Director General of Fisheries of the Balearic Islands Government, Antoni Maria Grau, and was presented by the coordinator of the Marine Forum, Antonio M. Beneyto. The project coordinator of Mallorca Preservation, Irene Wagner, and the director of Marilles Foundation, Aniol Esteban were also present. With this event, the Marine Forum expands its frontiers and comes to Mallorca for the first time, thanks to the Calant Xarxes Alliance. 

The Calant Xarxes Alliance, composed of IbizaPreservation, Mallorca Preservation, Menorca Preservation, Marilles Foundation, Conservation Collective, and Blue Marine Foundation, will continue to work with the sector to ensure that fishing in the Balearic Islands is legal and sustainable and benefits both fishers and consumers.