Marilles submits proposals to the Balearic government for the conservation of shallow bays, sharks and rays, and corals and gorgonians

Marilles Foundation has delivered to the government of the Balearic Islands three management proposal documents to conserve essential habitats and species of the Balearic Sea: shallow bays, sharks and rays, and corals and gorgonians. This set of proposals makes up a roadmap with a series of guidelines for action and a chronological proposal for implementing them. They combine immediate actions, such as improving data collection and taking medium and long-term actions, like developing active and passive restoration projects.

The documents are the result of consensus among dozens of experts who participated in the 1st Conference on Balearic Marine Biodiversity, organised by Marilles in collaboration with the Sa Nostra Foundation last November. During this conference, it became clear that the Balearic Sea is at a critical moment. Action is crucial to halt its deterioration and to commit to its regeneration, through coordinated action among all the actors involved.

The proposals have been submitted to the competent authorities in these areas: the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment and the Department of the Sea and Water Quality.

Shallow bays

Shallow water bays are key both because they are of great ecological value and because of their special fragility, given that they are areas under great human pressure. Conservation information is lacking for many of them. It is necessary to complete the list of 50 shallow areas identified in the Balearic Islands, evaluate their conservation status, and prioritise them. The recommended measures include monitoring habitat-forming organisms (such as Posidonia oceanica or Zostera nolteii) and eliminating pressures (with actions such as reducing the speed of boats or improving sewage networks).

Sharks and rays

Sharks and rays are fundamental species for the balance of marine ecosystems, but they are also in a highly vulnerable state. In fact, about half of the shark and ray species in the Mediterranean are threatened and some of them, such as the angelshark or the guitarfish, have already disappeared from the Balearic Sea. To guarantee their conservation, actions such as data collection, the preparation of a diagnosis on the conservation status of several species, and the establishment of measures to mitigate the impact of fishing on these species or the creation of a monitoring network are proposed.

Aniol Esteban, director of Marilles Foundation noted: ‘The recipe for recovering vulnerable habitats and species in the Balearic Sea is simple and can be summarised in three steps. The first is to improve information and data collection. The second can be  synthesised as mitigating the pressures to which they are subjected, such as fishing, nautical activity, and coastal infrastructure. The third is to implement active conservation and restoration measures. Furthermore, it should be stressed that the extension of the highly protected marine area is a measure that plays a key role in accelerating the recovery of all species and habitats and ensuring their conservation.’