The Balearic Sea and all of us who love it are in mourning. Pep Coll, one of the greatest contributors to bringing our sea to life, has left us. A researcher, fisher, and conservationist, Pep knew the coastal seabeds off the shores of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera like no one else. He dedicated his life to laying the foundations for the network of marine reserves in the Balearic Islands and to studying the ‘reserve effect’, coordinating the monitoring of fish populations for over 20 years. Many of the groupers, sea bass, and scorpionfish swimming in our waters are the result of his work.
Pep understood better than anyone what it takes for a marine protected area to be successful: the right location choice, rigorous and effective monitoring, and thorough follow-up to track its development and make any necessary adjustments. He explained this to us clearly and accessibly in his masterful presentation at the Marine Biodiversity Conference we held last October.
Honest, rigorous, discreet, intelligent, generous, optimistic, realistic, and possessing a measured passion ‒ his own words in this interview ‒ Pep never stopped. Aware of the constant threats facing marine protected areas, he was extremely generous with his time, making his extensive experience and intellectual capital available to all of us working to improve the conservation status of our sea.
With common sense, scientific evidence, and a kind, approachable manner, Pep earned everyone’s respect and appreciation, fostering calm and constructive dialogue between fishers, public administration, and NGOs. He managed to build rapport with all sectors – a quality that is more necessary than ever in this polarised world we live in.
But beyond the professional sphere, Pep was, above all, a wonderful person. The depth of the sadness felt by all of us who knew him is a testimony to the deep affection and appreciation he inspired wherever he went.
You’ve left us far too soon, Pep. We still have a great deal of work to do, and it will be much harder without you, but you leave us with a very solid foundation on which to build. There are still so many conversations, walks, and football discussions left to have. The groupers are in mourning, and Atleti football club has lost one of its most loyal supporters.
We can never thank you enough for the help you gave to the entire marine conservation community and to our Foundation in particular. But you can be sure that we will keep your legacy alive and continue to work to keep the sea teeming with groupers and all those other fish you were so passionate about.
ANIOL ESTEBAN – Director
