Roundtable discussion and underwater workshop to raise awareness of marine conservation in Formentera

This weekend, Formentera hosted two events dedicated to raising awareness, promoting, and protecting the island’s marine heritage, organised by the GOB of Formentera.

Entitled “What does a fish mean to you?”, a roundtable discussion was held on Friday, 4th September to increase consciousness about the benefits of marine protected areas (MPA), both for improving the health of ecosystems and for safeguarding the future of key economic sectors such as fisheries.

Conservationists, scientists, and government representatives attended the event, alongside representatives from both the professional and recreational fishing sectors. Among the participants were the chief skipper of the Formentera Fishermen’s Guild, Iván Pérez; technical officer at the island’s Department for the Primary Sector, Susana Burgos; the president of the Formentera Recreational Fishermen’s Association, Paco Mayans; the organiser of the MARE competition, Abraham Calero; Nuria Salmerón, marine biologist and MPA officer at Marilles; Marina Bolaños, head of Observadores del Mar (Sea Watchers) in the Balearic Islands; and GOB Formentera representatives Jordi Crespo, Lucía DiGiura, and Ismael Cerezo.

The day concluded with a guided tour of the MARE FOTO competition exhibition, where attendees explored the marine world from an artistic perspective. The exhibition, held outdoors, features 32 photographs awarded during the sixth edition of the marine conservation competition.

The following morning, the ‘Learning by Observing’ workshop gave participants a first-hand insight into the hidden riches of Formentera’s sea. The activity consisted of a workshop on underwater photography, citizen science and fish identification, and an introductory talk on land combined with a guided snorkelling excursion. Participants learned first-hand about many of the species of fish and plants that inhabit the coasts of Formentera.

The event, organised by GOB Formentera, involved the marine citizen science platform Observadores del Mar and the MARE photography competition, two projects promoted in the Balearic Islands by Marilles Foundation.