Moving towards strict protection of the Balearic Sea

Strict protection of the Balearic Sea is an essential measure for advancing the conservation of its marine life, which, in addition to environmental benefits, provides economic benefits to sectors such as fishing, diving, and tourism. This measure is part of the international goal of protecting 10% of the sea by 2030 (10x30) under strict protection (criteria Ia and Ib defined by IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature). However, one of the big questions is where should this 10% be located in our sea?

To answer this question, we brought together a group of local experts and launched a project led by Alicia Gran and Dr Patricia Puerta. The result is a document based on scientific data (more than 300 layers of information) that identifies ecologically relevant areas. This report gives us an initial indication of which areas could form part of this 10%.

With this scientific basis as a starting point, over the coming months and years, we will work with sectors in the marine environment (such as fishing) to incorporate their knowledge and jointly define the most relevant areas, building a collective proposal that integrates both science and other types of knowledge.