In response to double planetary, climatic and loss of biodiversity crisisthe European Union and its Member States have committed, through the EU’s biodiversity strategy to protect at least 30% of the seas, as is the case of the Mediterranean, by 2030, with a third of the protected (that is, 10% of the EU seas) under strict protection.
These objectives pursue not only preserve the environment and biodiversity, but also restore it, if necessary, and Increase the resilience of ecosystems before the current and future effects and consequences of global warming and climate change.
Protect the Mediterranean now
Eleven organizations dedicated to ocean conservation They have transferred to the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (Miterd) the need for Spain to meet its marine conservation objectives, marked by the European Union. Specifically, they have claimed the approval of coherent management plans for Spanish protected marine spaces (EMP) and the strict protection of 10% of its waters by 2030.
“It is urgent for Spain to accelerate the designation of marine areas of strict protection, that is, reserve exclusive biodiversity spaces and shield them to extractive activities. Getting to the 30 × 30 target is important, but it is of little use without adequate management and more protection.
Strict protection is the most effective way to restore marine ecosystems and guarantee Fishing resources. The Government must meet the European objective to protect 10% of its waters strictly for 2030 and contribute its leadership in the conservation of the ocean at European level ”explains Michael Sealey, political advisor of Oceana.
CustomerRarth representatives, Ecologists in Action, Marilles Foundation, Gen-Gob, Greenpeace, Oceancare, Oceana, SEO/BirdLife, Tursiops, BlueWave Alliance and WWF Spain have met with the general director of Biodiversity, María Jesús Rodríguez de Sancho, at the headquarters of the Miterd, and they have offered their collaboration to achieve marine environmental sustainability.
They have also claimed to follow up on “Marine agreement between environmental organizations for the EFFECT PROTECTIONiva of 30 % of the Spanish Mediterranean”, Also signed by ANSE, Gob Menorca, Gob Mallorca, Save the Med and Vell Marí. The document establishes the bases to achieve the real protection of 30% of the Mediterranean Sea, one of the most punished in the world, due to overfishing, pollution and effects of climate change.
The 10 × 30 commitment looks far away
The entities have remembered the Miterd that Spain is far from reaching 10% of its waters under strict protection. This is demonstrated by the results of the report “10 × 30 target. The urgency of establishing marine spaces for strict protection in Spain”, Prepared by Oceana. The study concludes that the percentage of strict protection in Spanish Mediterranean waters is insignificant (less than 0.1%).
The entities have also recognized the advances of the Miterd in the creation of EMP, including the recent proposal to declare the Marino del Mar de las Calmas Park, in El Hierro. While the Spanish Mediterranean It already has 30% of its surface as a protected, during the meetingit has also been demanded that new EMPs be taken into account in the Mediterranean proposed by local actors, especially fishermen.
This is the case, for example, of the Serra Marina de Tramuntana in Mallorca (which has a broad social support and claimedfor years, by the regional government of the Balearic Islands, but for which you do not have a clear road map), or the marine reserve of the d’Afach Peñón, in Calp