He highlights that Spain already has five marine strategies, implemented in the 10th legislature, which for the European Commission are the best in Europe to guarantee the good environmental status of our seas
Between 2012 and 2016, Spain increased its marine protected area from 1 to 8%, to the current 72,500 km2, and the goal is to reach 10% by 2020
The Secretary of State stressed that the Network of National Parks already has 16,000 marine hectares and work is being done to expand the presence of marine systems and to create the first exclusively marine park on the island of El Hierro
Tonight, images of our seabed will be projected on the façade of the Congress to bring them closer to all citizens
The Secretary of State for the Environment, María García Rodríguez, today commemorated World Oceans Day in an event held in the Congress of Deputies, where she stressed that “Spain is fully committed to improving the protection and sustainable development of our seas and oceans”.
García Rodríguez, in the “Toast to the Oceans” organized by the NGO Oceana, stressed that our country already has five marine strategies (the North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Canary Islands, Levantine-Balearic and Strait-Alboran), launched in the X Legislature and which, for the European Commission, constitute the best in Europe and the planning instrument to diagnose and implement measures to guarantee the good environmental status of our seas.
The Secretary of State highlighted that, between 2012 and 2016, Spain increased the protected area of its territorial waters from 1 to 8%, so that 72,500 km2 of our jurisdictional waters are currently protected. All this has been achieved with the support of everyone, administrations, economic sectors, scientists and NGOs.
LIFE IP INTESTATES AND REACH 10% OF PROTECTED MARINE SURFACE
“Our goal is to reach 10% of the Spanish marine area protected by 2020,” he stressed. To this end, the launch, this year, of the LIFE IP Intemares project, the first and only integrated nature project in the Spanish marine environment approved by the European Commission and coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and the Environment, will be key.
García Rodríguez pointed out that, within the framework of this LIFE, endowed with almost 50 million euros of investment, 50 projects will be carried out until 2024 with the aim of achieving a consolidated network of marine areas included in the Natura 2000 Network and their management in an effective and integrated way, with the active participation of socio-economic sectors and users of the sea and with research as a basic tool for decision-making.
The Secretary of State for the Environment has also highlighted other initiatives in the field of marine protection, such as the approval of the standard list of marine species and the Conservation Plan for the Orcas of the Strait and Gulf of Cadiz. Also the presentation, last March within the framework of the Barcelona Convention and for the environment of the Balearic archipelago, of the proposal for the Cetacean Migration Corridor as a Specially Protected Area of Importance for the Mediterranean (ZEPIM).
EXPANSION OF MARINE AREAS IN THE NATIONAL PARKS NETWORK
García Rodríguez also highlighted the work to achieve the expansion of the Network of National Parks of Spain, which already have 16,000 marine hectares, “so that marine habitats have the representation that corresponds to them in the Network”.
The objective for the coming years, in this sense, is to expand the Network with the incorporation of new marine systems and also create what will be our first exclusively marine park: the Mar de las Calmas on the island of El Hierro.
“These are projects that are not simple, that must involve the entire population of the territory in order to be successful and that, therefore, must combine environmental protection with opportunities for sustainable and real economic development for the residents of the area, in a respectful and compatible way with the Park,” he detailed.
NEXT MASTER PLAN FOR THE MARINE PROTECTED AREAS NETWORK
The Secretary of State has pointed out as another objective the preparation of a Master Plan for the Network of Marine Protected Areas of Spain, which will allow for a standard to establish homogeneous criteria for the management of marine sites of greatest environmental value.
With this starting point, in addition, management plans for 9 marine Sites of Community Interest and 46 areas of special protection for seabirds will be approved, and the approval of new Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) will be promoted. In addition, there will be a commitment to Marine Reserves of fishing interest, which give value to the traditional fishing sector and protect ecosystems.
To commemorate World Oceans Day, images of our seabed will be projected on the façade of the Congress of Deputies tonight to bring them closer to all citizens.
