The Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment joins today the celebration of World Oceans Day commemorated by the UN with the slogan “Together we have the power to protect the ocean”.

The preservation of marine spaces and marine and coastal biodiversity is one of the priority lines of action of the Biodiversity Foundation. More than 60 initiatives promote the conservation of the marine environment and are committed to the development of economic activities that contribute to the protection of their ecosystems and the species that inhabit them.

At the international level, the Biodiversity Foundation coordinates the cross-border initiative ENPI CBC MED “Conservation of ecosystems and sustainable artisanal fisheries in the Mediterranean basin” – ECOSAFIMED – in which Spain, Italy and Tunisia participate.

It also supports other initiatives that contribute to the conservation of marine species such as the project “CETASUR = Cetaceans in the South of the Spanish Mediterranean”, executed by CIRCE, for the conservation of cetaceans in the Alboran Sea, which has the collaboration of Moroccan institutions.

At the national level, similar initiatives are being developed for the protection of various species, such as cetaceans, turtles and seabirds. This is the case of the project “Canary Islands with the Sea: conservation of cetaceans and seabirds in the Canary Islands”, developed by the Cetacean Research Group. This initiative focuses on problems that require immediate action for the conservation of the bottlenose dolphin, the sperm whale and the lesser shearwater in the islands of the Archipelago.

In addition to cetaceans, special attention is also paid to the conservation of turtles in the Canary Islands. The project “The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the Natura 2000 network in the Canary Islands”, promoted by the Sustainable Development Association, deepens the knowledge of this species and identifies its main threats.

With the support of the Biodiversity Foundation, Alnitak is also developing a project for the conservation of sea turtles in the southwestern basin of the Mediterranean Sea and in particular the Natura Network areas of the Strait of Gibraltar, the Balearic Islands, the Region of Murcia and the Island of Alborán, which constitute an important migration corridor for the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta).

Other actions are aimed at the recovery of natural habitats such as the Mar Menor. The project “Actions for the conservation and recovery of habitats and unique species of the Mar Menor and its surroundings” executed by ANSE aims to develop a set of actions aimed at the conservation and recovery of natural habitats of interest on the shores of the Mar Menor, the largest Spanish coastal lagoon.

In all these initiatives, the collaboration of the fishing sector is required to join forces in the conservation of species and promote responsible fishing.

To this end, the project “Actions for the improvement of sustainability in longline fishing” has been promoted, carried out by the Organization of Longliners Guardeses with the double objective of reducing the pollution of the waters and seabed caused by the intensive use of lights and batteries in the longline fleet and contributing to the selectivity of this fishing gear to prevent the accidental capture of protected species.

Employment and the marine environment

Through the Empleaverde Programme, the Biodiversity Foundation also supports initiatives that promote employment and the development of new economic activities in the marine environment. Within this framework, a dozen projects are being implemented that seek to improve the quality of employment in the field of active coastal salt flats, the awareness of workers in the fishing sector in their interaction with the marine environment, sustainable tourism and the generation of green employment in the nautical sector. among others.

The marine environment is also a source of generation of competitive companies and entrepreneurial initiatives. Among the companies awarded in the first edition of the Red emprendeverde awards is Arom Bait, dedicated to the development of baits that use natural and biodegradable materials specific to each species and fisheries. For its part, KAI Marine Services advises companies and public entities on the sustainable use of marine resources.