Oceanographer Carlos Duarte confirms that there is scientific evidence that allows us to affirm that it is possible to recover the abundance of life in the ocean in a generation, in 2050. “The wave of recovery of the ocean is going to continue, we just have to promote it from the responsibility and work of seafarers,” he said during the third edition of #Biodirectos, the cycle of online meetings that, since May 22, has been organized by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) with the aim of raising awareness of the important role that biodiversity plays in relation to human health.
These meetings, which are now in their third broadcast, can be followed live and simultaneously on the different social media channels (Twitter, Facebook and YouTube) of the Biodiversity Foundation.
In this broadcast, dedicated to the celebration of Seafarers’ Day, the work of the people who contribute to a healthier ocean through the improvement of knowledge, marine conservation and the sustainable development of uses and activities linked to the sea has been highlighted.
The Spanish scientist, author of more than 800 articles and holder of the Tarek Ahmed Juffali Research Chair in Red Sea Ecology, at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia, has stated that the recovery from the global COVID crisis “must not only be green, but also blue”.
According to the researcher, evidence has emerged of a recovery of the abundance of life in the ocean, from habitats to large whales, as a result of conservation policies progressively introduced since the 80s. Thanks to these advances, currently, globally, 10% of the sea is protected.
However, he added that international coordination and cooperation are required to protect spaces until at least 30% of the ocean’s surface is protected by 2030; protect species, particularly those most at risk; eliminate pollution, from plastics to persistent synthetic pollutants; regulate fishing to recover fish stocks ; as well as mitigating climate change with the fulfillment of the most ambitious objectives set by the Paris agreement.
Duarte concluded that “we are all people of the sea and our destiny is linked to the ocean”.
SUSTAINABLE GASTRONOMY AND FISHING
Recovering the ocean, according to Duarte, means contributing to human health and well-being. Objectives shared by gastronomy. In this area, the coordinator of the cuisine area of the Basque Culinary Center, Jorge Bretón, showed how innovation and training in cooking can help protect biodiversity. During the meeting, the chef stressed the need to promote sustainable gastronomy, while preparing live dishes made with products that are usually discarded such as salmon fin, hake scales and head, and bonito skin.
The importance of knowing the origin of seafood products and food safety were also topics addressed during the meeting. The manager of the Organization of Artisanal Fishing Producers Lonja de Conil (OPP72), Nicolás Fernández, has pointed out the importance of the consumer “being able to identify that the product has been worked in a sustainable way”.
With 31,473 direct jobs, the fishing sector is the livelihood of many families in Spain. “This activity must be developed in a sustainable way; We need the sea to have the best products and more care. The important thing is not to fish more but to sell better,” he added.
MARINE BIODIVERSITY AS A SOURCE OF WEALTH
The participants in this #Biodirectos have shown that the activities of seafarers can be valuable instruments that promote knowledge and conservation of the richness of the natural heritage in Spain, one of the countries with the greatest marine biodiversity in Europe, with more than 11,000 known species.
In addition, Spain is making progress in greater protection of its seas. In a few years we have gone from protecting 1% to more than 12% today, with the goal set by Europe of 30% protection of our marine area by 2030. At the moment, our country has nearly 300 protected areas, of which 272 are included in the Natura 2000 Network, the largest network of protected areas in the world.
To achieve a sustainable ocean, it is necessary to advance in its knowledge, strengthen coordination between administrations and sectors, and create a governance structure from a participatory approach that integrates all managers and seafarers.
This is one of the objectives of the LIFE INTEMARES project, which is coordinated by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge and in which the General Directorate of Biodiversity, Forests and Desertification of the Ministry itself participates as partners; the Spanish Institute of Oceanography; the Spanish Fisheries Confederation; SEO/BirdLife and WWF Spain. It also has the financial contribution of the LIFE program of the European Union.
More than 6,500 people and 800 organisations have already been involved in the project, which is in its fourth year and which develops various actions linked to research, conservation, surveillance, governance, training and education to achieve effective management of protected areas.
MEETINGS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY
This meeting, which has been followed live by more than 1,500 people through the social networks of the Biodiversity Foundation, is part of the cycle of #Biodirectos, organized by MITECO through the Biodiversity Foundation, with the aim of raising awareness of the important role that biodiversity plays in relation to human health. as well as to discuss various topics related to the opportunities offered by a green reconstruction after the global crisis generated by COVID-19.
Experts from various fields participate with the aim of seeking solutions to the main challenges we face as a society, such as the health and environmental crisis. The next event, scheduled for July 9, will address the control of illegal trafficking of species.
