Balearic Islands are Spain’s autonomous region with the most marine protected areas, reaching 49,000 ha in total (18% of inland waters). It sets a good example in the Mediterranean that it is possible to reconcile fishing and marine conservation. However, even more protection would help sustain local fish populations into the future.
The Balearic Archipelago is a beacon of hope for the Mediterranean. The Mediterranean is a historical sea that has been, unfortunately, largely overlooked by marine conservation groups over the years and now is the time to acknowledge that this extremely important body of water must be celebrated, appreciated and loved. We are extremely proud of what our local and mainland governments have been protecting over the past years here in the Balearics and super excited that Dr. Sylvia Earle and her Mission Blue team have declared our little patch of Mediterranean paradise a HOPE SPOT—The first Hope Spot in the Mediterranean! Asociación Ondine is committed to work closely with our local authorities, businesses and communities to amplify the protection and improvement of our wonderful home, the Balearic Archipelago.
The Balearic Islands consist of Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera. This archipelago is strategically located in the middle of the western Mediterranean, within the Balearic Sea, and subjected to the influence of currents from the northwestern Mediterranean and others of Atlantic origin. The Balearic Sea has a good representation of the habitats existing along the Mediterranean, as well as a high biodiversity. There are valuable Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows, accounting for more than 46,000 hectares, and the ones between Ibiza and Formentera were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Pollution, sedimentation and poor water quality have not notably altered the habitats. Commercial fishing causes the primary impacts to the ecosystem, but the status of commercial fish stocks is considered to be better than those from most of the Mediterranean. The south of the Balearic Islands is an important area for sea turtles (mainly the loggerhead Caretta caretta, which is threatened by longlines), cetaceans, and a spawning area for endangered bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). Some areas have also been identified as hot spots for other endangered species such as the white skate (Rostroraja alba). The Balearic Basin reaches depths below 2,000 meters, where researchers have documented a variety of deep sea fish species including the Mediterranean spiderfish (Bathypterois mediterraneus). The Balearic Islands also represent the only nesting area to the Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus), one of the most threatened marine birds in the world.
Dr. Sylvia Earle exploring a seagrass bed in the marine protected area of the small island of El Toro off the coast of Mallorca. Photo © Kip Evans for Mission Blue.
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