© seemallorca.com
Conservationists call for change to ensure future of fishing in Mallorca
The environmental group, Oceana, has called for the Balearic fishing fleet to be reduced in size. Speaking yesterday, a representative for the organisation stated that fishing should also be limited to designated areas to ensure delicate marine eco-systems are not put at risk. Oceana recognises the fact Mallorca and the Balearic Islands use less destructive trawling methods than other areas of Spain, but remains concerned by evidence that suggests all marine species are currently being overfished.
Oceana urged the Mediterranean Regional Advisory Council (RAC) to ensure the Common Fisheries Policy reflects agreements made in 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. The rules drawn up were designed to ensure that, by the year 2015, fishing communities could exploit allocated fishing areas whilst maintaining maximum sustainable yields. Oceana say this would be possible if fishing fleets and their catches were limited to the recommended levels.
Oceana is the largest international organisation dedicated to protecting the world's oceans. They provide scientific evidence to support their claims and policies and count celebrities such as Morgan Freeman, Sting and Pierce Brosnan among their supporters. In the last 10 years the group has protected over 1.2 million square miles of ocean and countless sea turtles, sharks, dolphins and other sea creatures.
