A political compromise that looks to the sea

More than 150 companies and organisations have joined forces to ask all political parties to put marine conservation at the centre of future government action. This call has been endorsed by a diverse range of actors from civil society and the private sector including hotel chains, environmental organisations, and dozens of companies and representatives from the tourism, nautical, fishing, real estate, and financial sectors. The list of supporters grows every day and already includes well-known names such as Camper, Melià, Trasmapi, CaixaBank, Iberostar, GrupRiu, Port Portals, Marina Ibiza, Sa Nostra Foundation, Esment, Mallorca Hotel Federation, The Mallorca Small and Medium Enterprise Association, WWF, and the GOBs of all the islands along with other companies and environmental and social entities. All of them have come out publicly in support of the Balearic Blue Deal (www.pacteblaubalear.org) an initiative by Marilles Foundation that asks all political parties to make five commitments to protect the sea and the Balearic coast through their government and parliamentary action:

1 Create a network of marine sanctuaries that will cover 10% of the Balearic Sea.
2 Implement plans for the conservation and recovery of vulnerable habitats and species.
3 Guarantee sustainable fishing and put an end to poaching and fraudulent trade.
4 Improve the quality of our coastal waters.
5 Invest a minimum of 1% of public budgets in marine conservation.

The sea and the Balearic coast are sources of wealth and wellbeing in our islands. The future of important industries for the Balearic Islands such as tourism, yachting, and fishing and the jobs that depend on them is closely linked to having a sea in an excellent state of conservation. Although actions are yet to follow, the private sector has understood that returning our seabed and our coastal environment to an excellent state of conservation is the best guarantee for facing the challenges imposed by global warming on our islands and guaranteeing their prosperity. They recognise that they have an important role to play to make that happen. The strength of the voices is powerful and can’t be ignored. Let’s hope that the next government, both in the Balearic Islands and in Spain, takes note of this message and acts promptly to protect and restore the Balearic Sea!
For more information: www.pacteblaubalear.org