I am not exaggerating when I say that the few times I have been out to sea with fishermen are among the happiest moments of my life. The first time was in Minorca was with Angel, a fisherman from Fornells, a family friend and a great animator of evenings with his guitar. It was a September afternoon at the end of the 80s, I was thirteen or fourteen years old. Two hours of sailing combined with a couple of needlefish for bait turned into four good-sized amberjacks. A dream for any young man who loves fishing and the sea. Angel left us many years ago, but the memories live on for me and for thousands of citizens of the Balearic Islands, who have enjoyed similar experiences.
Marilles Foundation works to make this archipelago a world reference in marine conservation. When we think of the Mallorca of the future, we think of a sea in an excellent state of conservation: full of fish, lobsters, cuttlefish, and a great diversity of marine life; we think of a society that thrives and has high levels of well-being. Fishermen have a very prominent role in this vision.
Photo:@SebastiaTorrens
We envision astable fishing fleet, which provides us with local, fresh and excellent quality product, with fishermen who can exercise their profession with guarantees and who are strongly involved in the conservation of the marine environment because they know better than anyone else that they depend directly on it. We also see recreational fishermen who can enjoy their hobby responsibly and in harmony with professionals, sectors that are not always very close but which have no choice but to learn to coexist.
It should come as no surprise, then, that an organisation such as ours dedicated to marine conservation works closely with fishermen. Without them, it will not be possible to achieve goals that unite rather than separate us.
Recently, we have teamed up with other organisations to set up the Calant Xarxes project. An initiative that aims to improve the marketing of fish products in the Balearic Islands, revaluing the product through certification and working together to put an end to the illegal practices and poaching that do so much harm to the sector. We cannot allow the malpractice of a few to jeopardise the future of many.
Fishing in Mallorca faces many challenges. From the lack of professional replacement and the growing pressure of uses in the sea, to the uncertain changes of global warming and the arrival of invasive species. But it also has a lot going for it. Less competition due to fleet reduction, growing demand for a highly desirable product, and an improvement in the fish resource through better management of fisheries and marine protected areas or fish stocks open the door to optimism for the future of a unique and singular fleet. If we do things right, the Balearic fishing fleet could be the envy of the entire Mediterranean. Shall we get on with it?
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