Five years since the "Balearic Sea Report": the power of shared knowledge

Five years ago we presented, with emotion and a touch of vertigo, the firstBalearic Sea Report in the Parliament of the Balearic Islands. It seemed like an almost impossible challenge: getting dozens of researchers from twenty-five institutions to work together to make the best scientific information available about our sea available to citizens and managers. Today, looking back, we can proudly say that not only have we overcome that challenge, but it has grown, consolidated, and improved over time.

The beginnings were not easy. The idea was clear: without science, there is no effective management. But the reality was that knowledge was scattered in reports, articles, and databases that were difficult to access. It had to be compiled, organized, and made understandable. In 2020, just days before the lockdown, we published the first report with 102 indicators. That presentation coincided with a very special moment in my life: during the same nine months in which we were developing the report, I was also conceiving my daughter. Two children born almost at the same time.

Since then, the project has evolved. The second report represented a shift from a paperback to a website where information could be found in a single click, with 150 indicators and almost 100 contributors. The third introduced chapter-by-chapter publication, to delve deeper into each topic. The latest, between 2024 and 2025, surpassed 180 indicators and involved 120 people. In five years, we have doubled the number of contributors and made the report a living, constantly evolving tool.

All of this has been possible thanks to an extraordinary community: scientists who have shared data and knowledge; institutions that have made key information available; organizations and associations that have contributed their on-the-ground experience; and the invaluable contributions of our Advisory Board. And also loved ones like Kike Ballesteros, who inspired and advised us in the beginning, and whom I will always remember with gratitude and admiration.

The 'Balearic Sea Report It's not just a collection of data. It's also a call to better understand what's happening in our sea: the state of its habitats and species, how its physical and chemical conditions are changing, how the pressures it's under are increasing, how we as a society respond to these pressures, the state of fishing, what benefits it brings us, and how its quality is evolving. It's also a tool for identifying information gaps and directing the search toward what we still don't know.

Looking ahead, the challenges are great. We want the report to serve as a basis for evidence-based management that guarantees the proper conservation of our sea. We want it to reach even more society, managers, journalists, researchers, and citizens. We want it to consolidate itself as a reference tool and contribute to reversing negative trends, such as the loss of biodiversity or the deterioration of water quality.

In these five years, we have demonstrated that sharing knowledge helps us better love and protect the sea that surrounds us. The future of our sea depends on our ability to collaborate and bravely face challenges. We will continue working, sharing, and collaborating to ensure a Balearic Sea in a magnificent state of conservation.