12 environmental organizations criticize the lack of protection of the Freus reserve in Ibiza and Formentera in favor of recreational fishing

PalmTwelve environmental groups and marine conservation organizations have expressed their "utmost concern" regarding the proposed expansion of the Freus Marine Reserve in Ibiza and Formentera. The proposal seeks to relax current regulations to allow for greater recreational fishing and increased catches within this protected area. The organizations believe this initiative represents a worrying shift at a time when Europe and Spain are moving towards a commitment to protect 30% of the marine area by 2030, with 10% strictly protected. The signatory organizations affirm their strong support for any progress in the creation or expansion of marine protected areas, but warn that doing so at the expense of lowering their level of protection would be "flagrant and counterproductive." They point out that, since 1999, significant public resources have been allocated to consolidate a network of marine reserves based on scientific criteria, as established by the Balearic Islands Fisheries Law. The proposed amendment to the decree regulating the extraction of marine fauna and flora in reserves is generating "serious concern" among environmental groups. They consider it especially worrying that the regulations for protected waters are being equated with those for waters without any protection status, as well as the elimination of the recreational fishing ban zone in Espardell. They fear this will lead to an increase in recreational fishing effort in the reserve, a scenario that could jeopardize the progress made in species recovery and the survival of the small-scale fishing fleet, already in decline but essential for food sovereignty and the blue economy. The organizations point out that, far from being detrimental, the creation of marine reserves has coexisted with a sharp increase in recreational fishing licenses, which already exceed 45,000 in the Balearic Islands. Therefore, they consider it unjustified to present marine protection as an obstacle to the recreational sector. The proposal recently approved by the PP and Vox parties in the Consell d'Eivissa opens the door to authorizing spearfishing within the reserve, a practice that, they point out, severely affects coastal species and compromises their ecological benefits. This is compounded by the lack of reliable data from the recreational sector, which reports the fewest catches and accumulates the most sanctions for illegal or unlicensed fishing. Environmental groups argue that the political initiative was presented "without technical or scientific support" and departs from the model that has guaranteed the success of the Balearic network of marine reserves. They warn that it could set a dangerous precedent that jeopardizes marine protection throughout the archipelago. Given this scenario, the organizations are demanding an immediate moratorium on any regulatory changes promoted by the Balearic Government at the request of the Consell d'Eivissa and the recreational fishing associations of the Pitiusas Islands. They also call for a participatory process involving all sectors and including the participation of scientific bodies such as CEAB-CSIC, IMEDEA-CSIC, IEO-CSIC, and the public companies IRFAP-Tragsatec, with the aim of ensuring informed decisions supported by scientific evidence. The signatory organizations include Raíces Marinas, Ecologistas en Acción, Fundación Iniciativas del Mediterráneo, Fundación Marilles, Fundación Cleanwave, Fundación por la Conservación de Ibiza y Formentera, Fundación Save the Med, GEN-GOB, GOB Mallorca, GOB Menorca, Greenpeace, and the Port Ramassa Platform.