Action Plan for the Conservation of Sharks and Rays in the Balearic Islands Approved

The initiative, pioneering at both national and Mediterranean levels, establishes six lines of action and consolidates a group of experts to improve the protection of elasmobranchs and strengthen marine conservation.

The Government of the Balearic Islands, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, has approved the Action Plan for the Conservation of Elasmobranchs in the Balearic Islands, published today, Thursday 12 February, in the Official Gazette of the Balearic Islands (BOIB). This is a pioneering proposal in marine conservation, both nationally and within the Mediterranean, establishing a specific framework to improve the conservation status of sharks and rays in Balearic waters.

The Plan is part of the Government’s firm commitment to protecting the Balearic Sea and forms part of a broader marine conservation strategy aligned with regional and national regulations and European biodiversity preservation goals. In this sense, the Plan represents a key element in the Ministry’s roadmap to promote a more sustainable marine management model based on scientific knowledge and collaboration with stakeholders.

The Director General of Fisheries, Antoni M. Grau, stated: “This Plan represents a decisive step towards advancing the effective protection of the Balearic Sea, combining conservation with responsible fishing activity.” He added, “The Balearic Islands are once again positioning themselves at the forefront of marine policy, with a rigorous, practical and ambitious tool developed with the participation of the sector and the scientific community.”

Elasmobranchs, sharks and rays, typically occupy the top of marine food chains and play a fundamental role in maintaining ecosystem balance and function. Their decline can have serious ecological consequences, with cascading effects on other species and habitats. According to data from the Red Book of the Fishes of the Balearic Islands, of the 56 recorded elasmobranch species, 34 are threatened and 17 are critically endangered or already regionally extinct.

The Director General for Natural Environment and Forest Management, Anna Torres, noted: “The conservation of sharks and rays is not only about protecting species, but also about safeguarding the health of marine ecosystems and the future of our natural heritage.” She also emphasized that “the Balearic Sea remains an area of exceptional biological richness within the western Mediterranean, and it is everyone’s responsibility to preserve it with tools such as this Plan.”

The Action Plan is structured around six strategic lines that allow for a comprehensive and coordinated approach to elasmobranch conservation. Specifically, the document includes: awareness and outreach actions to highlight the importance of sharks and rays and improve identification of protected species; enhanced monitoring and data collection to unify and centralize available information; mitigation measures to reduce bycatch and promote clear handling and safe-release protocols; conservation actions including fisheries management measures and population reinforcement initiatives; research and innovation projects driven through the Agricultural and Fisheries Research and Training Institute (IRFAP); and enforcement actions to improve oversight, administrative coordination and effective protection of vulnerable species.

These lines of action are implemented through specific short-, medium- and long-term measures. Immediate actions include updating identification guides for protected species, promoting a specific protocol for accidental captures, and developing scientific studies on survival and genetic biodiversity.

In the medium term, the Plan foresees awareness campaigns and population trend studies, reviewing criteria for minimum catch sizes based on biological parameters, and identifying coastal breeding and juvenile aggregation areas. In the long term, measures include incentives for fishers who release protected species and population reinforcement and reintroduction projects in collaboration with other administrations and entities.

The Order published today also formalizes the Sharks and Rays Expert Group, attached to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, as an advisory collegiate body. This group will include representatives from different administrations, scientific institutions, conservation organizations and, notably, both professional and recreational fishing sectors.

Antoni M. Grau highlighted the value of this participatory structure: “The presence of the fishing sector is essential to ensure measures are practical and effective. This Plan cannot be understood without cooperation and shared responsibility.”

In the same vein, Anna Torres stressed that “the Plan is designed to bring together efforts and actively involve citizens, organizations and marine-related sectors. Marine conservation is only possible through consensus and collaboration.”

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment emphasized that this Plan reinforces the Government’s commitment to modern, science-based and responsible management of the Balearic Sea. Experience in recent years shows that the recovery of some species is possible: in a context of reduced fishing pressure, notable increases in captures and sightings of some ray species have been recorded, demonstrating that management measures can have a positive impact.

The Action Plan for the Conservation of Elasmobranchs therefore represents another step towards a better-protected Balearic Sea, with strong governance tools to ensure long-term biodiversity conservation and sustainable marine resources.