Balearic Government launches action plan to protect shallow marine areas

The proposed regulation, which will begin the public consultation process this week through the Transparency Portal, implements one of the measures included in the Marine Conservation Plan of the Government of the Balearic Islands.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment has initiated the process of drafting a regulation that will establish the Action Plan for the Conservation of Shallow Marine Areas in the Balearic Islands, an initiative that forms part of the implementation of the Government’s Marine Conservation Plan and aims to improve the protection, knowledge and restoration of these high-value coastal ecosystems.

The proposed regulation sets out four main lines of action: information, monitoring, conservation and restoration. It also provides for the formal creation of the Advisory Committee for Shallow Marine Areas, a permanent body for consultation, participation and expert guidance on the conservation and management of these environments.

Shallow marine areas, including shallow bays, semi-enclosed lagoons, seagrass barrier reefs and certain low-depth coves, are among the most valuable and fragile ecosystems along the Balearic coastline. These environments serve as refuges for rare and highly specialized species, as well as breeding and nursery grounds for numerous marine species, including some of commercial and fisheries interest.

In the Balearic Islands, many of these areas still retain significant ecological value despite the pressures generated by human activities, particularly port operations, residential development, tourism and recreational uses. For this reason, the Ministry considers it necessary to promote a common strategy to identify these areas, assess their conservation status and establish specific measures to protect and, where possible, restore them.

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Natural Environment, Joan Simonet, highlighted that “the Marine Conservation Plan continues to move forward with concrete actions to protect the most valuable marine ecosystems of the Balearic Islands. Shallow marine areas are particularly sensitive and strategic spaces for biodiversity and for the future of our marine resources.”

Simonet also noted that “our goal is to preserve these environments, improve scientific knowledge about them and promote restoration measures where necessary, while always ensuring compatibility with the traditional activities that have historically been part of these landscapes.”

In October 2024, the Ministry launched the Balearic Shallow Bay Conservation Strategy, bringing together around twenty scientists, managers and conservation experts. The conclusions of this work highlighted the need for a permanent planning and management instrument capable of coordinating actions across the entire archipelago.

Among the first measures planned are the preparation of a comprehensive inventory of shallow marine areas in the Balearic Islands, the assessment of their conservation status and the definition of specific actions to support their protection and recovery. The Plan also seeks to maintain compatibility between the conservation of natural values and the traditional nautical and fishing activities that have historically contributed to preserving many of these environments.

With this initiative, the Government continues to advance the commitments established in the Marine Conservation Plan, a strategy aimed at strengthening the protection of the Balearic Islands’ marine ecosystems and ensuring the sustainable management of marine resources.

The proposal will be published this week on the Government of the Balearic Islands’ Transparency Portal to begin the prior public consultation process. During this period, citizens, organizations and interested stakeholders will be able to submit comments and suggestions before the final drafting of the regulation.