The Government is committed to expanding the protection of the marine national park following ecological study

A study by the environmental organization Oceana, which sampled about 8,000 hectares to the north, south and east of the Cabrera national park in 2007, has identified a dozen ecosystems and nearly three hundred species. This demonstrates the natural wealth and biodiversity hidden on the seabed adjacent to the national sea and land park and the need to expand their protection, the group says.

Xavier Pastor, executive director of Oceana Europe, has seen the devastating effects that the nets from trawlers have had on the area. The Minister of Environment, Miquel Angel Grimalt, who supported the presentation of the Cabrera study, has pledged to extend the protection of these marine areas as a result of the findings.

Ricardo Aguilar, the research director aboard the catamaran Oceana Ranger, used an underwater robot operated by remote control to capture images at depths of up to 600 metres. The survey revealed the areas of the greatest ecological value are found to the east of the protected area of the park.

“Here we found spectacular corals that housed a large number of species. We saw red and black corals – both of which are in danger of extinction. In this same area and north of the protected area we found areas covered in maerl – a rare type of calcified seaweed that is not anchored to the sea bed and that generates a high biological diversity,” he explained.

“We also discovered forests of laminaria – a type of brown algae and the largest of the species endemic to the Mediterranean, but, as with the fields of maerl, they were quite damaged as a result of the practice of trawling,” said the head of the study.

Aguilar also said they found “garbage in a widespread manner in all places surveyed. We discovered such unusual objects as chairs and hammocks in the deep,” He said.

This study sheds some light on the wealth of hitherto unexplored areas and the need to protect them in order to preserve the biodiversity they are home to. Asked about the possibility of extending the area of protection adjacent to the park from professional fishermen, Miquel Angel Grimalt responded “the effect has been demonstrated of these reserves on the surrounding areas, so I do not think that a measure of this type unjustified.”

Referring to a directive that would urge countries to protect 10% of their coastal waters by 2012 Xavier Pastor added “The Balearics protects just 1% of its seas and there are many areas that should be preserved. In the channel between Mallorca and Ibiza there are some very interesting areas that could shape a future submarine national park for Mallorca.”

The Cabrera National Park is to the south of Mallorca and is made up of 19 small islands and isles with an area of 1,318 hectares on land, as well as the sea area that surrounds them, with a maritime area of 8,703 hectares. (JH)