Tag Archives: Economy

Moon of hope

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They say that the January sky is among the clearest of the year. The moon can also be easily seen during the day. “Blanqueja com s’ametler, com ve que n’està florit, que blanqueja dia i nit, com sa lluna de gener”  [It whitens like the almond tree, as if it were in bloom, whitening day and night, like the January moon] – says the popular rhyme.

In reality, the moon is always there above us, large enough to reflect the light of the star, but clouds, dust or other elements interfere and make it harder to see once the sun has risen.

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Menorca, our Alhambra

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It has calculated the space well. It must be enough for its needs, but not excessively large so it cannot cope with the work. It will first make the spokes that radiate from the centre of the imagined circumference, and then join them with increasingly closer segments.

It has the wax in liquid form inside its abdomen and will extract it so that, when in contact with the air, it becomes an elastic, sticky and resistant material. It will build a barely visible mesh to trap insects.

But it cannot make mistakes with the dimensions. If the covered area is too small, it risks not catching enough food. If the area of the web exceeds the measurements, the spider may run out of material, weaken and die. Having the right measure is key.

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Summoning the sharks

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The evening was falling over the dark rocks of the north when the shoreline fishermen approached. A thick fishing line wound around a piece of cork, with a sizable hook, was the system used to try to catch moray eels and conger eels—sea predators that, in those years of scarcity, served to make fish soup.

To increase the chances of catching something, besides casting the baited hook in a suitable place and tying the line firmly to the ground, they also poured into the sea a liquid filled with blood and fish remains. Species that live by preying on others have keen senses to detect where there may be potential food—such as a wounded prey.

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Gratitude and recognition for Cala en Busquets

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The organisations promoting the Platform in Defence of Cala en Busquets wish to express our gratitude for the support received in recent weeks, both from individuals and from other organisations that have encouraged us to raise our voices publicly against the dry marina project.

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A dangerous agrarian law for farmers

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The draft Agrarian Law recently published by the Balearic Government could turn against farmers. Promoting economic activities that displace agriculture or removing environmental safeguards that protect soil fertility is not helping farmers—it is using them as an excuse to legislate in favour of other sectors. GOB has submitted objections.

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Constitutional challenge against the “Strategic Residential Projects Law”

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Social and environmental organizations in the Balearic Islands have publicly announced the filing of a constitutional appeal before the Spanish Constitutional Court against the Balearic law regulating so-called strategic residential projects.

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The regenerative aquaculture as a marine resilience strategy

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The general interest of the population towards the sea is growing considerably year after year. Therefore, the activities carried out there have multiplied. Thus, the anthropic pressure and threats affecting the habitats of the seabed have also increased, with a significant impact on the coastline.

Specifically, in the port of Maó, the phenomenon of commercial boating has skyrocketed, with constant expansions of facilities that end up being occupied at speculative prices. It is a growing market, but one that corresponds to a seasonal operation, which ends up displacing local boats of a more social kind, transforms spaces with natural values within the port, and which, for years now, has exceeded the island’s nautical carrying capacity.

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Housing and tourist pressure, two related problems

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Access to housing has become a problem in recent years in Menorca. Addressing this important social challenge is an increasingly urgent need, and data and reflection are required to take steps in the right direction.

In this note, based on official data, some of the variables most closely related to the situation are analyzed.

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October 11 – II Regenerative Aquaculture Seminar

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Climate change and the need to preserve the coastline compel us to find resilient and sustainable alternatives. The Regenerative Aquaculture Seminar returns in 2025 to continue raising these questions and how to address them in a place such as Menorca.

What is regenerative aquaculture? Are there precedents of this activity in Menorca? Is it possible to make marine activity compatible with a sustainable model? The second edition of the Aquaculture Seminar will address these and other questions, with the participation of experts and professionals in the sector to share knowledge, experiences, and proposals that may help define the future of coastal management that is more respectful of marine ecosystems and society.

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