Tag Archives: Marine ecology

More schools signed up for the fight against plastic

At the beginning of March, the infants and primary school, Margalida Florit, signed up to the “Promise 2020 without Plastic” and so agreeing not to use any plastic tableware in the school that is for use only once.

The “Promise 2020 Without Plastic” is a campaign started by GOB in the middle of 2018 that aims to eliminate the maximum amount of expendable plastic and to use products made from more sustainable materials, throughout Menorca. Continue reading More schools signed up for the fight against plastic →

Good news about posidonia and the sea

The course of action taken by GOB on the sea environment that it started in Menorca a year and a half ago is giving good results. Recently, a series of measures were approved concerning the seabed because of the action taken. Mongofra, Addaia, Fornells, the Ila de l’Aire and other places, have all benefitted from the conservation projects approved at the last meeting of the Balearic Government’s Posidonia Committee. Continue reading Good news about posidonia and the sea →

La Salle d’Alaior adds its agreement to fiestas without plastics

The Salle d’Alaior school has signed an agreement with GOB promising not to use disposable plastic crockery and cutlery for its fiestas and celebrations. Currently, 8.7 million tons of plastics end up on our shores. This number is only 3% of the plastic waste we generate in the world each year and it is rising. Far from being biodegradable, this waste breaks down into smaller pieces entering the food chain through fish, other sea food and salt which we then consume. The latest study talks of 5 grams of plastic per person, the equivalent of a credit card, each week. Continue reading La Salle d’Alaior adds its agreement to fiestas without plastics →

Save the Natural Values of the Port of Mahon

GOB is asking the Port Authority to stop altering the natural areas of the Port of Mahon. The Cala Corb project includes a geotechnical study of the solidity of the cliff to support a cantilevered wooden walkway. Some days ago, GOB condemned the changes happening to works that were being carried out for the south sidewalk of Cala Corb, in Es Castell, one of the areas in the Port of Mahon with a natural rock cliff. Since then the works have been stopped. Continue reading Save the Natural Values of the Port of Mahon →

Avoidable effects on the environment in the Port

GOB would like to express its concerns for the change in the construction works of a pedestrian link that the Port Authority has instigated between Moll d’en Pons and Cala Corb. There, where they announced there would be an overhanging wooden walkway, is, in reality a working dock that is destroying the ecosystem at the base of the rocks. GOB has asked to see the project approvals. Continue reading Avoidable effects on the environment in the Port →

The Plan of the Ports and nautical sustainability

The Plan of the Balearic Ports has recently become available for consultation, prior to its environmental processing. GOB is asking for a review of some of its planned activities such as enabling docking points for large cruise ships in Ciutadella; the enlarging of the sports port of Addaia and the remodelling of the moorings in Fornells. Likewise, an examination of the analysis of the nautical capacity of Menorca. Continue reading The Plan of the Ports and nautical sustainability →

Common Environmental Problems of the Balearic Islands

The GOB Interisland Board of Directors met in Menorca to deal with questions that are of concern to the whole of the Balearic Islands. Mass tourism affects a large part of the Balearic territory, where there is still much land threatened with urbanization. It is also urgent to tackle waste, energy transition and the search for a more sustainable economy. Continue reading Common Environmental Problems of the Balearic Islands →

The marine environment becomes part of the Reserve of the Biosphere

An area of some 20 kilometres of sea around Menorca has become part of the Reserve of the Biosphere, which, until now, included only land. UNESCO approved the addition on 5 June in Paris. This declaration is something which will be very helpful for enabling protection in the future. GOB celebrates the designation and the encouragement it gives to working for the rational conservation of the marine environment. Continue reading The marine environment becomes part of the Reserve of the Biosphere →

Microplastics and polystyrene in the Marine Reserve

A large volume of needless plastic and a great deal of broken plastic bits. This comes from the cleaning of the shore that GOB organised for 9 June in the area to the west of Cala Tirant. In total, more than 130 kilos of rubbish was collected of which more than 125 kilos were plastics and petroleum derived materials such as expanded polystyrene and ropes. If this is compared with other areas we have cleaned along the shore we see that the quantity collected seems to be less than we find normally, but it has to be borne in mind that a significant amount of this rubbish collection was made from the so called micro plastics, pieces of small plastic. As the area cleaned was a macar (a stony beach), the micro plastics accumulate between stones and are difficult to extricate. Continue reading Microplastics and polystyrene in the Marine Reserve →