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By Aurelia Munoz •
Updated: 16 Nov 2024 • 12:38 • 2 minutes read
Manta rays and sharks are facing a critical conservation crisis in the Balearic Sea.
In the second session of the Balearic Marine Biodiversity Conservation Conference held in Palma on November 14, marine biologists and conservationists discuss the urgent need to protect sharks and manta rays in the Balearic Islands.
Opening the session, Antoni Grau, the director general de Pesca, introduced the Balearic government’s developing strategy to conserve sharks and rays. Grau highlighted the state of these species in the region, with over 60% of the 56 shark species in the Balearics classified as threatened. Of these, 17 are either critically endangered or extinct in the Balearic Sea, owing largely to overfishing and the mechanisation of fishing during the mid-20th century.
Ray and sharks species in decline
Documentary filmmaker Agustí Torres presented Shark Med’s work on blue shark monitoring, employing satellite tagging, underwater filming, and environmental DNA sampling. While he acknowledged improvements in blue shark survival rates, Torres expressed concern over the stark absence of other shark species in their studies.
Santi García, coordinator of the Petits Taurons project at Palma Aquarium, highlighted recovery initiatives and praised the commitment of local fishermen to seabed conservation. Meanwhile, Francisco Ordines and Sergio Ramírez from the Centro Oceanográfico de las Balears shared data illustrating a 90% decline in elasmobranch (cartilaginous fish) populations in the western Mediterranean since the early 20th century.
The plight of manta rays was underscored by Biel Morey from Save the Med, who detailed the precarious status of Mobula mobular, a species found in the Balearics. Morey emphasised, explaining that pollution, discarded fishing nets, and plastic waste pose severe threats to their survival. Unlike the panda bear or Iberian lynx, which are classified as vulnerable, manta rays face an even graver risk of extinction.
Sustainable fisheries to stop extinction
The Marilles Foundation, organisers of the conference, is championing reintroduction initiatives and reduced fishing pressure to recover shark populations. Proposed measures include training fishermen to safely release captured sharks, establishing temporary no-fishing zones in critical breeding areas, and expanding monitoring networks to gather comprehensive data on marine predators’ movements.
The conference will continue later this month, shifting its focus to coral and marine invertebrate conservation. With Balearic fish stocks reduced by 75% since 1986, experts stress the urgency of decisive action to preserve the region’s marine biodiversity.
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