Sobre el finalista

Descripción general

Formentera is the smallest of the Balearic Islands. Virtually all of the surrounding marine area is protected, and its biodiversity is the engine of Formentera’s economy as well as crucial for local income. However, the need to balance economic activities and the need to preserve the unique nature of Formentera is hindered by the lack of appropriate partnerships among stakeholders. Additionally, the Natura 2000 network was virtually unknown or considered an unwanted imposition by the administration.

To address these challenges, representatives of the citizenry, the scientific community, the economic sectors, and public administrations joined forces to improve the governance of the Natura 2000 marine spaces surrounding the island, through the creation of the Formentera Marine Management Board.

This networking initiative was implemented by an association led by the Directorate General of Natural Environment and Forest Management of the Balearic Islands and involving three conservation NGOs, as well as the local Society for the Development of Coastal Communities, which provides valuable experience in social inclusion, participatory planning, and protected area management, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the association. The initiative was implemented within the framework of a much broader INTERMARES LIFE integrated project.

To proactively address possible tensions between nature conservation and development interests, the project association developed a management plan covering the five Natura 2000 spaces in Formentera, three of which are exclusively marine.

Following this successful collaboration, the Formentera Marine Stewardship Agreement was signed in 2020 as an innovative tool to achieve biodiversity protection goals while maintaining a viable local economy. The Marine Stewardship Board now primarily participates in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the management plan. Of the 55 measures envisaged in this plan, more than half are related to Formentera’s marine spaces.

Thanks to the Board, there is now much better coordination among the authorities involved and other stakeholders, leading to more effective management, implementation of measures, and monitoring of protected areas. The Board also acts as an advisory body to the administration, in relation to the processing of any regulations that may affect the Natura 2000 network in Formentera. It has also created three technical groups (administrative coordination, professional fishing, tourism) whose objective is to address specific issues related to the Natura 2000 spaces. For example, the technical work on fishing focuses on the issue of accidental catches, particularly to reduce the mortality of the Balearic shearwater, an endemic species critically endangered. The tourism technical group works on the development of alternative recreational and sports activities. The Board is also a catalyst in promoting capacity development measures aimed at fishermen, associations, sports clubs, and local businesses.

For the general public, a new citizen science portal for marine monitoring was introduced. Most importantly, in a short period of time, the project consortium has managed to change the perception of key stakeholders about the Natura 2000 network to ensure recognition of its biodiversity values and the need for its conservation and restoration.

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