Summer with Save the Med

From shark conservation projects to education and awareness initiatives, it’s been a busy summer for Save the Med so far. Plus, with the boat refit done and the team having conducted their annual first aid and in water rescue training, everyone is all ready and excited for the 2021 expedition season. There are a few spots open for our research expeditions, and if you are interested in joining, find out more and download the expedition leaflet here.

Discover Your MPA Sa Dragonera

In addition to organising awareness events, kayaking tours and marine custody initiatives for the protection of the Sa Dragonera Marine Protected Area (MPA), Save the Med will soon be launching a new website to make information, knowledge and resources about the MPA easily available to all. There, you'll be able to learn about the protection of the area and its biodiversity, see videos and images, stay up to date with local community events and join them.

The Stellaris Project

Save The Med is working together with the Govern de les Illes Balears, Marilles Foundation, Palma Aquarium Foundation, Petites Illes del Mediterrani, Mallorca Preservation Fund, Centre de visitants del Parque Nacional de Cabrera and local fishermen on a new pilot project called “Petits taurons. Acció Stellaris” (Small sharks - Stellaris Action).

This species conservation project focuses on the nursehound (Scyliorhinus stellaris), a small shark species which is protected in the marine reserves of the Balearic Islands. The project aims to help the population to recover through the breeding of nursehound sharks in a controlled environment, in combination with an environmental education programme to educate about the ecological importance of sharks in the Balearic sea and involve the Balearic fishing sector in the conservation of the species. The long-term objective is to replicate the initiative to protect other threatened sharks’ species.

Plastic Free Balearics

Together with our collaborators and with the support of Beyond Plastic Med - BeMed, we recently launched the Plastic Free Balearics Certification, a pilot programme for businesses in the hospitality industry that want to reduce their use of single-use plastics. It’s completely free to sign-up to the pilot programme and participating businesses receive specialised toolkits to help them go plastic free. Click here for more information and sign ups.

Education and Awareness

As the school year comes to an end we would like to thank all the students and teachers who participated so far in the Dos Manos Schools Programme.

Despite the pandemic, more than 1,600 students took part in the programme, either on site or virtually. 15 beach cleans were conducted, 9,095 plastic objects removed and categorised and an increase in new types of pollution was observed, including face masks and single use bioplastics, which are all very harmful to wildlife.

The Changemakers Project 2021 was a success! Fifty student teams from the Balearic Islands signed up and developed some amazing ideas to help reduce the use of plastic. The teams that presented the 5 most impactful project ideas are now getting ready to join us onboard expeditions at sea!

Meanwhile, a Changemakers Junior pilot project was conducted with four teams of students aged 8-14 years who did an impressive job reducing the use of plastic in their households and school community.