Save The Med’s project to regenerate the magnificent area of Formentor, located in the northern part of Mallorca, recently organised a successful community event in the area in collaboration with the local NGO Arrels Marines. The aim was to kickstart a community led movement that actively participates in the custody of the area, highlighting the natural values of Formentor while connecting stakeholders and representatives from different sectors of the community (including fisheries, agriculture, education, recreation, conservation and more).

Save The Med have launched the 2023 edition of the Changemakers Project. During the summer the Changemakers students joined the Save The Med team for expeditions at sea, observing wildlife and conducting plastic pollution surveys. Risso’s dolphins, striped dolphins and Spinetail devil rays were some of the species they encountered! Students from the Balearic Islands can now sign up to the recently launched “Changemakers 2023” edition and send their ideas to help reduce the consumption of single-use plastics. Click here to learn more.

Following the heat wave that the Mediterranean has been experiencing since May this year, Save The Med conducted a study to evaluate the state of corals in the Formentor area, in Mallorca. Preliminary findings suggest that there are indeed corals in some areas of Formentor that have been impacted by the heat and have uncoupled from the algae that they live in symbiosis with, leaving only the coral skeleton behind.

During the summer months, Save The Med‘s scientific team are back in the blue, studying the giant devil rays (Mobula mobular) of the Balearic Sea through observation, DNA sampling and satellite tagging. To date, the team has observed more than 120 individuals and recorded very interesting social behaviours as well as dive profiles down to 600m of depth! Their current focus lies on understanding the relationship between the presence of giant devil rays in the area and the oceanographic factors that may contribute to it, ultimately helping to develop a conservation strategy for the species and help protect their habitats.

During the summer months, Save The Med’s scientific team are back in the blue, studying the giant devil rays (Mobula mobular) of the Balearic Sea through observation, DNA sampling and satellite tagging. To date, the team has observed more than 120 individuals and recorded very interesting social behaviours as well as dive profiles down to 600m of depth! Their current focus lies on understanding the relationship between the presence of giant devil rays in the area and the oceanographic factors that may contribute to it, ultimately helping to develop a conservation strategy for the species and help protect their habitats.

Save The Med’s Changemaker Project invites students aged 8-18 to develop and implement their own ideas for the prevention of single use plastic. June 21st, the NGO organised a “Changemakers event” where more than 100 Changemaker students, teachers and parents met for an inspirational evening with project presentations, talks, workshops, music and the announcement of the six teams that presented the most impactful projects and were invited to join Save The Med onboard marine science expeditions this summer! Click here to read more.

Save The Med have introduced Plastic Free Balearics (PFB), a new certification created to incentivise the reduction of single-use plastic in the hospitality industry of the Balearic Islands. The PFB Certification is a seal of environmental quality. Not only does it help businesses comply with the current Balearic Waste Law and European regulations, it goes beyond. With this certification, they offer useful tools for businesses to identify honest alternatives to single-use plastic, such as straws and packaging, while discovering reusable options to help eliminate and /or reduce waste

The Plastic Free Balearics Certification Programme, which was successfully launched by Save The Med Foundation and collaborating entities in 2021 to help companies reduce their use of single use plastics, has published a free guide that facilitates purchasing decisions with a lower environmental impact in the hospitality sector. Download the Guide To Honest Alternatives To Single-Use Plastics here. This guide intends to help businesses make more environmentally friendly decisions by knowing which products truly help the environment.

Save The Med are developing a project for the proposal of a new type of Marine Protected Area in the north of Mallorca. This new approach aims to ensure that newly protected areas are based on scientific data, and that they consider the interconnection between human activities on land and sea. From here they ensure that the community is involved with marine stewardship in order to achieve lasting protection.

Elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) are vulnerable to overfishing. Knowing the volume of the catches of these species is essential to assess the impact of fishing and protect populations. Save The Med have conducted a 12-month survey, monitoring the catches of sharks and rays brought to the Palma Fish Market where 70% of the catches from the Balearic Islands are traded weekly. Throughout 2022, more than 6,000 boxes weighing more than 30 tonnes were surveyed. Eight shark species, and sixteen species of skates and rays were documented. Researchers are continuing to monitor, with the hope of seeing improvements over time.