Onboard the Ranger catamaran, Oceana scientists and marine biologists have been studying different areas of the continental platform in Majorca. They have been checking the impact caused by trawlers that fish illegally in the area and in other parts of the Mediterranean Sea.

Tha aim of this research is to see and document the artificial reefs that are in the area against this fishing gear, as well as evaluate the feasibility of supporting and promoting this kind of projects.

The Spanish legislation bans bottom trawling under 50 metres deep to protect marine habitats of Posidonia oceanica and other fragile ecosystems of high biodiversity that serve as reproduction and breeding areas of a great number of marine life, including fish that later they are fished for commercial purposes.

Oceana's marine biologists together with many marine scientists from different universities and scientific research institutes state that the law is insufficient and the impacts of bottom trawling should be banned from the whole continental platform, that it goes up to 200 metres deep.

© 2008 Oceana, All Right Reserved. Oceana's Privacy Policy