The CNA supports IMEDEA in the investigation of the submarine life in the Bay of Palma

The Club Nàutic S’Arenal (CNA) will collaborate with the elaboration of a scientific study leaded by Instituto Mediterráneo de Estudios Avanzados (IMEDEA), a mixed center of investigation between Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) and Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB).

The goal of this collaboration is to provide real images of the state of the biodiversity of the Marine Reserve of the Bay of Palma through a study with different coast species, and at the same time, generate relevant information for its management through the protected marine areas.

The initiative is marked in the scholarship program JAE Intro ICU of CSIC, orientated to university students of the last university year class or the master, who mean to start the scientific career and perpetuate an approximation of the knowledge of the scientific-technical problems and the methods used for its resolution. CNA will contribute with the necessary resources so that a student can incorporate in the scientific team of IMEDEA, which also through a new novel acoustic network installed at the Marine Reserve of the Bay of Palma and the tools of the artificial intelligence, will be monitored by the diverse movements of coast fish species marked by fisherman at CNA, among them, species of special interest for the commercial and recreational fisheries.

“The idea is to obtain real images of the state that the biodiversity is in these waters, and this way, prove the Marine Reserve has a sense and fulfills its goals” says Ferran Muniesa, manager of the CNA.

The job will take place between 2023 and 2024 in close waters of CNA. With its commitment to sustainability and environment, CNA will contribute with the participation of its members of the project, who will work hand in hand with the scientific team.

“Within our environment goals, we want that CNA has an important role as one of the axes of the Marine Reserve that we have in our waters –explains Muniesa–. We are conscious about this declaration of the reserve, which is one of the oldest in the Balearic Islands; it has been very beneficial for the biodiversity of the Bay. This is why we consider that it would be very interesting to promote a collaboration with IMEDEA to evaluate the state of the wildlife after a quarter of a century by the protection of the Marine Reserve” he tells. The result of the initiative of CNA is this scholarship, an example which points out the value of the excellent investigation in the Balearic Islands. “We want this study to be done every year. This is only the first step”, concludes Muniesa.

The project supposes a step more in the collaboration with IMEDEA (CSIC-UIB) as for a year ago the Institute has a boat at CNA with ceded mooring to make controls at the Reserve. With this initiative, moreover, CNA locates itself once again at the forefront in subjects of the environment, after being the first nautical club of Majorca to tell with the environment ISO, furthermore with the diverse collaborations the entities of the environment defenses, among other successes.