The Sa Dragonera Marine Reserve is Celebrating an Anniversary

This Sunday, October 27, marks eight years since the establishment of the Sa Dragonera Marine Reserve. In October 2016, through Decree 62/2016, the Balearic Government declared over 900 hectares of the Freu de Sa Dragonera as a marine reserve and began regulating fishing and diving activities.

To commemorate this anniversary, Save the Med has organized the IV Dragonera Blava Conference, featuring talks, workshops, and activities for the whole family, which will take place this Friday and Saturday, October 25 and 26, at the Andratx Town Hall.

On Friday afternoon, the Save the Med team will present all the updates of the Sa Dragonera Blava project and we will discover the environmental challenges facing the island from Sergio Martino, head of the Water Resources Planning and Studies Service; Marcial Bardolet, head of the Posidonia Surveillance Service of l’IBANAT; and Txema Brotons, scientific director and founder of the Tursiops Foundation. Additionally, biologist Pep Coll, responsible for monitoring the Balearic marine reserves, will provide an assessment of life in the marine reserve and the evolution of its biodiversity.

Saturday's session will be more focused on activities and workshops for the whole family who will be able to learn about marine biodiversity in a more interactive way. They will also discover the art of artisanal fishing in Andratx through the screening of the documentary “Teixint xarxes ancestrals: arts de pesca artesanal al litoral d’Andratx” and how pollution affects our oceans with “Med 2050. More fish than plastics in the sea”.

Art and crafts will also be featured at the Dragonera Blava Conference. Both children and adults will have the opportunity to bring out the great artist within them and design their own t-shirt or fabric bag in the t-shirt and fabric bag printing workshop. Additionally, they can learn to make sailor knots and fishing nets from artisanal fisherman Jaume Amengual.

These two days will bring research, music, theater, cuisine, and maritime tradition closer to the public, showcasing the reality of this marine reserve and the island of Sa Dragonera. In addition to environmental talks and workshops, there will also be time for celebration with theatrical performances, music, and a community meal of llampuga noodles, prepared by Domingo Bonnin, president of the Balearic Federation of Fishermen's Guilds.

Check the full program here.