Fishermen from the fishermen’s guilds of Palamós and Llançà (Girona), who participate in the LIFE ECOREST project, have exchanged experiences and knowledge with fishermen from Conil de la Frontera (Cádiz) and Motril (Granada) in a meeting in the city of Cádiz organized by WWF Spain, in coordination with the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM-CSIC), which has had the collaboration of the Sociedad para el Desarrollo de las Comunidades Costeras (Soldecocos).
For two days, they shared their experience in initiatives that contribute to the active restoration of deep marine habitats. Fishermen from the Lonja de Conil OPP 72 Artisanal Fishermen’s Organisation, together with Soldecocos, opened the doors of the La Casa de los Ramos y las Santamarías survival and restoration centre, which owes its name to the corals and gorgonians in the area.
This centre, consisting of a closed-circuit tank with seawater, contains organisms rescued from fishing nets that are recovered to be returned to the sea, applying the methodology of the LIFE ECOREST project.
This initiative promotes restoration, but also impact mitigation. Fishermen have also exchanged knowledge to reduce the bycatch of vulnerable species of corals, gorgonians and sponges.
This area, between the Bay of Algeciras and the Bay of Cadiz, is a biodiversity hotspot where the waters of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic converge. The area is home to marine habitats of Community interest, such as habitat 1170 Reefs, where more than 70 species have been recorded, with a great diversity of corals and gorgonians.
The meeting ended with the release of various specimens of corals and gorgonians, among other organisms.
LIFE ECOREST PROJECT
LIFE ECOREST is moving forward with the objective of restoring nearly 30,000 hectares of deep-sea habitats in Catalonia with the active participation of the fishing sector.
In addition to research and conservation actions, it promotes the participatory management of the fishermen involved in the project, strengthens governance mechanisms, and raises public awareness of the importance of conserving deep-sea habitats.
This initiative, coordinated by the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) until 2026, has as partners the Federació Territorial de Confraries de Pescadors de Girona, the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, the University of Barcelona and WWF Spain, as well as the financial contribution of the European Union’s LIFE Programme. Collaborating in the project are the fishermen’s associations of Llançà, Port de la Selva, Cadaqués, Roses, Palamós, Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Blanes, Arenys de Mar and Vilanova i la Geltrú.