Palma.The Balearic branch of Spain's Oceanographic Institute (IEO) gave a wake-up call yesterday by saying that over-fishing in the Mediterranean had been on the increase in recent years. It said that to produce further evidence of its claims, it will be carrying out marine research in waters off Majorca and Minorca.
Beatriz Guijarro, researcher at the IEO in the Balearics said that from now until 12th June, a team of 20 scientists and technicians will be exploring the Mediterranean sea bed and investigating the impact that commercial fishing and the environment is having on marine ecosystems. Guijarro said that the research will produce data which will help plan how much fish stocks can be taken from the sea and where, but complained that one of the reasons that over-fishing has reached such alarming levels is that few people in industry or government take any notice of IEO recommendations. Specialists will be working aboard the oceanographic ship Cornede de Saavedra, in the third stage of the so-called MEDITS campaign covering fishing areas in Majorcan and Minorcan waters.
Using an experimental dragnet trawling technique, scientists will be able to analyse the state of ecosystems at 50 pre-agreed sampling sites ranging from between 50 to 800 metres below the surface. These areas are where dragnet trawling is practiced in Balearic waters.
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