Mediterranean Marinas collaborates with SOS CORALES, a pioneering marine recovery project in Spain
The Association Marine Balance has already kicked off this scientific coral recovery project in the Special Conservation Zone (Zec) Cliffs and Seabeds of the Punta de la Mona, in Marina del Este and La Herradura. A few days ago the removal of waste took place in this area. During the day ropes were removed, Networks, Lines, rigging and other debris that are damaging and breaking corals, affecting their delicate survival and, Therefore, degrading the entire ecosystem of this area that has an important ecological value.
The Mediterranean Marines Group participates in this initiative. In this way, Marina del Este has been the base port of the operation, which has been authorized by the Junta de Andalucía. From there, the expedition that carried out this cleaning with several support boats for the divers has departed and they have taken care of collecting the waste that was coming to the surface. “This action has been carried out by groups of experienced and pre-trained divers using the scientific protocols established in the SOS CORALES Project to produce the minimum impact when removing waste”, have explained the managers of such an operation.
SOS CORALES is a participatory project where a team formed byScientists, divers and other experts come together to be able to carry out a very complex task, as corals are very delicate. Its main objectives are to recover the marine ecosystem, value its species and promote this area to be protected by banning fishing and other current impacts, and in the near future it will become a marine protected area. This would ensure the survival of species and also generate benefits due to the increased ecotourism of the area, that already attracts divers from all over the world at any time of the year.
Currently, the project is supported by Marinas del Mediterráneo , University of Granada, Almuñécar City Council, Buceonatura, Marine Diving, Alnasur, French NGO Coral Guardian and MedPan.