The Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente Foundation supports Oceana’s proposal to expand Cabrera National Park
The Foundation continues the legacy of Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente, who in 1977 created the Cabrera Conservation Commission to protect the archipelago.
Press Release Date: November 20, 2013
Location: Madrid
Contact:
Oceana Web | email: webadmin@oceana.org | tel.: 202.000.0000
At a press conference today, the Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente Foundation has announced its support for Oceana’s proposal to expand Cabrera National Park. The organisation thus continues the work started by the naturalist, who in 1977 spearheaded the creation of the Cabrera Conservation Commission, with the aim of creating the first sea-land national park in Spain and encouraging the conservation of this archipelago by combining the efforts of various institutions, including, among others, the Foment del Turisme, conservation organisations, Palma City Council and even the Ministry of Defence.
“One of the cornerstones of the Foundation is for users of natural areas to assume some of the responsibility for their conservation. Therefore, the expansion of Cabrera National Park should take people into account, by determining what activities are compatible with preserving environmental values. In the protected areas where we work, we are seeing that this approach is leading to new economic activities being established in the towns near to the Park, while non-destructive traditional uses are being supported. We believe that this could be replicated here, in particular in relation to artisan fishing and other tourist activities with no environmental impact”, explains Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente, CEO of the Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente Foundation.
The Rodríguez de la Fuente Foundation has decided to offer its support to the proposed expansion of the park, thanks to technological advances in recent years, which have made it possible to document depths that were previously unknown. It is therefore not logical for the management of these waters to be mired in resistance to change.
“Protecting Cabrera has been achieved by a succession of various environmental organisations over the years, which have promoted the conservation of this enclave. The process was a success because it had the support of the authorities and public and private organisations from the start. In this sense, our situation is very similar to the one we had before we created the national park, with an expansion project supported by environmental organisations, the tourist industry, small-scale fishermen, diving clubs and various public sectors and it only requires the signature of the Balearic Government”, adds Xavier Pastor, executive director of Oceana in Europa.
The marine protected area currently covers approximately 8,000 hectares. The proposed expansion would result in an additional 78,000, so the park would be ten times bigger than it is today, and the protected waters would cover 86,000 hectares.
Letter from Odile Rodríguez de la Fuente to José Ramón Bauzá
