Marine industry calls on authorities to take action to eliminate dumping at sea

A few months ago, AENIB, as the Balearic nautical association, founded together with 10 other representative entities of the sector the Federation of Associations and Nautical Activities for Environmental Issues (FANMED), created as the sole interlocutor of the sector in this area vis-à-vis the administrations. and with the additional mission of coordinating and making society aware of all the efforts and actions that the different actors in the nautical sector carry out in favor of the environment.

One of the initiatives that FANMED is promoting is the 0VE Declaration - Zero Discharges for a new governance in the integral water cycle, through which the nautical sector urges the Government of Balearic Islands and all public bodies competent in water matters to implement technical purification models that allow treatment plants (WWTP) to improve water treatment and reduce land-sea discharges, as well as to commit to not increasing the number of outfalls on our Balearic coast and that any investment that must be made in the existing WWTPs is focused on the reuse of water, and not on modifications to continue discharging insufficiently treated water into the sea.

“In a community like ours, where water is a scarce commodity, out of necessity and for the care of the environment, water management must undergo an important change, especially when Climate change is affecting water resources and the increase in temperature will increasingly cause periods of more intense droughts,” FANMED points out. Along these lines are the Water Framework Directive, the Marine Strategies Directive and the Bathing Water Quality Directive and point 6 of the Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in one of its Water Governance Principles, refers to “innovative governance”, which indicates that together we must promote practices that allow us to no longer waste water. water with spills or contribute to the slow death of seas like the Mediterranean.

“That is to say, everything is decidedly oriented towards avoiding land-sea discharges and using purified water. Currently, purification techniques have experienced important advances, and in many cases it is possible to avoid the use or installation of outfalls in coastal areas,” highlights FANMED in the 0VE Declaration, which emphasizes that “today no one questions the negative influence of discharges.” in marine ecosystems.”

“This project was born at the same time as FANMED, since the issue of water was one of those we discussed in the first meetings of the Federation,” explains Gabriel Dols, president of FANMED. “It is a transversal issue that affects us all and that is of capital importance for society as a whole. That is why this declaration is not only for entities linked to the nautical sector, but we encourage all entities, companies and people aware of the importance of the water cycle to subscribe to it,” he adds. "When we have a good number of adhesions and we see that it is time, we will present the declaration to the Government, which with its new Department of the Sea and the Water Cycle, we believe is sensitized to this matter," he concludes.

At the moment, there are more than 30 entities adhering to this manifesto, including associations, companies with different areas of activity, yacht clubs, marinas and other entities. From AENIB, in its capacity as founder of FANMED and Balearic nautical employers' association, its associates, companies in the sector and society as a whole are encouraged to join this initiative. Those interested in joining this project can do so by contacting FANMED via emailThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  attaching your company logo in the same email.

VIA: AENIB