The Formentera Office of Rural Affairs reports that Sunday 16 October marks the start of the island's small game hunting season. The season will come to an end 1 January 2023.

In general and unless specified otherwise, hunting days are Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and national or regional holidays. Local holidays are excluded. Hunting is allowed from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset, except for limitations expressly set out in the proposed agreement.

Moreover, on local hunting grounds ("vedats"), migratory birds, thrush and pheasant can only be hunted until 5 February. Practitioners of traditional, "filats de freu" hunting have from 1 September to 31 October apply to practise this modaility. The hunting season begins 16 October and ends 5 February 2023.

Whilst hunting, hunters must carry mandatory documentation as required by Balearic legislation on river hunting and fishing (Law 6/2006), as amended by Law 3/2013, of 17 July, amending Law 6/2006 [12 April] and amended by Law 6/2007 on tax and economic-administrative measures [27 December].

A series of location-based bans exist, including hunting of any kind on islets and coastal cliffs. To combat damage to flora and fauna, hunting of rabbits and, as a population control measure, the common gull may be permitted. Hunting in other protected natural areas must comply with the provisions of the corresponding Natural Resource Use Plan (PORN), Use and Management Plan (PRUG) and legislation on conservation of environmentally significant natural areas (LECO, Law 5/2005).

Hunting must be done accordance with the limitations set out in current regulations for the 2022-2023 season (Ordre Vedes, BOIB 93 19/07/2022). More information is available on the Consell de Formentera website.

14 October 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

The rural affairs division of the Consell de Formentera reminds islanders that local wine producers with vineyard rights have until 10 December to make their declaration concerning this year's grape harvest.

The declaration can be made between 9.00am and 2.00pm at the Formentera Office of Agriculture, Livestock, Fishing and Hunting (Conselleria d'Agricultura, Ramaderia, Pesca i Caça/CARPC; located in Centre Antoni Tur "Gabrielet"). From there, it will be sent to the Wine Registry of the Balearic Government.

Growers with less than 0.1 ha and those who make juice or consume grapes as fruit are exempt from making this declaration. Vineyard planting rights in Spain are regulated, and failure to declare harvests may result in a vineyard being declared abandoned.

10 October 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Office of Agriculture is pleased to present its most recent catalogue of training courses in agriculture and livestock: five courses to take shape between October and December 2022. Registration is now open at the Citizen Information Office (Oficina d'Atenció a la Ciutadania, OAC) and online through the Virtual Citizen Information Office (OVAC).

Councillor Josep Marí explained, "To meet demand from the agricultural and livestock sector we have prepared a range of vocational training courses to be held here on Formentera and free of charge". See below for the full course offering.

Basic-level professional use of plant protection products. 17-22 October 2022 (25 h)

Basic-level use of plant protection products (complementary). 24-25 October 2022 (7 h)

Professional use of plant protection products (bridge course: basic-qualified). 2-11 November 2022 (35 h)

Closed-loop production: cereals, sheep, fodder and local crop varieties. 1-2 December 2022 (10 h)

Organic livestock farming: safe handling guidelines. To be confirmed (4 h)

7 October 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Office of Rural Affairs is pleased to report that bids for the sale of industrial machinery to extract olive oil at the future oil mill will be accepted until 17 October. The bid price is €269,000 and the execution period, once awarded, is nine months.

Josep Marí, councillor of rural affairs, voiced his satisfaction at the news, affirming, "This is the only remaining administrative step before the project is finalised, and local oil production is pivotal".

Tragsa has been tapped for construction of the industrial space where the oil mill will be located (behind the Cooperativa del Camp warehouse). According to Councillor Marí, the company is currently "completing the final steps before work can begin".

The building will have a surface area of 115 m², in addition to a separate receiving area for olives. Building plans include rooms for olive washing and oil extraction, an oil storage and packaging area, changing room and toilet. The project will cost approximately €200,000.

Construction of a health code-compliant mill is a key step in creating and marketing a brand of locally made olive oil, something which, Councillor Marí hopes, "will deliver a fresh impulse to the island's agricultural sector".

6 October 2022
Communications Office
Consell de Formentera