The Formentera Fisheries Inspection Service, with help from custodians at es Freus marine reserve of Eivissa-Formentera and Punta de sa Creu, has launched an outreach campaign to inform seafaring recreational fishermen that from this year, all catches made in the reserve must be reported.

As with the rest of the marine reserves in the Balearics, catches can be reported by filling out a form on paper or with Diari de Pesca Recreativa — a smart-phone app devised by the Balearic Directorate General of Fisheries and Marine Environment in a bid to improve management of marine resources and monitor and evaluate recreational fishing in the region.

The app is a useful and intuitive tool which provides key insight about minimum sizes, protected species, places fishing is permitted and marine reserves. The Consell’s inspection office describes DPR as “the most appropriate system for sending and receiving information about catches”.

The app also gives users an easy way to report catches made in Balearic marine reserves, though paper declarations will be maintained for individuals like the elderly with access issues.

DPR is available for download at Google Play or the Apple Store. To access the app’s captures (catches) section, fishermen must fill out this online form on the Govern balear website.

2 June 2021
Communications Department
Consell de Formentera

Consell de Formentera premiere Alejandra Ferrer and the president of the Livestock Farmers of Formentera (Associació de Ramaders de Formentera, ARF), Juan Antonio Yern, have signed a deal to support the local livestock sector on animal health and improved production systems in 2021. The gathering was also attended by primary sector chief Josep Marí and farmers’ co-op manager Carlos Marí.

Under the arrangement, which must be renewed yearly, local government will put up €37,000 to benefit animal production and health, while ARF pledges to support production, animal welfare and efforts to identify animals on Agrupació de Defensa Sanitària-affiliated farms. ARF will additionally implement the jointly accorded provisions of the yearly Common Health Programme, not to mention continue outreach to educate member farmers about individual actions.

29 April 2021
Communications Department
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Department of Environment reports that the local farmers’ cooperative plans to supply Formentera livestock farmers with fifty tonnes of sheep and goat feed and three tonnes of coop-made barley flour for pigs. Valued at €15,000, the hand-outs are financed by the Consell de Formentera.

Primary sector chief Josep Marí said the assistance was about helping local stockbreeders weather the drought that has affected the island this year. “These are exceptional times, and this one-off assistance is another way we can continue our support for Formentera farmers”, he said.

Islanders interested in the help should go to the Cooperativa del Camp with their stockbreeders’ card (cartilla ramadera) weekdays 8.00am to 2.00pm and 4.30pm to 7.00pm, or Saturdays between 9.00am and 1.00pm. The amount of feed disbursed will depend on how many animals each farmer has. Eight hundred eighty-nine head of sheep, goat and pig are registered on Formentera.

16 March 2021
Communications Department
Consell de Formentera

The Formentera Department of Agriculture unveiled its 2021 offering of capacity building in agriculture and livestock. Four modules will take place in March and another two in November; the first, a 12-hour course in environmentally-friendly and soil-healthy plant care, happens 8 and 9 March.

Signups are open now and can be completed by appointment at the Citizen Information Office (OAC) or online via the OVAC.

Reclaiming the countryside
Department head Josep Marí said the Consell’s longstanding commitment to free and local professional development for islanders employed in farming and livestock has “taken on new urgency in these times of pandemic”. The course programme is directly shaped by requests from agrarian and livestock workers.

The month of March comes with Managing crop irrigation (4 hours; 18 Mar.), Basic phytosanitary products in professional contexts (25 hours; 22-27 Mar.), Cultivating figs (4 hours, 30 Mar.), with Introductory beekeeping (15 hours, 5-7 Nov.) and Scaling green growing strategies (4 hours, 12 Nov.) arriving in the fall.

24 February 2021
Communications Department
Consell de Formentera