Today the Management Commission for Professional Artisanal Fishing in Inland Waters of the Pine Islands gathered in the assembly hall of the Consell de Formentera. Attendees included heads of fisheries of the Balearic Government, Consell de Formentera and Consell d'Eivissa, as well as representatives of the professional fishing sector of the Balearic Islands and conservation groups.

"The aim of this commission -pioneering in the islands- is to work jointly between the administrations, fishermen's guilds and environmental groups to make fishing sustainable in our islands", explained Josep Marí, rural affairs councillor, who attended the meeting with Joan Mercant, regional director general of fisheries, among other authorities.

Meeting participants discussed the census of authorised vessels, the state of lobster fishing, proposed management measures and measures to improve monitoring, among other matters.

14 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

Today Ana Juan, president of the Consell de Formentera, and Dr José Reyes Moreno, president of the Balearic Islands chapter of the Spanish Association to Stop Cancer (Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer, AECC), signed a collaboration agreement with which the island's government joins an AECC campaign called #BreatheFree (#RespiroLibre) aiming to change our everyday spaces to encourage healthy lifestyle habits and teach people about well-being. Hence, on Formentera, spaces like playgrounds, schools and sports centres that are typically used by younger islanders will be signposted to raise awareness and sensitise the population.

In parallel, the aim is to promote life without tobacco, remove the aura of normality around tobacco consumption, reinforce role models for young people and care for the environment. This Thursday a presentation was made around 'Smoke-Free Spaces'. President Juan; Dr Reyes; Jaume Bellido and Ana Belén Velasco, vice president and manager of the Balearic chapter of the AECC, respectively, and Pepita Gabaldar, president of the AECC's Regional Board for Formentera, all attended.

President Juan stressed "the importance of smoke-free spaces on Formentera to raising awareness among islanders, especially young ones, about the need to eliminate these habits from society". Finally, the president applauded the AECC's "constant work to prevent cancer on the island".

For his part, Dr Reyes affirmed, "We are working together to denormalise and reduce smoking among the population, particularly youth, to prevent them from starting". As the AECC president in the Balearics asserted, "this will mean, among other measures, multiplying the spaces where people can breathe freely so that no one is forced to breathe this smoke that is so harmful to our health".

The noxious effects of tobacco
Tobacco is the major risk factor for cancer and the data are conclusive: one out of every three cases of cancer is tobacco-related and involves someone who smokes, has smoked or who has been exposed to second-hand smoke; more than a dozen types of cancer are associated with this risk factor and it is responsible for more than 80% of lung and laryngeal cancers as well as between 30% and 50% of bladder, oropharyngeal and esophageal cancers and cancers of the mouth.

14 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

The Office of Culture of the Consell de Formentera has put together a video about activities held at the Espai Cultural de Sant Ferran. "Since the 2021-2022 academic year when CEIP Sant Ferran relocated to the school's new premises, life and activities have continued to fill this space, and it has become a nerve centre for the island's fabric of associations and cultural and educational communities", said Vanessa Parellada, education councillor.

The video offers a glimpse of everything from dynamic activities at the Reading Spot (Punt de Lectura) to drawing and painting classes with artists young and old and the creations of sculptors in the wood carving workshop. In addition to these Consell de Formentera-organised activities, music plays an important part at the Espai Cultural too, as attested by the assorted melodies of the video soundtrack — all of them performed by students of the Conservatory.

Espai Cultural policy states that local associations can use the facilities. Among those who already have spaces to carry out their activities are associations of musicians, artisans, performing artists and traditional folk dancers. The centre is also home to Catalan, Arabic and photography classes and courses conducted by the island's adult learning centre, the Escola d'Adults. Programming is also carried out as part of Formentera Marxa, a project to promote healthy leisure activities among young people.

The ultimate goal, said Councillor Parellada, is to create an on-site Centre for Culture and the Arts. "For now, we can see the island's enormous wealth of associations, culture and art, and the importance of a creative space where individual and joint projects can take root".

14 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera

The Office of Tourism of the Consell de Formentera is pleased to report that in the coming days it will give presentations as part of a six-city tour of mainland Spain. This week stops will be made in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, with presentations programmed in Bilbao, Malaga and Valladolid after Easter. These cities have been chosen because they are part of Formentera's main outbound markets and boast easy connections allowing travellers to visit the island outside the high season.

As part of the tour, small-format presentations will be made to members of the specialised press in each city, as well as to representatives of the main media outlets. "It allows us to directly highlight the image of Formentera that we want the media to promote", explained Carlos Bernús, head of marketing.

"We will hold working meetings with journalists to present our destination, projects around sustainability and activities in low-season months that allow travellers to enjoy the island", Bernús added.

The island's representatives will pair this new marketing format with other traditional actions. As always, they will point up sporting and cultural activities in the pre- and post-season, as well as local heritage, rutes verdes (nature trails), bird-watching routes and fine dining.

14 March 2023
Office of Communication
Consell de Formentera