The details are set out in an informative document to raise public awareness of marine environmental issues based on scientific evidence.
The Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC) has warned, in a new informative report aimed at raising public awareness of marine environmental issues based on scientific evidence, of the need to address "immediately" the challenges facing the ocean in general and, in particular, our coasts. These include climate change, overfishing, rising sea levels, jellyfish proliferation, water acidification, and plastic pollution.
According to the available scientific information, these combined threats are causing a significant loss of biodiversity and a major economic and social impact in coastal areas.
"We are at a delicate moment for the health of the ocean," says Valentí Sallarès, director of the ICM-CSIC, who adds that "the sustained increase in temperature, together with the impact of pollution, overfishing, and other factors related to human activities, is endangering marine biodiversity, affecting not only ecosystems but also the coastal human communities that depend on them."
For this reason, Sallarès insists, "greater investment in research and mitigation technologies is needed, as well as the implementation of more effective and integrated policies to reduce the anthropogenic footprint on the ocean."
Ecosystems in danger
According to the report, one of the greatest challenges facing the ocean is the increase in water temperature, which in Catalonia ranges between 0.3 and 0.8°C per decade, reaching peaks of up to 2.5°C above the historical average in some years. This is having severe effects on some of the most emblematic coastal ecosystems, such as the ones formed by communities of red coral, gorgonian, and sponge. Additionally, this has facilitated the proliferation of jellyfish along the coast, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall and runoff, which alter water salinity, negatively affecting both fishing and tourism.
Another major challenge for the Catalan sea is acidification. In this regard, the report notes that, as in other seas, areas such as the Bay of Blanes or L'Estartit, where the Institute has permanent sampling stations, have recorded significant decreases in marine pH. This disturbance of the chemical balance of the water can have adverse consequences for many marine species.
Regarding pollution, the report states that in Catalonia, more than 60% of marine waste consists of plastics and that 46% of fish living in areas near Barcelona contain microplastics in their bodies, defining the city as a potential hotspot for these pollutants. This not only affects marine fauna but can also introduce non-native species, exacerbating local ecological problems, making the urgent adoption of specific management measures necessary to address the issue.
Finally, the document highlights the impact of intensive and unsustainable fishing, which is jeopardising not only key commercial species but also those classified as vulnerable, and, by extension, the entire Catalan marine ecosystem. According to the scientific team, "the state of exploited resources in the Mediterranean, and particularly along our coasts, is quite concerning according to the available scientific data."
Given this scenario, the ICM-CSIC calls for "immediate and sustained actions focused on science and research because, otherwise, marine resources may continue to deteriorate." The authors advocate mitigation projects based on "solid scientific research," stressing that "science must play a crucial role, not only in identifying these problems but also in monitoring and finding solutions."
Success stories in Barcelona
The report highlights some of the research initiatives related to marine conservation and restoration in which the ICM-CSIC is involved in Barcelona, such as the Gorgonia Project, which focuses on restoring gorgonian forests near the port, or the Institute's participation in the creation of the "Atlas of Barcelona’s Biodiversity," which includes marine biodiversity data collected through ICM-CSIC citizen science projects.
Moreover, since 1993, the Institute has participated in the harmful microalgae monitoring programmes of the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), continuously tracks the stability of the city's beaches, and, through ICATMAR (a cooperation body between the ICM-CSIC and the Catalan Government for marine governance), takes part in projects monitoring fisheries resources and oceanographic processes in the Catalan Sea, generating detailed information on their state and dynamics.
These actions, together with blue economy projects promoted by initiatives such as Barcelona Activa's B-Blue programme, are positioning the city as a leader in integrating science, conservation, and sustainable economic development.
The publication of this informative report comes shortly after the close of 2024, a year in which the ocean has played a key role in Barcelona, with major events such as the United Nations Ocean Conference within the framework of the Decade of the Ocean. Furthermore, this launch coincides with a pivotal moment when the city is pushing for a redefinition of its coastal uses, promoting initiatives to harmonise urban development with marine conservation.