Ciutadella fish market makes biodegradable materials a requirement thanks to MEPF pilot project

After a successful year of funding marine conservation projects, plastic reduction campaigns, and protecting important rain water catchment facilities during 2019, the MEPF is looking forward to a 2020 focusing on renewable energy, local produce and continued protection of Menorca’s important land and marine habitats.

Towards the end of 2019, local fishing action group, LEADER, recovered three more abandoned fishing nets from the sea and shoreline.

These ‘ghost nets’ continue to damage and degrade marine flora and fauna long after they are abandoned, so it is vital that they are located and removed as quickly as possible.

They also released their end of year report for the ‘More Fish, Less Plastic’ project, funded by the MEPF, in which one of the organisation’s aims was to reduce the use of single-use plastics through offering biodegradable alternatives to local fishmongers. The report shows that they successfully managed to engage 16 points of sale of fresh fish on the island in their pilot project. This means that they will all now be using reusable bags or compostable bags and paper wrapping instead of plastic.

In fact, the best result is that the Ciutadella fish market has now made using biodegradable materials a requirement to having a stand in the market. Mahón town hall is looking at doing the same in the Mahon fish market.

Click here to read this and more in the MEPF’s latest newsletter