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ANNUAL REPORT 2024
ANNUAL REPORT 2024
2024 was a year of asking bold questions and seeking creative answers. How do we stay rooted in our values in an ever-changing world? How do we uplift the voices that matter most? It took heart, determination, and a clear sense of direction to navigate the shifting tides— and together, we did just that. Here’s how we made it happen.
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About Save the Med
Save the Med is a non-profit foundation based in the Balearic Islands, whose vision is to regenerate the Mediterranean basin. Formed by a passionate team, Save the Med is dedicated to the regeneration of the Mediterranean basin through a range of impactful projects, spanning from marine research and environmental education to facilitating community engagement and marine stewardship.
Grounded in science and driven by collaboration, our projects inspire local communities to take active steps in preserving and regenerating the region’s natural resources for future generations, while also contributing towards relevant policies and care for the Balearic bioregion.
Team Update
As Save the Med continues to grow, so does our ambition. In 2024, we immersed ourselves in a series of targeted training sessions and internal processes designed to strengthen our team’s capacity and versatility. This included an advanced Project Management course, an internal collaboration and communications course aimed at creating stronger interpersonal dynamics, and specialised courses to expand our technical knowledge on emerging practices such as Bioregioning.
With every training we strengthen our ability to reach new heights in professionalism and impact as we work to regenerate the Mediterranean basin. Together, we’re building a stronger, more dynamic organisation—ready to face the challenges ahead and protect the sea we all love.
A Word from the President
The happiest out of all of the moments are the relationships that we’re continually building and nurturing; the beauty that is coming out of community building. And coming into communities that already have the innate drive to care for each other.
Our Areas Under Regeneration: Sa Dragonera Blava Project
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2024 was a year of significant accomplishments in marine conservation and coastal management efforts for the Sa Dragonera Blava project, marking important progress in our Area Under Regeneration in Andratx, located in the southwest of the Tramuntana region. Thanks to strong teamwork and coordination with the Andratx community and local authorities, we stayed in close contact with key managers or administrations like the General Directorate of Fisheries, Sa Dragonera Natural Park, and the Andratx Town Council. This helped ensure that part of the management decisions in the area as well as our project objectives were taken into account. These included a limitation of the vessel speed in the waters of the Marine Reserve of es Freu de Sa Dragonera, participating in the consultation process for the designation of a highly protected area, being part of the Sa Dragonera Marine Reserve Monitoring Committee, amongst other significant wins! The project has also become a reference for other participatory processes in the Balearic Islands, such as those in Pollença, Portocolom, and Illa de l'Aire.
Our campaigning action during the kayak event to call for boat speed regulation around Sa Dragonera Island was one of the most memorable moments of the year—bringing local government, businesses and community members together to stand up for the right of nature and humans to live in peaceful and safe conditions in these precious waters.
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We played a crucial role in advocating for the regulation of boat speeds at the municipal level, which led to the approval of new regulations by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Environment, limiting vessel speed to 10 knots in the RM of Es Freu de Sa Dragonera.
A part of the Es Freu de Sa Dragonera marine reserve has been designated as a high-protection zone.
Significant increase in the biomass of fish with fishing interest: a 9-fold increase in deep inner waters and a 6-fold increase in deep outer waters. An increase in fish biomass was also observed compared to the levels existing at the time of the creation of the MPA at several shallow stations.
Our Areas Under Regeneration: U Nord Blau Project
The U Nord Blau project is made possible thanks to our close partnership with Arrels Marines, a Pollença-based NGO known for its love of the Balearic Sea and its bold conservation efforts, educational outreach, and community mobilisation. This joint initiative sets out to promote regenerative cultures within the Area Under Regeneration set on the northeast of the Tramuntana. By using bottom-up and investigative approaches, it seeks to enhance scientific understanding, foster connections between local communities and the sea, and support collaborative efforts to address local environmental challenges.
This year has marked a turning point for the Talaia Nord participatory forum, which has moved into action thanks to the efforts of its working groups. Initiatives have included painting storm drains with messages about the impact of littering on the marine environment, raising awareness about best practices for sewer system use, and addressing illegal anchoring in the inner bay. The community of Pollença in action!
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Photos credit: Arrels Marines
Over 275 participants joined our educational activities and participative open forums.
10 dives completed to study and map natural marine habitats both within and beyond the bay of Pollença.
Submission of a proposal to the Spanish Ministry for the Environment to expand the borders of the Site of Community Interest “Canal de Menorca” to include the municipality of Pollença.
A better understanding of the Giants of the Med:
the Sharks & Rays Project
Photos: Shark Med
Save the Med remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting sharks and rays, and 2024 has proven that our efforts are making a real impact. This year, the need for shark and ray conservation in the Balearic Sea gained significant traction, receiving increased attention from local government as well as more visibility in the media, events, and conferences. This progress is a testament to the collective efforts of marine conservation organisations working together to drive change, in which Save the Med and our team of biologists continue to play a key role.
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A day in the life of the Operations Manager at STM: an aerial adventure
Ensuring the smooth logistics of Save the Med’s events, running errands, connecting outstanding artists with the Foundation’s mission, or taking colleagues and partners out to sea as the team’s resident captain—just another day in the life of Jorge, our Operations Manager. No sweat. But on a warm September morning in Mallorca, things were about to take an exciting turn. Standing at a small airport, Jorge felt a buzz of anticipation. The pilot and the light aircraft were waiting only a few metres away, ready for takeoff on the beautiful plains of Binissalem, where our headquarters are, with the Tramuntana mountains rising in the background. This would be a first.
As the small plane banked over the pristine Balearic waters, Jorge scanned the surface below. It’s a game of patience, searching for the graceful dark grey shadows of Spinetail devil rays gliding just beneath the waves. Suddenly, a shape emerges — its wingtips breaking the surface for a fleeting moment. A Devil Ray! Using a VHF radio we alert our colleagues on the water of the sighting and location of the devil rays, so they can approach by boat before diving into the turquoise depths of the Balearic Sea. Success! A devil ray was tagged, and then two more. The team could hardly contain their excitement — and cheers resounded from up in the air as from beneath the water surface. This was more than just a sighting: it was a breakthrough! Every data point collected by those satellite tags helps piece together the movements of these endangered creatures, crucial for shaping conservation strategies in the Mediterranean.
From logistics to coordination, every sighting fuels the mission: protecting these waters for generations to come. Conservation isn’t only about what lies beneath — it’s also about gaining perspective from above. And for that day, Jorge’s mission was complete.
The fight against plastic pollution: the HAPI Method
2024 was a pivotal year in Save the Med’s fight against plastic pollution. Significant progress was made in developing a more comprehensive tool, with the HAPI Index now accessible through an innovative online platform and tailored services. This enhances its applicability and replicability for use in other Mediterranean countries.
Using the Honest Alternatives to Plastics Index (HAPI), the HAPI Method is an innovative online and offline tool that provides practical guidance to businesses to prevent waste generation at the source, and offers alternatives to help eliminate single-use products and replace them with products that have a lower environmental impact. The aim is to effectively contribute to the protection of ecosystems, improve the quality of life of communities and foster a regenerative economy and culture in society.
The HAPI Project’s pilot year served as a laboratory for exploring new formats and testing ideas to engage with diverse audiences. For the first time, we stepped into the role of interviewers, placing the Guardian behind the microphone to create the HAPI Podcast — a video podcast series.
Through this series, we introduced some of our HAPI Guardians, highlighting their businesses and delving into their core purpose — the personal and professional motivations that drive them to be part of the HAPI Community.
An original podcast series from Save the Med's HAPI Method, supported by the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Natural Environment of the Government of the Balearic Islands (Govern de les Illes Balears, GOIB).
Educational projects: Dos Manos & Game Changers
Save the Med’s educational initiatives go beyond nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards—they are reshaping traditional education. Through our education projects, from Dos Manos to Changemakers and Game Changers, young people are not only learning but actively stimulating their critical thinking and contributing ideas and solutions to some of our most persistent environmental challenges.
This year, we expanded our educational efforts by piloting Game Changers, inviting university students to develop innovative proposals to combat plastic pollution. We also took our Dos Manos curriculum to the next level, challenging primary and middle school students to model a participatory governance approach in addressing environmental issues such as plastic pollution and water quality.
1114 students participated in the Dos Manos project in Mallorca
20 participants from Palma’s penitentiary center joined the initiative
No less than 428,000 plastic items removed from Mallorca’s beaches since the creation of the Dos Manos project in 2018.
The Game Changers challenge
Save the Med launched a pilot collaboration with the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), challenging university students to reduce the overconsumption and overproduction of plastic on their university campus. The aim of the project is to engage university students in innovative thinking and ideas to design a new model that breaks away from systemic patterns that perpetuate the overproduction and overconsumption of disposable products. We were looking for game changers, lateral thinkers, solution-focused minds.
In its pilot year, six innovative proposals were submitted by students from diverse academic fields, from biology and marine ecology to public health and psychology. Project ideas ranged from setting up a water self-sufficiency system for the UIB through the installation of rain collectors, to proposing a setup for vending machines that allow the use of personal reusable cups, as well as creating a system of purchase-and-reuse cups and take-away containers for the campus cafeterias. For a full description of the 6 incredible proposals that were submitted, please go to the Changemakers page.
Save the Med in National and International Forums
01
MARLICE: III International Forum on Marine Litter and Circular Economy (Valencia)
02
BlueMissionMed HUBs Events: Malta and Tunisia
03
SMILO Small Islands Meet-up (Marseille)
04
Waste Prevention and Reduction (Edition 1) Webinar Series by the UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Board on Zero Waste
05
Medwaves LoopZone (Tunisia)
06
Smart City Congress (Barcelona)
07
Jornadas #LeydeResiduosYA (Madrid)
08
Ocean Talks (London)
09
MedSea Alliance Annual Meeting (Palma)
10
WES Regional Mediterranean Training (Thessaloniki, Greece)
Recognition and Awards
Save the Med’s commitment to marine regeneration and its innovative, community-driven approach to addressing environmental challenges in the Balearic Islands was honoured with two prestigious accolades: the PIMEM (Federation of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises of Mallorca) Award and the Essentially Mallorca Commitment Award. These recognitions highlight the growing impact and value of our collaborative efforts to protect and restore marine ecosystems over the years.
PIMEM acknowledged the achievements of Save the Med, from its beginnings as Asociación Ondine to its current five-year journey as a Foundation. At the award ceremony, one of Save the Med’s standout initiatives was the Balears Sense Plàstic program, which laid the groundwork for what later evolved into the HAPI Method and contributed to the prevention of 49.000 kg of plastic waste from the HORECA sector.
Essentially Mallorca, a non-profit association that unites local businesses to promote sustainable and luxury tourism rooted in the island’s unique culture and heritage, recognised Save the Med for its impactful work in preserving the essence of Mallorca. This recognition highlights our organisation’s efforts in developing a network of marine regeneration areas in the Balearic Sea, driven by a combination of scientific research, community involvement, and educational programs.
Financial Report
Transparency is at the heart of our values. We believe that clear and open communication about our operations and finances is essential for building trust with our supporters, partners, and communities as we pursue our mission.*
THANK YOU
A special thanks to our Funders, Corporate Partners and Collaborators of 2024, without whom we couldn't operate.
“A personal and hugely grateful mention to all of our funders and collaborators. I do want to mention a small yet growing group of wonderful funders that base their donations on trust and deliver unrestricted funding and ongoing support to us to ensure we can maintain our dynamic flexibility when dancing with uncertainty. Unrestricted funds are, in my view, the ultimate gift to dance freely, yet those free dances must be productive and deliver results, which may not be the original results we planned. When this scenario is opened we allow for new and unforeseen beauty to unfold.
When working with local communities we must maintain flexibility, focus and our ability to serve where serving is needed, at that particular time. As we continue to nurture long term trust and performance-based relationships let's hope this kind of funding increases not just for Save the Med but for all the NGOs dancing with uncertainty!
Brad Robertson
President of Save the Med Foundation
Our Valued Funders, Partners & Collaborators
