Diving, sailing and recreational fishing
Good practices
The Natural Park has developed and disseminates the use of best practices for three tourist and economic activities: diving, sailing and recreational fishing. These codes are recommendations and do not in any way replace the regulations that must be complied with for each activity.
In the case of responsible diving, it has drawn up a set of 10 recommendations for the responsible diver to follow to prevent irreversible damage to marine species and ecosystems. Also, the Natural Park encourages diving centres, before any dive, to give what are known as "ecobriefings". This is a previous explanation that the instructor gives to divers to inform them that they are in a natural park (and what this entails), going over the characteristics and fragility of the area where the dive will take place, review safety rules, and respect the standards for respecting the environment (such as not feeding marine life, not touching it, and swimming 1.5 meters from the seabed and walls).
Moreover, many dive centres have obtained environmental certifications for which they undertake to apply good practices related to responsible diving. These certifications include the aforementioned ECST and ISO 14001 (environmental quality) and others more specific to the sport of diving, such as Mission Deep Blue (SSI) or Longitude 181 (based on the International Charter for Responsible Diving).
In the case of responsible navigation, a set of recommendations has been drawn up for the good sailor intended for sailing and motorboats, and with references to regulations such as the MARPOL agreement (which regulates wastewater discharges) and the IRPC regulations for the prevention of collisions.
Finally, the Montgrí, Medes Islands and Baix Ter Natural Park, together with the Cap de Creus Natural Park and the University of Girona, has developed a code of good practice for sustainable recreational fishing. These recommendations are intended to reduce the negative impacts of recreational fishing, which are still poorly understood. These are related to the fishing of vulnerable species, the use of invasive species as bait or the loss or dumping of fishing tackle.
In the case of responsible diving, it has drawn up a set of 10 recommendations for the responsible diver to follow to prevent irreversible damage to marine species and ecosystems. Also, the Natural Park encourages diving centres, before any dive, to give what are known as "ecobriefings". This is a previous explanation that the instructor gives to divers to inform them that they are in a natural park (and what this entails), going over the characteristics and fragility of the area where the dive will take place, review safety rules, and respect the standards for respecting the environment (such as not feeding marine life, not touching it, and swimming 1.5 meters from the seabed and walls).
Moreover, many dive centres have obtained environmental certifications for which they undertake to apply good practices related to responsible diving. These certifications include the aforementioned ECST and ISO 14001 (environmental quality) and others more specific to the sport of diving, such as Mission Deep Blue (SSI) or Longitude 181 (based on the International Charter for Responsible Diving).
In the case of responsible navigation, a set of recommendations has been drawn up for the good sailor intended for sailing and motorboats, and with references to regulations such as the MARPOL agreement (which regulates wastewater discharges) and the IRPC regulations for the prevention of collisions.
Finally, the Montgrí, Medes Islands and Baix Ter Natural Park, together with the Cap de Creus Natural Park and the University of Girona, has developed a code of good practice for sustainable recreational fishing. These recommendations are intended to reduce the negative impacts of recreational fishing, which are still poorly understood. These are related to the fishing of vulnerable species, the use of invasive species as bait or the loss or dumping of fishing tackle.
