Most Important Public Consultation in Europe

[gianaameri]

This post is to share with you a very important piece of information for all cave divers in Europe and those who wish to travel to Europe for cave diving.

The largest caves in Europe are on the Balearic Island of Mallorca, Spain.

The Balearic Government has begun last week a 30 day Public Consultation on how these caves should be protected and managed (i.e. who should access them, for what purposes, what are the requirements...) - this in order to unlock significant EU subsidies (i.e. EU nationals tax-payer money).

The process is part of a wider process which will also be replicated as an EU wide requirement to protect EU habitats (and for EU/State/Local politicians to access these subsidies) in other regions of Spain and other European states.

It will affect all those who have been diving these caves for recreational or sporting or scientific purposes (or wish to dive them in the future) and may set a very important precedent which other areas of Europe may follow affecting all cave divers in Europe and travelling to Europe.

The EU subsidies come from this program and it is massive (Euro 6.1 billion/year):

Financing Natura 2000 - Environment - European Commission

Your right to be informed and to participate to this Public Consultation is sanctioned by EU Directives and national Spanish law here:

https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2006-13010

Please consider sending your comments and suggestions stating:

a. your interest in participating (i.e. I am a cave diver/environmentalist/concerned person in respect of these natural habitats/caves...)
b. what are the requirements you suggest for accessing these caves (i.e. Full Cave certification, Valid Cave Insurance, Scientific purposes only, Total closure, Recreational and Sport activities, visits and tours...)
c. anything you think is important

The Draft Management Plan PG1: PLA DE GESTIÓ “COVES” is here:

Informació pública | Xarxa Natura

Of the whole PG1 document, the relevant parts in respect of access to the caves are pages 58 and 59 where it basically leaves open to public suggestion as to which should be the criterias to access and protect these natural beauties of EU wide community interest and importance.

My suggestion is to set minimal requirements of "Full Cave" certification and Valid Personal Accident and Personal Liability Cave Diving Insurance (i.e. like DAN Sport Gold or similar) as the requisite for accessing these caves and can be found here expressed in a more legalistic/technical manner which the Spanish authorities can understand:

http://www.rebreathermallorca.com/video/SG/20140210.pdf

This is a democratic process and everybody will have their own views, and if you can, please participate and send in your suggestions/contributions by email to: participacio@xarxanatura.es .

To see what these caves look like inside you can find some videos here:

Cova des Pas de Vallgornera 2013 EN on Vimeo

Cova de Sa Gleda 2013 SM on Vimeo

Cova Genovesa 2013 EOL SM on Vimeo

La Cova de Cala Varques on Vimeo

Please participate and spread the word!

 

[kafkaland]

Thanks for posting this, and it's good that the public, including the diving public, has some input on this. Just one comment on your suggested minimum requirement of Full Cave: I'd rather say certification appropriate for the dive. If someone has Intro Cave and wants to dive within the limits of that cert, regulatory rules shouldn't get in the way. Otherwise, what's the point of such a cert, if you can't use it to get access to dives that you are qualified for? It would only encourage more zero-to-hero courses, instead of training that goes hand in hand with experience.

 

[gianaameri]

Thanks for posting this, and it's good that the public, including the diving public, has some input on this. Just one comment on your suggested minimum requirement of Full Cave: I'd rather say certification appropriate for the dive. If someone has Intro Cave and wants to dive within the limits of that cert, regulatory rules shouldn't get in the way. Otherwise, what's the point of such a cert, if you can't use it to get access to dives that you are qualified for? It would only encourage more zero-to-hero courses, instead of training that goes hand in hand with experience.

The thing is these caves do not have a Cavern and they are not suitable, in my opinion, for anyone less than Full Cave (and even then Full Cave is just the beginning of a long journey learning experience).

Vallgornera you enter a metal gate which you then lock behind. Then you go down a 10 meter vertical ladder. Then proceed a further 100 meters underground of dry-cave with some sections vertical, and you get to a 2 x 3 meter entry lake... no natural light = no cavern.

Sa Gleda the entry lake is small (not like the Cenotes in Mexico) and the entry lake itself can and does silt to zero vis. No cavern.

La Cova de Chocolate ("Chocolate Cave" - my name...) the entry lake is cm. 50 x cm. 40... and it silts like "Laccao" Chocolate (a local brand of chocolate milk, a kid's favourite).

There are sea-caves in Mallorca which are quite suitable for courses and practice for beginner and advanced cave certified divers, but these specific caves in the PG1 list are all land caves, karstic in nature, "alguihalina" (the first few meters is fresh water, and then progressively more and more salty till at 18 - 21 meters they become sea-water, which makes the water corrosive where fresh and salt water meet, which means all formations are very fragile, and in some areas of high corrosion the bubbles alone will dislodge silt and stones from the ceiling... rebreather is best).

Some more info:

OFFICIAL: "La fase de información pública estará activa hasta el próximo día 28 de octubre" (time limit is 28 October 2014).

Anyone can participate.

For further questions contact:

Punto de Información Ambiental (PIA)
Dirección General de Medio Natural, Educación Ambiental y Cambio Climático
Consejería de Agricultura, Medio Ambiente y Territorio. Gobierno de las Islas Baleares
C/Gremio Corredores,10. CP: 07009. Palma
Tel. 900 15 16 17 / Fax. 971 17 66 98
http://pia.caib.es
http://facebook.com/pia.caib
https://twitter.com/piacaib

These caves are beautiful - my Desktop Background for you to download (picture from Toni Cirer of Grup Nort de Mallorca):

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/v/t1.0-9/1011878_10151850068068713_1189590067_n.jpg?oh=ff36e2df9b0c5c5adc775f79e1f227db&oe=54AC870B&__gda__=1420997181_ceec10d8c9decf37bbc36ba2aef5d5c8

 

[gianaameri]

To update all in respect of the current situation with the "Most Important Public Consultation in Europe" and diving and exploring the largest EU protected LIC caves in Europe:

1. The Public Consultation is closed and the Plans are awaiting approval (see PG. Aprovats | Xarxa Natura ).

2. On 19 December 2014 at 16:42 the President of the Federacion Balear de Espeleologia ("FBE") circulated an email (below) to its inner circle announcing that he secured a "Global Approval" for all FBE members (same as for the prior years) and a meeting open to all (FBE members and non-members) for 23 December 2014 at 19:30 whereby he will "inform" the attendees as to the regulations for accessing the LIC Caves.

3. On the basis that the meeting is rather short notice, held on sanctified holidays, in confict with the FBE Statute... I asked (on behalf of myself as FBE and GN Member and on behalf of the newly formed KECP Group) for the meeting to be held the first week of January (any day between 02 and 07 of January 2015), but the request has been "politely" turned down.

4. As many of you are aware, we recently formed the KECP (Constitution and Membership Application here http://www.rebreathermallorca.com/video/KECP/KECP%20Constitution.pdf , to join just sign and email to gian @ gian.ameri.name , no spaces around the @ ), and in all likelihood the KECP will present a Formal Application to the Balearic authorities to obtain a 1 year license to access all caves in Mallorca for the purposes within the KECP Constitution.

Bottom line, please be informed, as per the email below, that if you can, the President of the FBE has invited you to participate to this open meeting to be held Tuesday 23 December 2014 at 19:30 here:

Palma Arena
First floor, turn left
C. de l'Uruguai, s/n
07010 Palma
Illes Balears, Spain

This meeting is of particular interest to all cave divers, local and european and international, and Dive Centers in Mallorca, and any other diving organization in Mallorca.

If interested, please attend.

The FBE President email invitation:

El Viernes 19 de diciembre de 2014 16:42, Federació Balear Espeleologia <federaciobalear@gmail.com> escribió:

Siguiendo con el proyecto que la FBE está llevando a cabo con la Fundación Biodiversidad y la Conselleria de Medi Ambient sobre el control de visitas a las cuevas LIC/ZEC, nos hemos reunido con los propietarios de los terrenos con entradas a las principales cuevas anquihalinas para conocer los problemas o molestias que les supone la visita a las mismas, como solucionarlos o mitigarlos e informarles de la próxima aprobación de los Planes de Gestión.

La redacción de los PG1-coves ya está realizada y ha pasado todos los trámites administrativos, ahora esta pendiente del tramite parlamentario que es un tramite puramente politico y no se sabe si se realizará pronto o se esperará después de las elecciones.

Ante la incertidumbre de que pueda pasar buena parte o todo el año que viene sin la aprobación del PG1, desde la FBE hemos vuelto ha solicitar a la Conselleria llevar a cabo el control de visitas a las cavidades LIC/ ZEC y este año ademas hemos incluido la autorización para la realización de trabajos espeleologicos en todas ellas por parte de los grupos de espeleologos o espeleobuceadores inscritos en la FBE. De esta manera no hará falta que se solicite autorización directamente a la Conselleria para la realizacion de actividades cientificas, de exploracion o de topografia por parte de nuestros federados sino que la FBE tendrá un permiso global para ello.

Por todo ello y siguiendo con el objetivo que nos hemos marcado para el buen desarrollo de esta parte del proyecto, iremos realizando varias reuniones con los principales actores e implicados en él.

Para el martes que viene dia 23 a las 19.30 horas en el local de la FBE (c/Uruguai s/n velodromo PalmaArena Palma 1er. piso pasillo de la izquierda ) convocamos a una reunión a todos los espeleobuceadores federados en la FBE y no federados, que quieran asistir, para informar como se llevará a cabo el control de visitas en las cuevas LIC/ZEC anquihalinas buceables y la normativa aplicable.

Guiem Mulet
Presidente de la FBE

 

[gianaameri]

Results pg. 14 y 15:


http://www.caib.es/govern/archivo.do?id=2257563

 

[gianaameri]

The participation to the Public Consultation "PG1 Plan Coves" by the Balearic Government from the international caving community has been quite large and effective and as a consequence this has established the principle that to access the 30 E.U. protected Caves in Mallorca proper training, ability, special equipment, and insurance... is a key requirement.


You can find details here: http://www.caib.es/govern/archivo.do?id=2257563 .


To celebrate we had a Big Cave Party on 23 February 2015 in Mallorca open to all cavers and cave groups on the island.


It was very nice and the event will be repeated annually.


KECP was formed by the international caving community in December 2014 and it has now 27 Members of which 25 have applied for a 1 year License with the Balearic Authorities to access the 30 LIC/ZEC Caves (largest in Europe and quite unique for its geological formations and biodiversity).


To join the KECP, download its Constitution, read, understand and sign it, and email it to me or another KECP Member:


Download here: http://www.rebreathermallorca.com/video/KECP/KECP Constitution as of 14 January 2015.pdf


Joining KECP is free (however KECP Membership Card - not mandatory - costs GBP. 18 and includes GBP. 5 mio. Public Liability Insurance in accordance to BCA PL terms found here: Public Liability Insurance[British Caving Association] ).


If you do not meet the 3 KECP requirements in the Constitution you can still join as a "Supporter" (just sign the Constitution with the words "supporter, non-voting").


You will also need to download, read, understand, and sign the KECP Waiver:


KECP Waiver: http://www.rebreathermallorca.com/video/KECP/KECP Waiver.pdf


If you wish to join into the KECP Application to the Balearic Government for a 1 year Licence to access the 30 LIC/ZEC Caves of Mallorca for the purposes within the KECP Constitution there is a cost to pay which is the "flat fee" each KECP Member pays to the local law firm KECP has engaged to professionally and politely nudge the KECP Application forward with the Balearic Authorities.


The Application from the 25 KECP Members is currently sitting on the desk of Sra. Carbonell who is the Number One at Medio Ambiente responsible for the granting of these Licenses.


Any questions/concerns, please feel free to email me at gian @ gian.ameri.name (no spaces around the @ ) or any KECP Member.


KECP is a Member of BCA ( British Caving Association ) and BCRA ( http://bcra.org.uk/ ) and enjoys the support of Fundacion Marbalear ( http://fundacion.marbalear.com/ ) and NSS-CDS ( http://www.nsscds.org/ ) and will always operate with integrity, honesty, and openness.


Thank-you to all who participated to the Public Consultation by the Balearic Government.