The objective of the Consellería de Medio Ambiente e Cambio Climático is to enrich the document that will be sent to the Central Government for subsequent processing by Unesco. The initiative aims to promote a balance between the preservation of natural resources and the socio-economic advancement of the area, without affecting activities such as fishing and shellfish farming.
The document, available on the transparency portal of the Xunta de Galicia, is the result of technical work involving Galician universities, the CSIC, and other research centers. It has already gathered over 40 letters of support, including from 23 municipalities within the proposed area, the provincial councils of A Coruña and Pontevedra, the three universities, the board of the Atlantic Islands National Park, and the seven existing reserves.
The candidacy has also received support from entities and associations related to the fishing and shellfish sectors, with whom various meetings have been held to ensure that these important local activities will not be affected. Existing reserves in Galicia serve as examples that this designation does not impede the normal use of their resources.
The Man and the Biosphere (MaB) program of Unesco states that these areas harmonize biodiversity conservation with sustainable development and the well-being of residents, encouraging research, education, and training for conservation.
