The municipality of Torroella de Montgrí-l’Estartit (Baix Empordà) will host the global scientific headquarters of the Philippe Cousteau Foundation, one of the first divers in the world and son of oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, whose main objective is to raise awareness in society of the need to conserve seas and oceans.
The equipment, which will occupy some 6,000 square meters at the entrance to L’Estartit, could be a reality in 2025, and will include, among other facilities, more than 200 aquariums, a water control laboratory to analyze polluting elements and another building of marine biology.
It will also have a library, which will allow high school or university students to consult the documentary collections of the foundation; a sleeping area for biologists doing research in the area, a themed restaurant and an auditorium, among other services.
One of the main functions of this venue will be to reintroduce marine animal and plant species in danger of extinction, such as the monk seal on the Catalan coast. As explained today by the director of planning and development of the entity, Roger Figueres, this “will be one of the first projects” to be carried out.
It will also work to eradicate invasive species such as the Caulerpa, an invasive algae that has caused the practically total disappearance of the Posidonia oceanica, alternating its biological order. The space will also have two large water tanks for the reproduction of species.
Another outstanding mission will be that of training. In this sense, the new headquarters will give continuity to the municipality to various projects of the foundation such as marine biology programs in educational centers or the organization of the International Mediterranean Fishing Congress.
It will also serve to promote the Institut d’Estudis del Mar-Philippe Cousteau, which will teach professional merchant marine courses, hitherto unpublished in the province of Girona. The center will be directed by Jaime Rodrigo de Larrucea. lawyer specialized in maritime security, mediation, arbitration and professor of Maritime Law at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.
The initiative has been possible thanks to the generosity of patron Ramon Mascort Amigó, who in 2007 created the Mascort Foundation to spread knowledge of history, promote understanding of art and help defend nature. The foundation, which is based in Casa Galibern, has organized various cultural exhibitions.
Mascort, who could not be present at the signing yesterday due to a recent operation, has ceded the space of Els Jocs de l’Estartit, located at the entrance of the municipality, to locate the headquarters of the Philippe Cousteau foundation.
In his place was present his wife, the vice president of the entity Carmen Pascual, who pointed out the interest of the foundation to “carry forward” important projects for the area, which go far beyond the sun and sand.
In the same line, the ornithologist and naturalist Jordi Sargatal, general director of the Mascort Foundation, was positioned, who described yesterday’s meeting as “historic”, in which the agreement between all the parties involved was staged so that Torroella de Montgrí-l Estartit hosts the scientific headquarters of this international foundation, with a presence in 34 countries.
“We hope that the Philippe Cousteau Foundation will serve to revitalize the territory, the natural parks in the area, and protected areas,” said the naturalist.
For his part, the mayor of Torroella de Montgrí-l’Estartit, Jordi Colomí, highlighted the impact that the headquarters will have on tourism and commerce in the area as well as on the generation of jobs.
A piece of equipment, as Colomí recalled, will be added to other facilities that have an outstanding weight in the promotion and diffusion of the environment such as the Museum of the Mediterranean, an interpretation center of the Baix Ter; the Espai Medes, the marine interpretation center of the Natural Park of Montgrí, Illes Medes and Baix Ter, which will be inaugurated in October, and the former Loran de l’Estartit military base, which the council hopes will soon add to the public space after the Generalitat will exercise its right of withdrawal after it has been acquired by a private individual.
Colomí was “lucky” for having managed to retain this foundation, which did not lack suitors. Figueras recalls that there have been other failed possibilities in Cadaqués and Asturias.
The secretary of the Fundación Cousteau, Rafael Lobeto, emphasizes that from now on Torroella de Montgrí-l’Estartit will become “the maritime capital” of all the towns of the sea. “From today we change the relationship with the sea”, pointed out Lobeto who added that the training projects will have an immediate start.
