If you are planning on cruising the Balearics, keep an eye on local press and be aware that anchoring in this part of the Med could be severely restricted in the future if recent Government proposals are implemented. Our thanks to Nick Ellis of SV Onaway for bringing this news to noonsite’s attention.

Published 8 years ago, updated 6 years ago

A short extract from an article published February 2016 in the Mallorca Press –

Gaceta Nautica.

The “secret” plan to privatize the Balearic Sea

A project commissioned by the Ministry of Environment plans to create 33 berths with 1,228 buoys and “close down” 22 coves

Under the pretext that it’s good for the Environment (more specifically the protection of oceanic Posidonia), the Balearic Islands Government have proposed an ambitious and lucrative project to transform the coves and natural shelters across the archipelago into fields of mooring buoys for which users will have to pay a charge.

“This would mean the end of free funding and would have dire consequences for the development of nautical tourism,” said José María Jiménez, president of the Balearic Association of Charter Companies. “The environment (has been) turned into the “perfect alibi” “.

See the full online article (in Spanish) at http://www.diarioderegatas.es/index.php?contenido_servicio_tabla=template_noticia_detalle&contenido_idnoticia=4370&col2_categoria=7

The article describes the Government’s intention to resurrect a study done in 2010 proposing the positioning of buoys at 33 sites in the Balearics and closing 22 calas (bays) to anchoring all together.

The local boating industry is very much against the proposals, suggesting that the Government are seeking to blame small boat anchoring for the reduction in Posidonia, rather than a multitude of other factors.

Proposed closures to anchoring are:

MALLORCA

11 new regulated bays (485 buoys)

To include Puerto Portals, Magaluf,  Illetas, Cala Mondragó, Pollença, Camp de Mar, Andratx, Portals Vells, Santa Ponsa and Sóller.

IBIZA & FORMENTERA

13 new regulated bays (481 buoys)

To include Puerto de San Miguel, Portinatx, Tagomago, Cala San Vincente, Cala Pada, Cala Moli, Conejera Island, Cala Bassa, Sant Antoni Abad, Trocador, Rocabella and Cala Saona Estany des Peix.

MENORCA 

9 new regulated bays (262 buoys)

To include Algairens, Cala Pregonda, Cala Caldés, Es Grau, Arenal den Castell, Addaia, Island Air, Cala Mitjana and Cala Macarella.

Nick Ellis, a member himself of the Cruising Association (CA), has passed on this informed comment from the CA when questioned about these new proposals:

Successive Balearic Governments have for many years playing around with the idea of completely controlling the whole of their coastline and the report of 2010 in this respect was prepared at their request by an authorised engineer. This report remained secret until discovered recently by the nautical press, and the Balearic Parliament debate of the 15th March last confirmed that it is still the official policy that yacht’s anchors are the principal source of damage to Posidonia and that they should be controlled as outlined in the report.

The fact however that apart from the existing buoys, i.e. Posidonia system and Formentor, Porto Colom etc, nothing has been done towards the new buoys/anchoring restrictions outlined by Nick Ellis, is mainly due to lack of funds, probably assisted by the political instability in Spain where many small parties share power without any one of them having a majority.

The very influential Association of Balearic Marine Enterprises dispute the anchor theory, which they say represents only a very small percentage of Posidonia damage and say that the Government is ignoring all the other factors involved in the said damage, such as the rise in sea temperature, beach regeneration, building works and dredging in harbours and marinas and the discharge of improperly purified sewage and general rubbish into the sea. (There are 124 marine sewage outfalls in the Balearics, said to be not up to standard). The Association claimed that since it is the Government’s responsibility (and cost) to keep the sea clean it may be convenient for them to put the blame upon anchors!

Other points which have arisen in this respect are;

1) Ports IB, well known to CA members through the Transit Quay system, have expressed the idea of taking over and re-organising the “illegal” anchoring and private mooring areas outside the ports of Pollensa, Andratx, Colonia de Sant Jordi & Puerto Portals, and

2) There is a planned “Es Trenc Natural Parc” where mooring will be to buoys ” to avoid collisions between yachts”. (What this means is not clear at present).

If and when all or part of this will happen remains to be seen.

Find out more about the Cruising Association at http://www.theca.org.uk/pub/  [BROKENLINK]