Majorca: Conservationists denounce boat "saturation"

A normal day in Palmanova. | R.L.

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma06/08/2019 15:05

The marine conservation association Mallorca Blue has produced a video said to be like any day in high summer in Palmanova. It highlights the number of boats moored in the bay and in some scenes shows posidonia sea grass attached to anchors that are being hauled in. In one instance, a crew member removes the posidonia and throws it back into the sea.

Las degradaciones más graves a un hábitat protegido en Baleares se suelen dar a diario en los ecosistemas sensibles d las bahías, calas y ensenadas d Mallorca.
- Incumplimiento de la normativa de depuración.
- Incorrecta gestión de los abonos agrícolas.
- Fondeos (incluso en LIC) pic.twitter.com/cqPx5MZS1l
? MallorcaBlue (@Mallorca_BLUE) 5 de agosto de 2019

The video also points to risks to swimmers from the number of boats and from the use of jetskis. Two people on a jetski are seen travelling at high speed between the boats.

Mallorca Blue have denounced what they say are daily "aggressions", such as deposits of water without adequate treatment, anchoring on posidonia and the numerous bottles and other trash dropped into the sea. This is the price that Majorca pays, the association says, for being "a place for leisure", and it criticises work at ports and marinas which has a negative impact on the marine environment.

In May, the association indicated that there are some 40,000 boats in Balearic waters each summer season, and it draws attention to the "unsustainable" imbalance between the number of boats and plants for treating faecal water. This occurs at state ports and at those which are the responsibility of the regional government. Portocolom and Puerto Soller are specifically mentioned in this regard.