Ibiza: Nearly half of checked boats anchor on seagrass

In the Bay of Portmany on Ibiza, Spain, volunteers report that 46.5% of 282 boats checked this summer anchored over posidonia seagrass. The 35 volunteers, working with the Estim sa Badia environmental programme, checked boats between 22 June and 31 July. Their group, Salvem sa Badia de Portmany, says the share is only slightly down from 49% last year.

The volunteers checked 172 boats in 2025, so this year’s total was 64% higher. A monitoring service is already active in the bay, but the group says nearly half the boats checked were still anchored where they should not be.

The volunteers also surveyed people aboard anchored boats. Some 24% declined to answer. Among those who did, 45% did not know they were in a reserve and/or a special protection area for birds. Around 30% knew nothing about posidonia seagrass, down from 50% last year, while 15% did not know anchoring over it was prohibited.

Waste disposal was another concern. Half of those who said they used the port’s grey-water emptying service reported trouble accessing it or said it was not working. Salvem sa Badia says proper disposal of grey and black water remains a wider problem.

Topics: Sea & coast · Social affairs

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com