Sanitja harbour users face €43,700 fee in Menorca

Users of Sanitja harbour on Menorca’s north coast face a €43,700 fee: they say it is a heavy burden for a small harbour long used by traditional boats. On Monday, 9 November, their association raised the charge with Balearic minister for the Sea and Water Cycle Juan Manuel Lafuente and PortsIB manager Kico Villalonga. The meeting also reviewed the summer season after the Balearic government authorised the harbour’s existing moorings in June.

Spain’s state coastal authority set the fee for use of public coastal land. The June permit had ended uncertainty over whether boats could continue using the harbour. It followed work by the Balearic government, the coastal authority, the Menorca Island Council, Es Mercadal town council and the users’ association.

The association gave a positive account of the summer. Its members said they had helped keep mooring orderly and stopped other boats from dropping anchor near the harbour, aiming to prevent possible damage to the seabed.

The permit allows the existing moorings to remain, but bars any expansion or new access routes. It also requires measures to prevent pollution and manage waste. The Balearic government’s account of Monday’s meeting gives no indication that the fee will change.

Topics: Sea & coast

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com