Mallorca boating groups seek wider Tramuntana sea protection

Mallorca’s boating federation Fanmed wants the protected sea area linked to the Serra de Tramuntana to be widened. On 15 September in Palma, it asked Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment Minister Joan Simonet to commission a scientific review. The study would assess whether the existing marine area is large enough and whether it should be extended.

Fanmed says protection for the Tramuntana cannot stop at the land. It points to the ecological link between the mountains, the coast and the sea, and says any expansion should be considered only after the study’s findings.

Linking the mountains to the sea

The federation says a larger protected area could bring land and sea under joined-up management. In its view, safeguarding ecosystems must go alongside orderly rules for activities on the coast.

Fanmed also wants the boating sector involved in planning rather than treated simply as a user of the marine environment. It says people working along the coast can bring practical knowledge into decisions on future measures.

Rules tailored to coastal towns

Any future protection model must take account of coastal towns and the people who live there, Fanmed says. It cites Sóller as an example of the need for legal, orderly solutions suited to each municipality on issues such as anchoring and mooring boats.

The federation says the aim is not to choose between environmental protection and boating activity, but to organise the sea so both can coexist. It also calls for coastal institutions and the nautical sector to play an active part as marine protection becomes a bigger issue across the Balearic Islands.

Topics: Sea & coast · Agriculture · Sóller

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com