Mallorca wooden boats: €700 berths leave 60 at risk
At least 60 small, old wooden boats in Felanitx, Mallorca, are left without protection under the planned harbour changes, the PSIB says. The party says owners at sa Bassa Nova and es Babo are being asked for €700 for a mooring usable for only four to six months. It made the call in Portocolom, Mallorca, on Monday, demanding lower fees and harbour areas reserved for traditional boats.
The PSIB says the reshaping of Portocolom harbour must put the survival of its traditional wooden boat fleet first. It argues that owners of the oldest boats can miss out on moorings because the allocation process does not distinguish wooden vessels and some lack official papers.
A fleet with 197 wooden boats
The Association of Traditional Boats has recorded 197 wooden vessels on Mallorca, including llaüts, llantxes felanitxeres and other boats. It says they account for more than a third of the traditional boats still on the island.
Amanda Fernández of the PSIB says the boats also carry skills and trades, including the work of a mestre d'aixa, as well as a traditional way of life at sea. The party blames the Balearic Government's reordering plan for putting that heritage at risk.
Portocolom's group of boat sheds was declared a Site of Cultural Interest by the Council of Mallorca in 2024. Fernández said their new allocation terms add to the problem because they can be used for only four months, while the boats cannot stay out of the water for too long.
PSIB seeks cheaper fees and priority moorings
The party wants the Balearic Government to issue harbour-policy rules that make preserving traditional boating a priority in Portocolom. It is also seeking a specific plan giving wooden boats priority for moorings linked to boatyards and protected quays.
The association has submitted its request to Juan Manuel Lafuente, the Balearic minister for the Sea and Water Cycle. It calls for a coordination group bringing together the ministry, PortsIB, the Council of Mallorca, Felanitx Town Hall and the association.
On Tuesday, the PSIB plans to question Lafuente in Parliament about solutions for the wooden boats and the skills tied to them. The party says it will also bring forward proposals for traditional boating in ports across the Balearics.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com