Balearic Government and Sanitja harbour users discuss mooring management and the harbour’s future

The harbour users’ association has raised concerns over a fee of more than €43,000 set by the Ministry.

On Monday the 9th of November, Juan Manuel Lafuente, the Balearic Minister for the Sea and the Water Cycle, met representatives of the Associació d'Usuaris del Port de Sanitja to review the summer season and discuss how the authorisation granted in June for the use of the moorings was working in practice. The users also raised concerns about the €43,700 fee calculated by the Demarcación de Costas del Estado, the national government’s coastal authority. Kico Villalonga, general manager of Ports de les Illes Balears (PortsIB), also attended.

The association’s representatives gave a positive assessment of the season. They said that having members on site and directly involved in managing the moorings had helped keep the anchorage orderly and well supervised. Members explained that they had worked to prevent other boats from dropping anchor around the harbour, helping to protect the seabed from damage and preserve the natural environment on Menorca’s north coast.

The meeting also highlighted the work the Associació d'Usuaris del Port de Sanitja has carried out over many years to keep boating accessible to the local community and safeguard Menorcans’ traditional access to the sea. Members stressed that their role extends beyond using the moorings. They look after the site, keep watch over it and take part in its conservation, encouraging boating practices that protect the area’s natural features and landscape.

The association also raised concerns with the Balearic Government about the €43,700 fee set by the coastal authority for occupation of the maritime-terrestrial public domain. Users regard the fee as a substantial financial burden for a small facility that has historically provided moorings for traditional boats and served the local boating community. The Ministry’s regional representatives heard the association’s concerns and took note of the situation.

The meeting follows the Balearic Government’s decision in June to grant an authorisation that resolved the administrative impasse at Sanitja harbour. It allowed boating activity to resume and the existing moorings to remain in place, meeting a long-standing request from users. The Balearic Government, the Demarcación de Costas del Estado, the Consell Insular de Menorca, the Ayuntamiento des Mercadal and the users’ association worked together to reach this agreement after the process of formalising the harbour’s status had left users uncertain about its future.

The authorisation sets conditions for keeping the moorings in place while protecting the surrounding environment. It prohibits any expansion of the facilities or the creation of new access points and requires measures to prevent pollution and ensure proper waste management.

Sanitja is one of the most distinctive natural harbours on Menorca’s north coast. Boats have long sought shelter there from the northerly tramuntana gales. The harbour’s natural beauty, ecological importance and heritage make it particularly important to preserve its traditional uses and ensure that boating respects the surrounding environment.

The Balearic Ministry for the Sea and the Water Cycle highlighted the role harbour users play in caring for the site. It remains open to discussions with the association about how the moorings are managed and how local people can continue boating at Sanitja in a way that complies with current regulations and protects the area’s natural and cultural heritage.