The Balearics intensify the coastline control to reinforce maritime security

Following the inspections calendar in the mark of the new coastline vigilance service, today, August 21st, an operation in waters of Cala Ratjada and Cala Agulla has been carried out.

The Government of the Balearic Islands, through the Sea and Water Cycle Counselling, has drawn a total of 82 reports up since the month of June. These diligences, transmitted through the Directorate General of Ports and Maritime Transport, belong to 45 cases in Mallorca, 19 in Ibiza and 10 in Formentera, and they are used to identify possible irregularities. 

The most frequent detected infractions by the inspectors are having the responsible declaration of charter expired, not having presented the responsible declaration, not including the Balearic Registry number of ships leasing and recreational boats in the contract, and carrying out tickets selling with a ship with a responsible declaration to carry out charter.

The operation of today is benchmarked in the inspections calendar that the Counselling of the Sea and the Water Cycle has established for this summer and that goes daily through different spots of the Balearic coastline with the objective of fighting the illegal practices, controlling nautical activity and reinforcing the protection of the marine environment. 

In this context, the general director of Ports and Maritime Transport, Antoni Mercant, has visited today Cala Agulla and Cala Ratjada, accompanied by Capdepera’s mayoress, Mireia Ferrer, and the councillor of Health, Youth, Recruitment, Tourism and Cleaning of buildings, Agripina Rocha.

Antoni Mercant has pointed out that “this year we have significantly intensified the inspection and the control, and this reflects in the number of drawn up reports, which already surpass the numbers of previous years significantly. The objective is clear: discouraging irregular practices and guaranteeing that the nautical activity is carried out inside the legality and regarding the marine environment. This is a clear measure that the vigilance is stricter and effective than ever.”

The new vigilance service of the coastline counts with an endowment with no precedents of human and technical resources this year. Amongst the main innovations, we must highlight the use of a drone that world 10 daily hours during all the month of August, a tool that has allowed improving the detection of irregularities in real time, acting with more speed and reinforcing the control capacity in areas with most affluence of boats.

The calendar of inspections programs operations in the four islands, with the collaboration of different administrations and operational forces. These operations include the supervision of moorings, control of unauthorized charter boats and data recollection for future interventions.

This effort is earmarked in the strategy of the Government to organize nautical activity, reinforce maritime security and protect Balearic waters.