The Government incorporates detection technologies into the Posidonia Surveillance Service

It begins on May 15 with one boat per island, and full activation will take place on June 1, with a total of 20 boats, one more than in 2024.

The regional government, through the Balearic Institute of Nature (IBANAT), which falls under the Directorate General of Natural Environment and Forest Management, is launching a new season of the Posidonia Surveillance Service—an essential initiative to protect this marine plant, ensure responsible coastal use, and reduce the impact of anchors on seagrass meadows. The major innovation in 2025 is the incorporation of detection technologies that enable real-time geolocation through an Automatic Identification System (AIS), which improves efficiency, anticipates impacts, and optimizes patrol routes. “This advancement reinforces the preventive nature of the Service and consolidates the Balearic Islands’ leadership in seabed protection,” highlighted Joan Simonet, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and the Natural Environment.

The Posidonia Surveillance Service will be deployed in stages: it will start this Thursday, May 15, with one vessel per island, and will reach full activation on June 1 with a total of 20 vessels, one more than last year. It will remain active until October 10 and will be distributed as follows: six vessels in Mallorca, five in Formentera, four in Ibiza, and five in Menorca (the Island Council of Menorca will provide one vessel, and support will again come from the vessel of the Natural Park of s'Albufera des Grau).

“With this Service, the government reaffirms its commitment to marine conservation and protection, institutional coordination, and the sustainability of the nautical sector,” emphasized Minister Simonet. He underscored that “the primary goal is to prevent anchoring on posidonia meadows through information, assistance, and, if necessary, the relocation of vessels.” This reduction of impacts, which is considered passive restoration, is currently applied only in the Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community in the Mediterranean.

The Posidonia Surveillance Service is part of the Posidonia Operation, which brings together resources from the regional government, island councils, local municipalities, environmental agents, Ports of the Balearic Islands, the Maritime Civil Guard, TRAGSA, and other entities. The operation includes the management of the Posidonia Hotline (+34 617 975 172), the cartographic portal https://atlasposidonia.com, the Posidonia Monitoring Network, outreach activities, and the management of ecological mooring fields led by Ports of the Balearic Islands. The program is funded by the regional government and supported by Next Generation EU funds under the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan.

It is worth noting that during the 2024 season, the Service carried out 129,497 actions, reviewed 99,154 anchorages, and relocated 6,764 vessels that were improperly anchored. The overall non-compliance rate was 6.8%, with Formentera standing out for best practices (only 1% of incorrect anchorages).