The Government intensifies the control of illegal mooring on posidonia in the bay of Talamanca

The Counselling of Agriculture, Fishing and Environment has carried out this Tuesday, August 12th, in the bay of Talamanca, in Ibiza, the largest unit to date to face illegal mooring on posidonia oceanica meadows and inspecting non-authorized nautical charter activity. This coordinated action forms part of the efforts of the Government to reduce the impact of illegal moorings and preserving marine biodiversity.

In concrete, the operative, formed by ten organisms, has been coordinated by the Directorate General of Environment and Forestal Management, through the Balearic Institute of Nature (IBANAT) and the Vigilance Service of Posidonia, and has counted with the participation of Agents of Environment and the Directorate General of Fishing. The Sea and Water Cycle Counselling, Ibiza’s Council, Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge  Ministry (MITECO), Maritime Civil guard and Subaquatic Activities Special Group (GEAS), have also formed part of it, in addition to agents of the Local Police, ships of the Natural Park of ses Salines of Ibiza and Formentera, the Marine Reserves, Ports IB and inspectors of maritime transport.

During the act, 7 reporting records have been drawn up due to mooring on posidonia and the ships have been directly informed of the prohibition of mooring with anchor and chain on posidonia meadows, agreeing with the Posidonia Decree. In addition, sailors have been reminded that they can consult the official cartography of posidonia through mooring apps and in the AtlasPosidonia.com web.

The Counselling of Agriculture, Fishing and Environment, which has taken part in the mark of the campaign to reinforce vigilance and nautical activity control, specially to fight against illegal charter and securing the correct management of buoy camps, has added a drone  to the operation that was carried out this Tuesday. This has allowed obtaining aerial images of the bay and documenting the situation of the ships before starting the interventions.

With this operation, the Directorate General of Natural Environment and Forestal Management, through Posidonia Vigilance Service, wants to remind us that posidonia is vital for the Mediterranean sea and due to the benefits it gives us. That’s why its conservation is essential. In  this collective responsibility task, coordination between administrations has a fundamental role.

On their behalf, Ibiza’s Council has pointed out the common front of the Balearic Islands Government and the Civil Guard to keep acting coordinatedly in Talamanca, a specially sensitive zone and submitted to a high nautical pressure during the festival season.

Finally,  the Counselling reminds that posidonia oceanics is a protected habitat: it acts as a carbon drain, produces oxygen and protects the coast from erosion. This act forms part of the festival vigilance campaign of the Government to reduce the mooring impact and preserve marine biodiversity.