The Nautical Board promotes better organization of nautical activity in its fourth session

The fourth session highlighted extensive debate on charter regulation, activity control, and the sustainability model.

The Ministry of the Sea and the Water Cycle hosted today, Thursday, April 23rd, the fourth session of the Nautical Board of the Balearic Islands, chaired by Minister Juan Manuel Lafuente and accompanied by Director General Toni Mercant. The meeting focused on the main challenges of a sector that is expanding and facing increasing pressure on the coastline.

During the meeting, public authorities and sector representatives agreed on the need to move toward better organization of nautical activity, despite differing views on regulation, especially in the field of nautical chartering.

In this context, the current regulatory framework for chartering was analyzed, particularly following the approval of Decree 44/2025, which regulates the activity and establishes requirements such as registration in the sixth list and limitations on certain commercial practices.

The session made it clear that this regulatory framework is still being developed and consolidated, with several legal appeals currently in progress, highlighting the complexity and sensitivity of this regulation within the sector.

Additionally, the meeting addressed the objections submitted to the draft national Royal Decree on merchant shipping, in which the Balearic Government stresses the need to preserve regional powers in organizing nautical activity while ensuring legal certainty and regulatory coherence.

During the debate, different perspectives were presented on how to balance sector growth with the carrying capacity of the coastline, as well as on the most appropriate measures to correct irregular practices and ensure fair competition.

In this regard, the results of enforcement activity for 2025 were presented, with 162 cases initiated for violations mainly related to boat rentals. This inspection activity is considered an important tool for improving regulatory compliance and enhancing safety at sea.

The meeting also discussed the organization of the 2nd Blue Week of the Balearic Islands, which in its 2026 edition is expected to involve more than 5,600 students and 29 facilities, consolidating its role as a leading initiative in promoting knowledge of the marine environment and nautical culture.

Regarding the functioning of the Board, the role of the technical committees and the need to make them more operational were analyzed. In this sense, proposals include simplifying their structure and strengthening their coordination to improve participation and monitoring of their work.

The contributions gathered from these committees point to the need to improve administrative coordination, simplify procedures, and move toward a clearer and more efficient regulatory framework.

The session concluded with a shared commitment to continue working through dialogue to move toward a nautical model that combines economic development, sustainability, and territorial balance.

With this fourth meeting, the Nautical Board consolidates its role as a forum for discussion and collaboration to address the present and future challenges of the nautical sector in the Balearic Islands.