Associations in the nautical sector have made a formal request to the Balearic environment ministry in wanting to know the detail of incidents of faecal water spills. Representing some 25,000 users, the associations want information about proceedings that have been initiated and what is happening with these, and also about sanctions.
Numerous spills have been specified. Ciutat Jardí beach in Palma on 6, 7, 12, 14 and 19 August and 4 September; Can Pere Antoni in Palma on 12, 14 and 19 August and 4 and 13 September; Puerto Andratx on 28 August; Camp de Mar on 27 July; Cala Bella Dona (Calvia), 12 August; Son Baulo, 14 August; and Den Xinxo beach in Ibiza on 24 August.
Gabriel Dols, spokesperson for the nautical sector on spills and posidonia sea grass protection, is critical of the government's decree regarding anchoring on posidonia. "It was approved without taking account of views of the Economic and Social Council and the Consultative Council. It is not just about the seabed. It has been more than demonstrated that faecal water from underwater outflows is one of the principal threats to posidonia meadows."
He adds that the sector is aware that the director-general of biodiversity, Miquel Mir, signed sanctions procedures before the decree was approved and that these were where anchors were in sand but the chain was found to be over posidonia. Intentional damage to the sea grass should be subject to sanctions, but Dols wants the "zeal" shown in issuing fines for anchoring to be matched by "the opening of innumerable proceedings for spills of poorly treated water".