Businesses in the nautical sector have denounced the illegal rental of jet skis in the Bay of Alcudia. They highlight in particular the fact that customers are taking jet skis from and returning them to a point by the Pont dels Anglesos, the English bridge over the Albufera Gran Canal. The canal is linked to the sea by a stretch known as S'Oberta.
The whole of Albufera is a protected site (it has been a nature park since 1988). In this particular area, there is protection for birds. It is also covered by the Xarxa Natura 2000 (Nature Network), which is a European Union special protection instrument for biodiversity.
The complainants state that the Albufera canal is a protected area for birds and that this sort of activity cannot be practised. They also draw attention to the jetty that is being used. This is the property of the Balearic government - S'Oberta comes under the PortsIB regional ports authority.
Since June, reports have been made to the police in Muro, to PortsIB and to the Harbourmaster's office. But they maintain that advantage is being taken of political change in various authorities and of a consequent lack of control. "They have continued to act with impunity."
The new ministry of the sea says that it is aware of a proliferation of illegal jet skis in points that are its responsibility (and so not only in Playa de Muro), adding that the Guardia Civil have opened proceedings against some businesses.