The Govern has asked the central government to implement measures to increase maritime safety and new regulations that involve greater control of nautical activities. This was the central message of the Minister of the Sea and Water Cycle, Juan Manuel Lafuente, the director general of the Merchant Marine, Gustavo Santana, at a meeting on Thursday at the headquarters of the Directorate General in Madrid. This is a claim with which the Govern has insisted in recent months. In fact, the administration of the Balearic Islands has pointed out that it only counts with two personnel to carry out marine controls in Ibiza and Formentera.. “What we intend is to grow in inspections, because we understand that the activity is also growing and necessarily grows the control of this activity,” said Antoni Mercant, director general of Ports and Maritime Transport, who participated in the meeting in Madrid, in in an interview with La Voz de Ibiza. As reported by the Conselleria, Lafuente has requested the implementation of new state regulations that regulate with “greater rigor” nautical activities in the archipelago. Among the main demands, the Minister has put on the table the “urgent” need to regulate the rental of boats without qualifications. This is a practice that, as he denounced, has grown “alarmingly” in the Islands and poses significant risks to boaters and the environment.
The increase in nautical activity, according to Lafuente, has been accompanied by incidents and conflicts in the areas of greatest affluence, especially in summer. Faced with this situation, the Govern has expressed its willingness to collaborate with state authorities to implement control mechanisms to eradicate these activities and ensure that the nautical charter in the Islands is developed in conditions of legality and safety. This involves ensuring that sailors have adequate training and the necessary training to operate in Balearic waters.
Special concern for Formentera
On the other hand, the conseller has referred to the need to expand the services of Maritime Rescue in Formentera. In this regard, he argued that it is an island particularly exposed to risk situations due to the large influx of recreational and commercial boats, especially in high season. These resources would allow a quick and effective response in case of emergencies, especially in sensitive areas such as the Natural Park of Ses Salines, which supports an intense maritime activity. Lafuente has also raised the problem of the maritime connection between Ibiza and Formentera early and late in the day, an issue that affects both residents and workers who depend on this route for their daily commute. As for safety measures on the coast, Lafuente has reported that the Govern will include in the future Law of management of the coast and the coast a speed limit of ten knots for boats over 12 meters in length when sailing less than a mile from the coast. At the conclusion of the meeting, Lafuente expressed his satisfaction with the willingness of the Ministry to collaborate on these issues, “Safety in our waters and the regulation of nautical activities are essential to protect both our citizens and those who visit us, in addition to contributing to the preservation of the marine environment,” he said.
