Posidonia Returns to the Beaches of Sant Josep

The City Council of Sant Josep, through its Department of Environment, Sustainability, and Coast, reports that since last Monday, October 21, tasks have been underway to return the posidonia that was removed during the summer season from the beaches of the municipality. This project is scheduled to continue until, at the latest, October 31.

During a press conference held yesterday at Punta Xinxó beach in Cala de Bou, the councilor for Environment, Sustainability, and Coast, Felicia Bocú, explained that this area of our coastline in the Bay of Portmany is where the most posidonia was removed this year and, consequently, where most return actions are being carried out. This activity is agreed upon at all times with establishments and concessionaires that may remain open, as well as with fishermen, to ensure it does not affect bird fishing.

Bocú explained that “the main reason for returning posidonia is to protect the beaches and retain the sand from winter storms, recover the sand that may have been dragged away with the removal operations, and above all, allow the posidonia to continue its role in beach formation.”

For this reason, posidonia is only removed from beaches classified as urban, but it is not manipulated on many other natural beaches along the coast of Sant Josep de sa Talaia.

This year, the UTE Es Vedrà, responsible for the tasks, has removed 130 truckloads of posidonia from the municipality's beaches, mostly during the months of March, April, and May. "Much less than last year, when nearly 400 were removed due to strong storms," noted the councilor, specifying that on that occasion, the area where most actions were carried out, unlike this year, was Platja d’en Bossa.

According to Daniel Tomé, the technical manager of UTE Es Vedrà, specifying the exact amount in tons is very complex due to the different conditions of the posidonia. However, it is estimated that each truck carries between four and six tons per trip, so between 520 and 780 tons of posidonia have been managed.

The Coastal Department of the City Council of Sant Josep de sa Talaia reminds that the removal and return of posidonia to the beaches of the municipality are carried out following Decree 25/2018 and the annual instructions set by the Govern de les Illes Balears in the authorization for its management.

Currently, the City Council of Sant Josep de sa Talaia is aware of the fundamental role these natural remains play, but there must also be a balance with the tourist activity, the main economic pillar of the municipality, which leads to the temporary removal of these remains in the summer months.

For this reason, in recent years, a series of technical and environmental criteria have been introduced to reduce the impact this action has on the beach, based on the following principles:

Removing posidonia only during the tourist season, allowing the beaches to be free of posidonia during the summer. Carrying out leveling and burying operations of posidonia in small quantities. Improving operations on the beach and the machinery used to minimize the removal of sand with the posidonia and the impact on the natural profile of the beach. Storing the posidonia at accumulation points to be able to return it. Returning the removed posidonia to the beach at the end of the season, also recovering the sand that was inevitably extracted with the removal of posidonia. The management of posidonia in the municipality of Sant Josep de sa Talaia begins before Easter, and the beaches are kept free of posidonia until mid or late October (depending on the beach, the season, and the weather), when the return of the remains to the beach is carried out.

Once the posidonia is returned to the beach, it is left for nature to act. That is, off-season management consists of not touching the posidonia until the start of the next season.

Not taking the posidonia to the landfill also represents an economic saving. Additionally, a small part is still used in fields, pens, and old houses.