Submarine Artificial Reef Project in Porto Cristo Halted

The Association of Diving Centers of the Balearic Islands (ACBIB), which is part of the CAEB employers' association, regrets the halt of the artificial reef and underwater archaeology project in Porto Cristo. This project was funded by a €2 million Next Generation grant approved by the European Union at the end of 2022.

Since then, continuous technical and bureaucratic hurdles have delayed the launch of this ambitious project. "Successive political leaders assure us that their hands are tied due to lack of personnel or the slowness of technical processes," is the response received by the ACBIB officials.

This project is part of the Manacor-Porto Cristo Sustainable Tourist Destination Plan. These plans have a maximum execution period of three years from their approval, with no possible extension due to their connection to the European Union's Recovery and Resilience Mechanism (MRR). Actions that are not executed and justified within the timeframe will result in the beneficiary municipality returning the budgeted amount for these actions.

Thus, ACBIB regrets that this pioneering project, which could be replicated in other parts of the Mediterranean to regenerate marine life in a sea greatly in need of protection and initiatives like the Porto Cristo artificial reef, may be lost.

The project for the creation and sustainable management of an artificial reef and underwater archaeology in Porto Cristo was processed by the Tourism Delegation of the Manacor City Council and was publicly approved and granted in December 2022.

The underwater reef would be composed of reproductions and replicas of 4 historical ships from the Roman era and other various modules for marine life regeneration, located one mile off the Manacor coast using 100% sustainable materials. It aims to recover biodiversity and marine fauna in a sea area devastated and impoverished by excessive marine resource extraction. It would include an area for ecological restoration, a nursery for the breeding and reproduction of nearly extinct Balearic marine species like the seahorse, and it aims to be an exceptional attraction for recreational diving, scientific activities, underwater archaeology training, environmental monitoring, and the promotion of R&D in the blue economy, while also explaining and valuing the culture and heritage of Porto Cristo.

Additionally, the construction of an interactive and technological interpretation center on the Manacor coast was also planned. This center would expand the museum offerings, increase knowledge, awareness, accessibility, and interpretation of Roman remains, and enhance understanding of the maritime history of Porto Cristo and the Balearic Islands.