Talamanca Bay has lost over 50% of its posidonia meadows

The water temperature in Talamanca Bay exceeded 30 degrees in August 2023, impacting the state of the posidonia meadows.

According to the latest study by GEN-GOB, funded by IbizaPreservation, more than 50 percent of the meadow in some areas is dead, showing no signs of recovery.

In a press conference, the study's authors explained that by installing aquatic thermometers, they monitored the water temperature at various stations for an entire year, from April 2023 to April 2024, pointing to marine warming in this vulnerable ecosystem.

This latest report confirms the environmental degradation trend of the posidonia meadows at the seven stations studied during 2024 in Talamanca Bay and Cala Vedella.

In the former, specifically in the Illa Grossa (Talamanca) area and at the station located in the central part of the bay, the meadows of this marine plant have lost more than 50 percent of their surface and continue to show no signs of recovery.

Furthermore, GEN-GOB has recorded that at the station located at 14 meters in Cala Vedella, there is an average of 40 percent of the meadow dead.

The study, conducted annually since 2019, aims to assess the evolution of the marine ecosystem, confirming the degradation of the meadows.

"We have been analyzing the state of these meadows for six years, and their situation does not improve. Water pollution and the impact of boat anchoring are factors that cause their deterioration. Water pollution alters the chemical composition of the seabed, preventing the natural regeneration of the meadow, and boat anchoring causes mechanical impact on the meadow that can take centuries to recover, to which is now added the confirmation of the rising temperature of our seas due to climate change," explained representatives from GEN.

From IbizaPreservation, it has been considered "necessary to continue advocating for research and improving knowledge about the state of posidonia in order to identify the precise causes of its degradation and try to reverse this situation as soon as possible."

According to environmental entities, it is necessary to advance towards reducing the number of boats during the summer season, installing low-impact moorings, and improving water quality to preserve the meadows.