The Balearic Government announces three new buoy fields for 2025 and the construction of ten more in

The Balearic Government will implement three new sustainable buoy fields that will start operating this upcoming summer season.

Currently, PortsIB manages 8 sustainable buoy fields distributed among Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera. These fields, designed to protect the oceanic posidonia and organize the anchoring of boats in protected areas, have a total of 345 buoys.

With the addition of the 3 new buoy fields, located in Cala d’Hort (25 buoys) and Porroig (24 buoys) in Ibiza, and in Illa de l’Aire (21 buoys) in Menorca, the Balearics will have a total of 415 sustainable buoys, which represents a significant increase. This expansion allows for an increase in the capacity for regulated mooring by 70 new buoys, going from 345 current buoys to 415 buoys distributed across all the islands of the archipelago.

The contract for the construction of the three new fields and the management of the eight existing ones has a total budget of 3,085,364.19 euros (VAT included). This contract is co-financed with European MRR funds, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan of the Spanish Government, with a contribution of 875,000 euros from these funds.

The distribution of the lots includes:

Lot 1: Mallorca - Management of 3 existing fields in Sant Elm (23 buoys), Cala Blava (24 buoys), and Formentor (82 buoys).

Lot 2: Menorca - Management of 2 existing fields in Fornells (63 buoys) and Illa d’en Colom (31 buoys), and the installation of the new field in Illa de l’Aire (21 buoys).

Lot 3: Ibiza and Formentera - Management of 3 existing fields in Ses Salines (35 buoys), Espalmador (67 buoys), and Caló de S’Oli (20 buoys), in addition to the new fields in Cala d’Hort (25 buoys) and Porroig (24 buoys).

Lot 4: Technical assistance - Environmental monitoring, project management, and maintenance of the facilities.

The implementation of these new buoy fields responds to the need to regulate the anchoring of boats in protected areas to prevent damage to the beds of oceanic posidonia, a key species for marine biodiversity and the quality of the waters in the Balearics.

During the event, the Minister of the Sea and Water Cycle, Juan Manuel Lafuente, highlighted that "this project represents an important step towards more responsible and sustainable management of the Balearic coast, protecting our natural resources and offering boaters an orderly and safe mooring system."

Additionally, PortsIB has reported that two new buoy fields (Sa Foradada and Es Caló d’Artà) are currently in the permitting process, which, due to delays in the environmental impact assessment, will not be operational until at least the 2026 season. Furthermore, the Ministry for Ecological Transition is drafting another 10 buoy field projects in coves along the Balearic coast, which will be executed with MRR funds and subsequently managed by PortsIB.

With these actions, the Balearic Government, through PortsIB, reaffirms its commitment to the conservation of the marine environment and the management of tourist and recreational use of the waters of the Balearics.