The third session emphasises the sector’s consensus on reinforcing safety, sustainability, and regulatory oversight along the Balearic coastline
The Ministry of the Sea and Water Cycle held today the third session of the Nautical Roundtable of the Balearic Islands, a platform for dialogue and collaboration between public authorities and key stakeholders in the nautical sector. The meeting served to gather input and assessments from participants regarding various aspects of boat rentals and the industry’s evolution during the current season.
Throughout the session, there was broad agreement on the need to strengthen safety, ensure fair competition conditions, and regulate coastal activity as essential elements for the sector’s orderly development. In this context, the Ministry shared the general lines of the new regional decree on nautical rentals, which is still in the drafting phase, and gathered feedback from attendees.
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The Nautical Roundtable Highlights the Importance of Tackling Unfair Competition in Boat Rentals
Sector representatives highlighted the risks associated with the unregulated use of private boats for commercial purposes and emphasised the need to prevent excessive growth in nautical activity, which could exceed the carrying capacity of ports and coastal areas. The discussion also stressed the importance of combating the underground economy.
The session also served to review the outcomes of the first edition of Setmana Blava (Blue Week), an initiative promoted by the regional government to increase awareness of the marine environment and bring nautical sports closer to schools across the Balearic Islands.
Additionally, updates were provided on the deployment of the new coastal inspection and surveillance service, set to launch this summer. It will feature multiple patrol boats across the archipelago, coordinated through a central control centre and an online reservation system.
Furthermore, the results of the coastal cleaning service were presented. This year, the service has increased its operational capacity with a total of 23 boats—figures not seen in recent years. Routes have been optimized, and high-pressure zones such as the Bay of Alcúdia, Can Picafort, Fornells, and Ibiza have been reinforced.
Boosting the Technical Commissions
The meeting also reviewed the work of the five Technical Commissions created by the Nautical Roundtable. These commissions have submitted proposals in areas such as social boating, training and employment, facility management, sustainable anchoring, and regulatory simplification. The input reflects strong engagement from business associations, professional bodies, and environmental organizations, as well as a shared commitment to professionalize, organize, and improve access to recreational boating in the Balearic Islands.
To enhance their efficiency, it was agreed to revise the working rules of these commissions and implement a new methodology to streamline the flow of proposals from the sector to the administration.