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The Balearic Government makes task of protecting posidònia more difficult for Formentera Council

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On the occasion of a visit today from the Govern Balear's councillor of Agriculture, Environment and Territory, Gabriel Company, himself accompanied by the director general of the Environment, Environmental Education and Climate Change, Neus Lliteras, the Council of Formentera laments what it deems an unfortunate decision in the extremely important issue of anchorage along the island's coasts. The central topic of discussion at the day's visit was how to regulate watercraft dropping anchor in the northwest zone of Ses Illetes beach, recently become a point of maximum concern due to the ecological impact this activity occasions. The Council laments the Govern's decision not to invite the Formentera's local administration to today's talks regarding the newly installed ecological buoys at Es Caló de s'Oli and the Ses Salines Natural Park and the effectiveness of these measures in the regulation of recreational anchoring and the protection of posidònia prairies.

The Formentera Council regards this manner of proceeding as regrettable and uniquely conceived to suit the Govern Balear's own political interests, moreover, it negatively impacts the Council's efforts in the preservation of the Pitiüsa seafloor.

The policies of the Govern Balear are having disastrous effects on seafloor preservation, particularly with respect to fields of posidònia oceànica. This circumstance weakens the Formentera Council's ability to defend the interests of the island and those of the local population at large, also weakening the Council's ability to protect posidònia prairies as priority habitats.

The Formentera Council has taken firm steps to guarantee the protection of the island's natural patrimony, as witnessed in the recent execution of a project that enjoyed majority support of all the implicated sectors and of the local Formentera population.

Our local administration has always demonstrated its willingness to work jointly with the Govern Balear in order to adopt the most effective measures for the island of Formentera. This must also be so with the solution to the massive anchoring that is taking place upon posidònia fields along the Formentera coastline, currently affecting conservation. This is a reality corroborated not only by the results of a study conducted by OCEANsnell, but by European Community documents regarding the proper management of priority underwater habitats in the EU.