Telefónica presents proposal for protection of underwater Eivissa-Formentera cable

Affected public administrations request a more detailed document

The councilor of Environment and Information Technologies of the Formentera Island Council, Sílvia Tur, met this morning with members of Capitania Marítima d'Eivissa and Formentera at the national administration's offices in Eivissa. Meeting attendees had been called in order to hear the Telefónica company's proposal for protection of the underwater cable that was left without service on two separate occasions during the summer 2013 tourist season.

Present at the meeting were the central government's deputy general director of Maritime Security, Víctor Jiménez; the Balearic government's general director of Innovation and Technological Development, Antoni Mateos; representatives of the Eivissa Island Council, the Sant Josep Town Council and the Ses Salines Natural Park.

The object of the meeting was to attend the solution proposed by the Telefónica company, which could include establishing restrictions for boats attempting to anchor along the perimeter of the Eivissa-Formentera cable.

On numerous reprieves the Formentera Council has spoke on this point with the Govern Balear, the responsible authority on issues of this nature. Since the cable is part of the public telecommunications infrastructure, it falls upon the Govern to guarantee it is equipped with certain safety measures, not least importantly because the cable is the only one of its kind that links the two islands.

Attendees of the day's meeting requested that a proposal envisioning additional solutions – and further detail – be provided by Telefónica. The request was made that Telefónica relate precisely what restrictions it would apply to ensure both normal nautical activity and protection for the cable are maintained.

The different administrations agreed that before applying any new measures it would be necessary to clarify the cable's current state of protection, as well as the depths at which it is currently located, leaving Eivissa's Cala Jondal and arriving at Cala Saona in Formentera.

Finally, Telefónica committed to providing a more detailed version of their first draft as soon as possible, and the attendees concluded that an additional meeting would be appropriate for the end of April.