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Press Room Newspaper library Environment Regulating watercraft anchorage upon posidònia, subject of debate on Formentera

Regulating watercraft anchorage upon posidònia, subject of debate on Formentera

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Given the tone of the response offered by Gabriel Company, councilor of the Environment, before the Parliament of the Balearic Islands and regarding the question voiced by the Formentera M.P., the Formentera Island Council considers it prudent that such confrontations between administrations be avoided and that the conservation of our environmental patrimony be a priority, which is in effect the responsibility of the individual holding the councilor's office.

The councilor's statement betrays the disdain harboured not only for Formentera's elected representative but for the island's public administration as well.

Affirmations made concerning profit motives are altogether shocking. Indeed, they are perhaps more aptly attributed to the new taxes on product packaging and rental vehicles currently under consideration by the Govern,. The project proposed and defended by the Formentera Council is backed by a rigorous study on economic viability, and the proposed taxes purport to defray service costs as well as those of the study and of environmental protection planned for the area.

Meanwhile, the Govern Balear's suggested project also anticipates costs between 220€ and 1,800€ a day and new fees for the buoys that have until today been present (without the necessity of specific fees) at the natural park.

Such a plan per se would not be objectionable to the Formentera Council, as long as funds collected therein were used to guarantee the protection of the seafloor and reinvested in its preservation. Moreover, the authorisation enabling any advocate – public or private – to collect for such services, lies within the competency of Coastal Demarcations.

The project presented by Formentera calls for a public administration of the services in question, with an investment comparable to the one proposed by the Govern Balear for its own version (approximately 700,000€) and service coverage for 172 watercraft, compared to coverage for nine watercraft under the Autonomous Government's plan.

The Formentera Council wishes to remind Mr. Company of the fact that his department is currently handling proceedings on a one-off modification of the PRUG (Pla Rector d'Ùs i Gestió, or Uses and Management Directive) with objectives similar to that of the L'Albufera del Grau Natural Park in Menorca, requested by a neighbouring collective. The modification requested via plenary accord in Formentera, 30 November 2012, is not a mere whim; rather it is a measure necessary to the viability of a project that seeks sustainable solutions for nautical tourism and conservation in the Natural Park.

For this reason, it is quite suspect that the councilor of the Environment prohibit ecological buoys upon posidònia beds on the basis of their illegality, and that he now, contrarily, come forward in the promotion of buoys upon posidònia prairies.

The Formentera Island Council, whose lack of expertise in matters of the environment Mr. Company demonstrates a particular predilection for noting, proposes those measures in environmental conservation that it deems priority. Such initiatives have a direct effect on the natural assets of our island, factors that are intimately linked to our local economy.

The Formentera administration is entirely open to whatever measure the Govern of the Balearic Islands ultimately adopts, as long as it is effective and resolves the issue of massive watercraft anchorage upon posidònia.

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Gabinet de Premsa


971 32 10 87 - Ext: 3181
premsa@conselldeformentera.cat