In the thirty-first edition of the Vuelta a Sa Dragonera that took place recently, the Xarxa Dragonera Blava, supported by the Els Voltors Sports Group, issued an urgent call to address the issue of maritime traffic and the speed of boats in the Freu de Sa Dragonera, one of the most pressing problems for the coastal community of Andratx.
According to data from the Vesselfinder platform, 7,553 vessels with Automatic Identification Systems crossed the Freu de Sant Elm between 2022 and 2023. This number could triple if all vessels were taken into account.
Celebrated for 31 years, the Vuelta a Sa Dragonera in kayak is a nautical event that has become increasingly popular. It stands out for its non-competitive nature, where the goal is community rather than being the first to finish. It is an exciting event that combines nature and sport, enabling the safe enjoyment of the sea in an engine-free and festive atmosphere. “We are taking advantage of this event, the largest kayak gathering at sea in Spain, to call for stricter vessel speed and traffic regulations in Es Freu de Sa Dragonera. This area is designated as a marine reserve, and its existing regulations need to encompass additional factors such as vessel speed, with greater commitment from institutions and navigators.” stated the Xarxa Dragonera Blava manifesto.
Thanks to this mobilisation and the demand from the local population, the Andratx City Council has approved a motion urging the Government of the Balearic Islands to limit navigation speed in the Sa Dragonera Marine Reserve. The aim is to limit the speed of boats passing through Es Freu de Sant Elm to protect the marine and terrestrial ecosystems of Sa Dragonera and Sant Elm. The maximum speed will be between six and ten knots.
Reducing speed to protect the ecosystem
It is important to note that 82 percent of these crossings occur during the summer months, which have negative effects on the marine ecosystem.
Limiting vessel speed decreases CO2 emissions, black carbon, and other atmospheric pollutants, as well as the noise that affects underwater ecosystems, according to two studies commissioned by the Belgian Ministry of the Environment, the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and OceanCare.
Both reports, prepared by the independent research group TNO for the Brussels government, analysed actual maritime traffic in the North Sea and concluded that limiting vessel speed to 75% of their design speed would reduce the emission of gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and black carbon by 10%.
The analyses also indicate that this reduction in speed would lead to a significant reduction in underwater noise, resulting in quick action to achieve healthy oceans.
This speed limit is easy to implement and monitor, and creates a level playing field so that all types of vessels from different sectors would apply the same measures without anyone being unduly penalised.
Sharon Livermore, Director of Marine Conservation at IFAW, stated in a press release that this is a cost-effective solution that can be applied immediately with many collateral benefits for the ocean, the climate, and whales, which depend on sound for their survival.
In fact, this measure “would also reduce the number of whales killed in collisions with ships,” she noted.
Concerning the speed of boats in the Freu de Sa Dragonera, which in addition to being a marine reserve provides a space for regulated artisanal fishing, biologist Yaiza Santana, coordinator of the Sa Dragonera Blava project, notes that vessel speed is a significant stress factor for the marine ecosystem: “It has been shown that it can affect behaviours such as reproduction, foraging, etc. This can contribute to reducing the population of fish of fishing interest.”
In the same vein, OceanCare spokesperson Carlos Bravo has called for “ambitious interventions and studies, similar to those carried out by Belgium,” for the Mediterranean Sea, “one of the seas with the highest maritime traffic intensity in the world.”
