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A group of organizations from across Spain—including Alianza Mar Menor, Ecologistas en Acción, Fundación Juan Tábara, GEN-GOB, GOB Mallorca, GOB Menorca, Mallorca Blue, Pacto por el Mar Menor, Salvemos Calblanque, SOS Costa Brava, and SOS Mar Menor—have joined forces to urge the Spanish government to update maritime traffic regulations.
The rise in recreational boating is a growing issue that affects our coastlines and marine ecosystems, requiring urgent solutions and improvements.
For this reason, we propose modifications to the General Coastal Regulations and other maritime activity laws to ensure safe enjoyment for all while promoting the conservation of natural and cultural coastal values. Our key proposals include:
1. Reducing coastal speed limits for safety
Excessive boat speeds near the shore pose a constant threat to swimmers and other sea users. We propose lowering the speed limit for motorized boats and watercraft to 5 knots within 300 meters of the coast.
This measure aims to prevent accidents and collisions, reduce underwater noise pollution, and protect coastal communities from excessive noise and waves that disturb bathing areas.
2. Regulating mooring to protect swimmers and marine habitats
Unregulated mooring near beaches and unmarked areas has led to overcrowding and environmental degradation. We propose banning mooring within 50 meters of beaches and 20 meters from the coast in non-buoyed areas.
This will safeguard swimmers and marine biodiversity, particularly seagrass meadows (Posidonia), which are essential for maintaining ecosystem stability.
3. Mandatory use of official habitat mapping
To enhance protection for vulnerable marine ecosystems, we call for the mandatory use of official habitat maps, particularly for sensitive areas like seagrass meadows.
A complete and officially recognized habitat map must be developed to help boaters make informed decisions and enable authorities to enforce environmental regulations.
4. Removing the license exemption for small motorboats
Currently, Royal Decree 875/2014 allows people to operate motorboats up to 5 meters (15 CV) without a license. This has led to an increase in accidents and conflicts at sea due to lack of nautical knowledge.
We propose abolishing this exemption, making it mandatory to hold a license for operating all motorboats, to improve safety and protect the marine environment.
5. Strengthening control mechanisms
We stress the need for stricter monitoring and enforcement of maritime regulations in the Public Maritime-Terrestrial Domain (DPMT) to ensure compliance.
Increased surveillance and penalties will help protect coastal areas from environmental harm and reckless behavior.
Urgent need for regulatory updates
With the increasing number of recreational boats in recent years, the signatory organizations urge the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility to take immediate and effective action.
We call for a clearer and stricter legal framework to address growing risks along our coasts, prevent environmental degradation, and reinforce surveillance and enforcement capacity.