The Formentera Island Council has submitted an extensive package of amendments to the proposed Balearic Islands Coastal Planning, Protection and Integrated Management Law, currently being debated in the regional Parliament. The council is calling for the future legislation to explicitly recognise several unique characteristics of Formentera’s coastline, including the management of s’Estany des Peix, the protection of traditional escars, the island’s ban on camping, traditional uses of Posidonia seagrass, and the special circumstances surrounding the Ses Salines Natural Park, which is shared by Formentera and Ibiza.
The proposals were made public on Thursday during the August plenary session of the Formentera Island Council under the formal “Reporting” section. The amendments had already been approved by the Council’s Governing Board on August 4, with the agreement stipulating that they would be sent immediately to the Balearic Parliament before subsequently being presented to the full council.
The procedure drew criticism from opposition groups, who accused the governing team of submitting the amendments to Parliament as a decision that had already been taken, without first opening a consultation process with organisations directly affected by coastal management issues. Among those mentioned was the Platform of People Affected by Coastal Demarcation, which represents residents and property owners impacted by coastal boundary regulations.
The proposed legislation is intended to create a specific Balearic Islands framework for coastal management following the transfer in 2023 of significant executive powers over Spain’s maritime-terrestrial public domain from the central government to the Balearic Islands.
Protecting s’Estany des Peix
One of the main issues raised by Formentera concerns s’Estany des Peix, where the island already has its own rules governing moorings and anchoring, along with a specific sanctions regime and fee system.
The Island Council is asking the future coastal management plans to respect additional protection measures adopted by island councils and local authorities. Its aim is to ensure that the new regional legislation does not override or weaken existing regulations that provide a higher level of environmental or coastal protection.
Formentera is also asking the new law to explicitly acknowledge that Ibiza and Formentera share the Ses Salines Natural Park. Although each island will be able to approve its own coastal management plan, the council argues that coordination between Ibiza and Formentera will be essential when implementing measures affecting this protected natural area.
Protecting Formentera’s traditional coastal heritage
Another key part of the amendments focuses on traditional coastal heritage. The proposed legislation includes island-level registers aimed at protecting traditional structures such as boathouses, escars, jetties and other coastal constructions.
Formentera is asking lawmakers to add the term “structures” to the legislation because some traditional elements do not strictly fit within the legal definition of a building or construction.
The council specifically points to Formentera’s escars, traditional boat-launching structures that were officially declared Assets of Cultural Interest (BIC) in 2002, as an example of heritage that requires specific legal recognition.
The Island Council also wants the law to acknowledge the traditional maritime practices and customs of each Balearic island. However, its report stresses that this recognition should not be used as a way of legalising illegal buildings, structures or activities.
Formentera seeks to maintain its ban on camping
Another amendment concerns a provision in the draft legislation that could allow, under certain circumstances, authorised camping or temporary camps with removable facilities within coastal protection easement areas.
The Formentera Island Council points out that the island’s Territorial Plan completely prohibits this type of activity. It is therefore calling for the proposed exception to be explicitly excluded from applying to Formentera in the new regional law.
Traditional uses of Posidonia seagrass
The council is also asking for the rules governing the removal of dead Posidonia seagrass to take into account the island’s traditional uses and practices, alongside the environmental criteria and authorisations required for its management.
Posidonia oceanica is a key element of the Mediterranean marine ecosystem and plays an important role in protecting beaches and maintaining water quality, making its management a particularly sensitive issue in the Balearic Islands.
Outdated reference to the former Ibiza and Formentera council
Finally, Formentera’s amendments call for the removal of a provision dating back to the 2000 Territorial Planning Law that still refers to the former Ibiza and Formentera Island Council and provides for a joint territorial plan covering both islands.
The Formentera Council considers the provision outdated, particularly since the creation of the independent Formentera Island Council in 2007. The island now has its own territorial planning system, separate from Ibiza’s, making the reference to joint planning obsolete.
The amendments submitted to Parliament therefore seek to ensure that the future Balearic coastal law takes into account Formentera’s particular environmental, territorial, cultural and administrative circumstances rather than applying a single framework uniformly across the islands.