The 35 volunteers taking part in the environmental programme monitored 282 boats over the summer. Participants were rewarded with diving experiences and a day of water sports.
The 35 volunteers who took part this summer in the fourth edition of the Estim sa Badia Environmental Volunteering Programme, promoted by the Salvem sa Badia de Portmany Association, monitored the anchoring practices of 282 boats, compared with 172 in 2025 — an increase of 64%.
Of those vessels, 46.5% were anchored on posidonia seagrass, a figure slightly lower than the 49% recorded last year.
The volunteer programme ran from June 22 to July 31, and the 35 young participants have received a special reward in recent days in recognition of their work, according to the association.
Volunteers were able to choose between a try-dive with Arenal Diving, with four diving trips organised, and a day of games and water sports with Take Off, where they could use kayaks, paddleboards, a giant paddleboard and water torpedoes.
This year also saw the final try-dive outings that could not take place last year because of bad weather. These activities were organised with the Cornet de Tap diving centre in Santa Eulària.
During the various activities, participants were also offered drinks to share, together with a watermelon and melon supplied by the Forada Market and donated by Verduras Costa.
Volunteers assess what boaters know about Ibiza’s posidonia
The volunteers were coordinated by an environmental educator and marine scientist.
Through surveys conducted with people aboard motorboats and yachts anchored around the bay, the programme assessed their knowledge of posidonia and marine ecosystems, the handling of grey and black water, and other issues related to boating practices.
Twenty-four per cent of people aboard the boats declined to take part in the survey.
Among those who did respond, 45% did not know that they were anchored within a Reserve and/or ZEPA protected area.
Around 30% had no knowledge of posidonia, compared with half of those surveyed last year, while 15% did not know that anchoring on the seagrass was prohibited.
Salvem sa Badia says these figures make the volunteers’ work “even more valuable”.
Grey-water facilities remain a problem
There are also clear areas for improvement when it comes to waste-water management.
Half of the respondents who said they use grey-water emptying facilities at the port reported having problems accessing them or said that the facilities were not working.
Salvem sa Badia says there has been a “significant increase” compared with last year in the surveyed boaters’ knowledge of the ban on anchoring over posidonia.
The association concludes from the results that the efforts being made by public administrations “are bearing fruit”, while also highlighting the increased level of monitoring carried out by volunteer teams.
However, the organisation points to an important contradiction.
Despite the active monitoring service operating in the bay, almost half of the boats are still anchoring incorrectly.
The association also believes there is a structural problem with providing adequate facilities for the correct disposal of grey and black water.
A programme focused on protecting Ibiza’s marine environment
This year’s Es Voluntaris de sa Badia programme is partly funded through a grant from Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda.
The funding was processed through Alamar, a marine stewardship alliance bringing together environmental protection organisations from the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands, including Salvem sa Badia de Portmany.
The programme has also received logistical support from Club Nàutic Sant Antoni.
