ANADE, the association of Balearic marinas have presented a proposal to the local government to increase the number of berths available through the islands by 10,000 with special reference to accommodating more ´megayachts´.
In the report presented by the Associations president, Bartomeu Bestard of Alcudiamar they reminded the government that they themselves have admitted that the demand in the Summer cannot be met. An estimated 15,000 yachts are forced to anchor off because of the flood of visiting yachts and lack of moorings available in the high season.
ANADE say that by ´imaginative solutions´, without building new marinas, through extensions, optimizing the current space and construction of ´dry marinas´ this problem could be solved to a great extent.
Bestard also made it clear that the marinas are obviously committed to protecting the environment and that these anchored yachts cause pollution whilst not contributing to the costs of environmental cleaning because they cannot moor up and get rid of their waste in an eco-friendly manner.
The association also stated that the majority of yachtsmen are equally worried and careful about pollution which they claim is mainly caused by merchant ships, and rubbish from the various ´torrentes´ that feed into the sea.