Came across this sobering article from View Mallorca about beach erosion. Some key facts that shocked me:
- 20% of Mallorca’s beaches lose about 0.5 metres every year
- 70% of the sand actually comes from organisms living in Posidonia meadows, not rock erosion
- Caló des Moro loses 50 kg of sand EVERY DAY from the 4,000 daily visitors
- Beaches could halve in size by end of century
- The bunkers at Es Trenc, once built on dry land, now have their feet in the water – 14 metres of coastline gone
The good news is the Balearics are pioneers in Posidonia protection. Since 2018, boats can’t anchor in seagrass meadows. And Manacor council has been recovering Posidonia from other beaches to protect S’Illot.
What are your thoughts? Have you noticed changes at your favourite beaches? Do you think enough is being done to protect the coastline?
The Caló des Moro stat is terrifying – 50 kg of sand per day lost to visitors’ towels and skin. When you multiply that across all the popular calas, the scale of the problem becomes clear.
I’ve definitely noticed changes at Formentor over the years. The beach used to feel much wider. And at Platja de Palma the concession areas are visibly eating into public space.
The Posidonia angle is what people need to understand most. Without it, no sand, no clear water, no natural wave protection. Every time I see a boat anchored over seagrass it makes me cringe.
As a diver I see the Posidonia damage firsthand. The anchoring ban has helped but enforcement is still inconsistent, especially in summer when there are thousands of charter boats out there.
The Manacor council approach of redistributing Posidonia from beaches that don’t want it is clever. We need more of that kind of thinking.
One thing I’d add – the dead Posidonia on beaches in winter looks messy but it’s doing essential work protecting the sand. I wish more municipalities would leave it rather than clearing it for aesthetics.
Beach conservation is close to our hearts. This article is part of our Sustainability 2030 series, where we explore the environmental challenges and solutions shaping Mallorca’s future. More features on Posidonia protection and coastal management coming soon.