Councillor Lafuente presents the device at the port of Fornells, which reinforces maritime security, environmental surveillance and the control of irregular activities on the Menorcan coast.

The Minister of the Sea and the Water Cycle, Juan Manuel Lafuente, today presented in the port of Fornells the four vessels that operate in Menorca within the surveillance, inspection and control device of the coastline and port support promoted by Ports de les Illes Balears (PortsIB), which is now fully operational this year.

The event was also attended by the president of the Menorca Island Council, Adolfo Vilafranca; the island councilor Simón Gornés, and the councilors of the Es Mercadal City Council, Carlos Rotger and Tóbal Pons.

The four vessels assigned to Menorca are part of a fleet of 22 units deployed by the Balearic Islands Government to strengthen surveillance, inspection, and control of coastal activity and improve port management. Specifically, two units operate from the ports of Maó and Ciutadella within the Coastal Surveillance, Inspection, and Control Service, with the capacity to act at any point along the coast as needed. The other two vessels are based in the ports of Ciutadella and Fornells and support internal PortsIB operations, contributing to more agile and efficient management of port facilities.

During the presentation, Councillor Juan Manuel Lafuente highlighted that "this year Menorca already has a fully operational service that allows us to strengthen the protection of the coastline, improve the control of activities carried out at sea and offer a more agile response to any incident."

Lafuente stressed that "coastal surveillance is a fundamental tool to guarantee coexistence between the different uses of the sea, preserve our natural environment and ensure that nautical activity is carried out within the legal framework and with all the safety guarantees."

The service carries out surveillance, inspection, and control of the public maritime domain and coastal waters, with particular attention to nautical and recreational activities. Its functions include detecting irregular activities, controlling the illegal rental of vessels, monitoring unauthorized anchorages, verifying documentation and administrative permits, and collaborating with other administrations and surveillance bodies present along the coast.

This measure complements the actions that the Balearic Islands Government is carrying out jointly with the Civil Guard to combat illegal nautical chartering. Since 2019, the number of sanctioning proceedings initiated for irregular activities related to boat rentals has increased by 853%, rising from 17 cases that year to 162 registered during 2025, of which 61 correspond to Menorca.

With the service now fully operational in Menorca, the Government reinforces its commitment to more efficient management of the coastline, the protection of the marine environment and the safety of sea users.