Jet-ski off s'Arenal: Who owns the space in the sea?

Jet-ski off s'Arenal: Who owns the space in the sea?

Main question: Should a 22,500 square metre area off Llucmajor be released for a commercial jet-ski course?

A provider has applied to operate a circuit off the coast of s'Arenal with a floating platform where up to eight jet-skis could moor. The area would be roughly 22,500 square metres and about one kilometre from the beach. The coastal authority will have to decide in the end; objections are still possible. A similar project in Magaluf failed after protests.

It sounds like a typical summer scene: engines, laughing tourists, selfies over the water. But between the smell of sea salt on the Passeig Marítim and the noise such a course can create, there is more than just a leisure offer.

Critical analysis: The basic facts — size, distance from the beach, platform capacity — raise several practical and legal questions. A core question is: What concrete impact will the operation have on the safety of bathers and smaller boats? A course one kilometre from shore can drift much closer to the coast during a stormy afternoon; every boat operator here knows the currents and winds off Mallorca. A second problem is noise. Eight jet-skis in close proximity, regularly starting and stopping, create a different soundscape than occasional sport boats. For residents on Playa de Palma or for older people who walk by the sea in the mornings, this is not a minor issue.

What is missing from the public debate: concrete data. The application documents should provide information on operating hours, noise levels, emergency plans, environmental compatibility and insurance. Such points often remain vague or are regulated later by conditions. Transparency now would be important so that residents, beach operators, fisheries and conservation groups can file informed objections or agree. Also rarely discussed is maritime traffic density: How will sailors, SUP paddlers and local fishers be signalled or rerouted? Who is liable if private recreational boats collide with the course?

Everyday scene: On a clear morning near the Balneario I often feel the roar of the waves and hear vendors on the paseo setting up sunshades. Fishing boats set their nets, and children build sandcastles at the waterline. A commercial circuit there changes that routine. Even small changes — more motorboats, more routing systems on the water — alter the familiar picture of s'Arenal.

Concrete solutions: Instead of accepting or rejecting the application outright, the authority could impose graduated conditions. Examples:

- Limit operating hours: only mornings and early evenings, rest days during peak season.

- Noise limits and technical standards: allow only modern, muffled two-stroke/four-stroke models or electric jet-skis.

- Environmental protection measures: mandatory environmental impact assessment with a focus on harbour porpoises, seabirds and seagrass meadows; fixed safety distances to known ecosystems.

- Rules for sea traffic: clear marking of the course, permanent monitoring by a rescue or control platform, emergency protocols with the harbour and coast guard.

- Involvement of local stakeholders: mandatory consultation of the Llucmajor municipality, beach operators, fishermen and tourism businesses; transparent publication of reports before a final decision.

Other possible steps are a pilot phase with a time limit and strict controls, as well as a financial guarantee from the operator for environmental damage and accidents.

Concise conclusion: A jet-ski course is not a purely technical project to be rubber-stamped. It is about noise, safety, recreation and the use of public spaces — things that shape daily life on the coast. The coastal authority now has the chance to treat the project not as a yes-or-no decision but as an opportunity for clear rules. If authorities, operators and neighbours negotiate openly and concretely at this stage, a compromise that preserves comfort and coastal protection may be possible. If not, a repeat of the Magaluf pattern looms: protest, rejection and wasted time.