Soller
Port Ramassat – Marine Stewardship in Sóller
Port Ramassat – Marine Stewardship in Sóller is a participatory initiative aimed at restoring marine ecosystems and establishing a new model of community-based coastal governance in the Serra de Tramuntana, with a particular focus on Sóller Bay.
The project places strong emphasis on consolidating a Marine Protected Area in the Tramuntana, improving environmental conditions while ensuring the active involvement of all sectors connected to the sea. At the same time, it addresses pressing local challenges such as wastewater discharge into torrents and through the submarine outfall, nautical overcrowding, and the persistence of illegal fishing practices.
Through the consolidation of a citizen participation and consultation body — the Port Ramassat Platform — the initiative seeks to give voice to local communities and to co-design solutions collectively.
Leading Entity
Year
2025
Key Partnerns
FIM, Save the Med, Marilles Foundation, GOB
State of the Project
Ongoing
Keywords
Marine stewardship, local communities, regeneration, participation
Sustainable Development Goals
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The Challenge
The coastline of the Serra de Tramuntana is an area of exceptional ecological and cultural value. Historically, Sóller’s identity has been shaped by the deep interconnection between mountain landscapes, freshwater systems, and the Mediterranean Sea. Traditional irrigation systems, water storage structures, torrents, wetlands, artisanal fishing, and maritime trade have sustained this territory for centuries.
Despite UNESCO World Heritage recognition and other terrestrial protection figures, marine protection remains insufficient. The absence of effective marine management has contributed to increasing degradation in recent decades, driven by declining water quality due to wastewater discharges, nautical and coastal overcrowding, overexploitation of marine resources and growth of illegal and unregulated fishing.
Scientific studies have shown biomass levels comparable to areas affected by sustained overfishing. At the same time, most marine impacts originate on land, breaking the natural equilibrium between terrestrial and marine systems and highlighting the urgent need for integrated governance.
Sóller also has a long history of civic mobilisation in favour of a Marine Protected Area between Ses Puntes and Morro d’en Llobera, led by local initiatives such as the Club Nàutic de Sóller and supported by a broad social consensus and scientific basis. However, ensuring that such protection is effectively managed, inclusive, and adequately resourced remains a key challenge.
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The Solution
Port Ramassat proposes a participatory marine stewardship model rooted in local empowerment and cross-sector collaboration.
The initiative is structured around the Port Ramassat Platform, a local participatory body established in late 2024 / early 2025. The name Ramassat, derived from French, means “ordered and well-kept” — reflecting both the historical French influence in Sóller’s culture and the collective aspiration for a healthier, well-managed coastline.
The Platform brings together around 30 representatives from the artisanal fishing sector, diving and maritime sectors, environmental NGOs, public institutions, research centers and local civil society.
Since 2025, the Fundació Iniciatives del Mediterrani has assumed general coordination at the request of the local community. Its role is to provide capacity building, structure, technical support, fundraising, and strategic alignment — acting as a catalyst to transform civic mobilisation into effective, coordinated action under a shared narrative of regeneration.
Key Initiatives
The project is articulated around four main objectives:
1. Improvement of Water Quality (Land and Sea)
2. Addressing Nautical and Coastal Overcrowding
3. Protection of Marine Resources and Ecosystems
4. Promotion of Sustainable Artisanal Fisheries
Impact
Port Ramassat contributes to:
- Strengthening community-led marine governance
- Increasing social consensus around marine protection
- Improving ecological monitoring and environmental awareness
- Supporting the transition toward sustainable fisheries
- Reinforcing the cultural identity of Sóller as a land–sea territory
- Bridging terrestrial and marine regeneration efforts
By integrating citizen participation, scientific knowledge, and institutional collaboration, the initiative builds the foundations for long-term ecological recovery and resilient coastal management.
Key Partners
- Fundació Iniciatives del Mediterrani (FIM) – Project coordination, facilitation, capacity building
- Save the Med – Technical expertise and marine conservation support
- Marilles Foundation – Strategic support for marine protection in the Balearic Islands
- GOB – Environmental advocacy and local engagement
The initiative also collaborates with local fishers, diving centres, research institutions, and municipal authorities.
Future Outlook
In the coming years, Port Ramassat aims to: Consolidate the Marine Protected Area of the Tramuntana Ensure that protection is backed by effective governance and adequate resources Strengthen cross-sector co-management structures Expand citizen science and environmental education programmes Position Sóller as a Mediterranean benchmark for participatory marine stewardship By aligning ecological restoration with community empowerment, Port Ramassat seeks to transform Sóller Bay into a living example of regenerative coastal governance.
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