Norte De Menorca

To protect Menorca’s coastline and preserve sea creatures in this area, as a tool to control fishing.

Species of Concern: multiple

Restrictions

Any activity that may affect living marine resources is subject to regulation (specific to the area's three zones), and all activities for the extraction of marine flora or fauna and underwater activities must be necessary.
1. Trawling, purse seine fishing, bottom longline fishing and surface fishing are prohibited in the marine reserve.
2. Competitions are not permitted.
3. Underwater fishing is prohibited.
4. It is expressly prohibited for vessels navigating the waters of the marine reserve and for persons and vehicles circulating in the maritime-terrestrial public domain area immediately adjacent to the marine reserve to carry underwater fishing rifles.
5. Under no circumstances will underwater dredging be allowed in the reserves.
6. Diving requires a permit and the following restrictions apply:
- Diving inside underwater caves is prohibited.
- Handling or feeding of the species is prohibited.
- In all cases, scuba divers or free divers are prohibited from carrying, both while diving and on boats, any type of instrument that can be used for fishing or extracting marine species (except the safety knife).

Allowed

Regular and periodic biological and fishing monitoring is allowed to understand the evolution of marine resources and fishing activities.
1. Professional fishing is allowed with minor fishing gear only by vessels belonging to the Fornells and Ciutadella guilds and those vessels that prove that they are regulars in the area. Gear restrictions for the Bay of Fornells and Zone B differ from the remaining area. Please see the regulations for more information. The permitted gear and equipment under certain conditions are: gill nets, trammel nets, mullet nets, and caramel nets. For fixed gear, the following can be used: solta, almadraba, and moruna. Other usable gear includes: llampuguera (for catching dolphinfish), small longline, surface and bottom trolling lines, handline, squid jig, lobster pot, and octopus pot.
2. Recreational fishing is allowed on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays only in part of the reserve. The permitted gear are: handline and rod (only one gear per fisherman), with a maximum of 6 hooks from the shore and 4 from a boat. Additionally, squid jig, harpoon (only for daytime fishing), dip net, surface and bottom trolling lines, and cast net with special authorization from the Island Council are allowed. Puu shellfish can be harvested with 1 rope and 2 bous per harvester. For all types of recreational fishing, except for raor fishing , a minimum hook size of 7 mm internal width (sinus) is established.
3. Sports diving is allowed with an individual or collective permit, issued by the competent body in the matter. There are two areas suitable for diving:
1) The waters surrounding the Cape Cavalleria peninsula are divided into five sectors, each of which is open to a maximum of 50 dives per day, except in sector 4b of sa Nitja, where a maximum of 2 dives per day may be authorised. In order to obtain authorisations for sa Nitja, prior authorisation from the governing body is required.
2)The rest of the marine reserve, except in special protection areas, where diving will be free and without daily limitations.