The island of Šćedro stretches along the southern coast of Hvar, measuring six and a half kilometers in length and one and a half kilometers in width, with a total area of just 8.4 km². It has beautiful beaches and clear waters, and is characterized by peace, quiet, and the aromatic scents of Mediterranean flora. What makes this significant landscape so special and attractive is its unusually indented coastline — from the air, it looks like the clouds we used to draw as children. This unique feature attracts numerous sailors each season.
Šćedro, in Old Slavic, means “merciful” or “kind,” as sailors used to find shelter in its northern harbors during storms and strong winds. To this day, many still seek refuge in its bays for the same reason.
However, to ensure that Šćedro remains a peaceful oasis filled with natural beauty where anyone can find shelter and tranquility, it is important that sailors practice sustainable maritime habits, including avoiding anchoring in Posidonia meadows. To investigate where sailors anchor near Šćedro’s shores, we teamed up with the Public Institution for the Management of Protected Areas in the Split-Dalmatia County Sea and Karst.
Information campaign on Šćedro
As part of the Interreg EFFICIENTN2K project, Sunce and Sea and Karst organized an information campaign on Šćedro on August 21. The island is part of the ecological network area “Šćedro – Underwater.” In addition to Sunce and Sea and Karst, the action involved the Harbor Master’s Office in Split, Hvar branch, Prijatelji Šćedra Ltd., and the Split-Dalmatia County (Department of Tourism, Maritime Affairs, and Transportation).
– The goal of the project is to enhance surveillance capacity and effectively implement protection in protected areas, with a focus on Natura 2000 sites. As part of this project, we conducted analyses to identify the main pressures on these areas, and aside from marine litter, the biggest issues we identified were anchoring, the discharge of wastewater, and fishing, – explained Vida Zrnčić, Expert Associate at the Nature Conservation Department at Sunce, who spoke with nearly 20 sailors that day about the issue of anchoring.
She explained them that when anchoring, they should avoid Posidonia meadows whenever possible. Anchor should also be retrieved in a way that minimizes damage to marine habitats and species, avoiding disruption of the seabed, which can harm Posidonia. This marine plant is extremely sensitive, as it only grows in the Mediterranean and at a rate of just one centimeter per year. Because of all that, Posidonia is protected by law in Croatia
– The role of Posidonia meadows in maintaining the balance of the marine environment is immeasurable, which is why they are listed as priority habitats within the European ecological network Natura 2000, – Vida emphasized repeatedly to the sailors during the campaign.
Regular information and warnings for sailors are necessary
To help sailors retain this crucial information, we distributed informational leaflets and waterproof bags with the label “I’m a Posidonia keeper”.
– The sailors we encountered at the nautical mooring on Šćedro were mostly moored on organized buoy system. We explained to them that ecological permanent anchoring systems protect Posidonia from being damaged by boat’s anchors. We also emphasized the importance of this habitat for other plant and animal species. Guests from Italy and Spain were already familiar with Posidonia because of strong campaigns for its protection that are carried out in their countries. Unfortunately, we also came across some sailors anchoring within nautical anchorage field. The harbor master’s office intervened, warning them that it is forbidden to anchor within 150 meters of the mooring field toward the open sea, as well as within it or near the shore. Everyone responded positively and moved their boats, – explained Jelena Kurtović Mrčelić from Sea and Karst, who has prior experience with such campaigns. If you are interested in how our first information campaign as part of EFFICIENTN2K at Zlatni Rat looked like, check out the article.
Ana Marija Jakas, a representative of the island’s anchorage concession company, is aware of how necessary all these measures are for the area.
– Every concessionaire has a Rulebook on the order and operation of the mooring site, approved by the Harbor Master’s Office, which allows us to remove sailors if they violate the Rulebook. The problem is that the only thing we can do is warn, talk, and negotiate with the sailor — we don’t have the authority to force them to leave if they refuse. We fall under the jurisdiction of the Harbor Master’s Office in Split, Jelsa branch, which has the authority to sanction offenders when the violations we witness daily occur. Unfortunately, they don’t have a boat, so they can’t get to the field, leaving us to fend for ourselves. I believe the situation would greatly improve if the harbor master’s office conducted more frequent, unannounced inspections.Word would spread quickly, and sailors would undoubtedly become more cautious and adhere to regulations, which would also help us, as concessionaires, maintain order and safety in the bays where our concession areas are located. If everything functioned perfectly, I believe we could invest more energy and time into organizing activities to protect nature. In particular, we would like to do something to protect the underwater environment around the island because Šćedro’s status as a protected landscape only covers the land, – Jakas said.
Collaboration is the best solution
As one of the legal obligations of concessionaires is to collect waste from moored vessels, Ana Marija Jakas, a representative of the concession company on Šćedro, showed us the “Nautical Box” – a promotional kit with bags for waste separation that is distributed since 2020. The box also features a QR code with various useful information for sailors. So, by fulfilling the concessionaire’s duty, at the same time practical information are offered for sailors.
Sadly, as we witnessed in the field, sailor awareness remains low – otherwise, they wouldn’t anchor in Posidonia, moortheir boats to trees on the shore, or discharge wastewater.
– While sailing around Šćedro, we noticed traces of wastewater in two spots. This is a significant issue, as it can lead to changes in nutrient levels, the number and diversity of organisms, the accumulation of organic and inorganic compounds, and disruptions in the food chain. Discharging wastewater into the sea is illegal. This shows that we still have much work to do in raising awareness among sailors on the Adriatic, – Zrnčić stated.
After conducting the field campaign, discussions turned to potential solutions for Šćedro. The consensus was that a collective effort is necessary.
– We need to focus on multiple fronts: informing sailors, strengthening surveillance, particularly by the harbor master’s office, developing ecological nautical mooring sites, and gradually introducing a complete ban on anchoring in Posidonia meadows, – explained Kurtović Mrčelić.
Until these systems are perfected, we urge all sailors to sail responsibly on the Adriatic and protect marine ecosystems! You can learn how by reading our series of articles from the online summer campaign, And Where Do You Anchor?.
