Our AI-Powered Study Highlights the Environmental Pressure of Nautical Tourism on the Pakleni Islands
SeaCras presented the final results of our Coastal Intelligence study at the VI. meeting of the Pakleni Island Committee in Hvar, where representatives, institutions, and local stakeholders gathered to discuss the growing pressure of nautical tourism on one of Croatia’s most valuable island areas.
Presented by Josip Karadža and Robert Šulc, the study focused on maritime activity in the Pakleni Islands archipelago, using SeaCras’ AI-enabled Coastal Intelligence operational centre to map vessel presence, anchoring patterns, and areas of increased environmental pressure of nautical tourism across the 2023 and 2025 seasons.
The findings confirm what many coastal communities are increasingly experiencing: nautical tourism is growing, but without high-quality monitoring and actionable data, its impact can remain difficult to measure, manage, and respond to in time.
Our study results were also featured in Slobodna Dalmacija’s regional coverage, highlighting the scale of nautical pressure recorded across the Pakleni Islands.
From Vessel Detection to Smarter Coastal Protection
According to the analysis, vessels were recorded across the entire archipelago, with the highest concentration in the bays of Vinogradišće, Palmižana, and Ždrilca. During peak season, between 10:00 and 12:00, up to 500 vessels were recorded in the waters of the Pakleni Islands, while total daily numbers were even higher.
The study also revealed clear behavioural patterns. Around 50% of vessels used anchoring, while approximately 30% were tied to the shore, mostly smaller vessels up to 12 metres in length. The most common vessels were between 10 and 16 metres long, representing 43% of recorded boats. Vessels under 10 metres accounted for 37%, those between 16 and 24 metres for 13%, while vessels over 24 metres represented 7%.
One of the most concerning findings was that 57% of vessels were anchored above strictly protected Posidonia oceanica habitats, especially in the areas of Soline, Prevojice, and Ždrilca. Posidonia meadows are among the most important marine ecosystems in the Mediterranean, playing a key role in biodiversity protection, seabed stability, water quality, and carbon storage.
The analysis also identified cases of large vessels being moored to trees and nearby coastal vegetation, creating additional pressure not only on the seabed but also on the fragile coastal landscape.p
For SeaCras, this study demonstrates the practical value of Coastal Intelligence: transforming satellite data, AI analysis, and maritime monitoring into clear insights that can support decision-making, conservation planning, and more responsible destination management.
Encouragingly, the public institution ‘More i Krš’, together with local authorities, is already working to turn these findings into concrete action aimed at protecting the Pakleni Islands and preserving their long-term ecological value.
As pressure of nautical tourism on coastal and marine areas continues to increase, especially in high-demand nautical destinations, data-driven monitoring is becoming essential. With solutions such as SeaCras’ Coastal Intelligence, ports, coastal communities, public institutions, and tourism stakeholders can better understand what is happening at sea — and act before environmental pressure turns into lasting damage.
