Lorraine Williamson
Each summer, the Costa Brava fills with yachts, speedboats, and jet skis. For visitors, it is a dream of turquoise waters and rocky coves. However, for those who live or swim here, the picture is very different. The bays are crammed with vessels, seabeds scarred by anchors, and there is a rising sense of danger in the water.
Spanish law is unambiguous. Boats must keep at least 50 metres from the rocks and respect marked swimming areas. Yet in the busiest stretch, between Palamós and Begur, the rules are routinely ignored. Swimmers and kayakers say they feel increasingly unsafe. “Never before has it been so chaotic,” one resident complained. “It’s dangerous and absurd.”
A fragile ecosystem under pressure
The impact goes far beyond beachgoers. Anchors tear through meadows of Neptune grass – a plant found only in the Mediterranean and vital to its biodiversity. Heavy chains scour the seabed, while leaking fuel creates slicks that coat the water’s surface. Even seabirds are at risk: once their plumage is tainted by oil, they lose the natural protection needed to survive. What may look like harmless leisure can devastate ecosystems that have taken centuries to form.
Environmental educators step in
Faced with mounting complaints, the Catalan government tried a different tactic this summer. In the Natura 2000 reserve of Baix Empordà, two environmental educators were deployed to patrol bays, speak with skippers, and explain the rules of anchoring. They also gathered information on boating behaviour and worked alongside police to address breaches. Officials describe the experiment as a success, saying the presence of educators raised awareness and also acted as a deterrent.
Frustration and sabotage in Mont-ras
Not all local efforts have gone smoothly. In the coastal village of Mont-ras, buoys placed to protect swimming areas were sabotaged and removed within days — the third such incident in just two years. The result has been open conflict between swimmers and boaters, with locals feeling abandoned by the authorities.
Environmental group SOS Costa Brava voiced its anger directly on X, warning: “Cales de Mont-ras, desprotegides. Després del robatori de balises, la zona de bany al PEIN Cap Roig-Castell està ocupada per embarcacions 🚤, posant en risc a banyistes. 📢 Exigim mesures urgents per garantir la seguretat i protegir el medi marí!”
The federation argues that municipalities cannot resolve the issue alone. They are calling for a joint strategy and strict rules on anchoring, pointing to the recurring sabotage as proof of deep divisions. In a symbolic protest, campaigners even formed a human barrier of swimmers and kayakers to block boats from entering a bay.
A coastline at a crossroads
The Costa Brava’s beauty has always been its greatest asset, but the crush of summer traffic is now testing its resilience. Without consistent rules and shared responsibility, both its wild charm and its marine life are at risk. Whether through education, enforcement, or collective action, the choices made in the coming years will decide if this Mediterranean treasure can endure — above and below the waterline.
Source: es.ara.cat