The Councillor for Environment is to present a motion at the next plenary session of the Council requesting collaboration from the Department of Environment in a project to protect, preserve and enhance the seabed along the Nerja coastline and, as a result, increase tourism.
The Councillor believes the initiative will result in an abundance of fish in the area and an increase in recreational diving and tourism. The motion calls for the issuing of the necessary permits to carry out such a project.
The initiative is called ‘Protection of the seabed and seagrass meadows’ and involves sinking several boats to create artificial reefs and creating beds of various flowering sea plants at depths of between 10 and 20 metres. The artificial reefs would not only allow for the protection of these flower beds, but would provide an environment for fish as well as hindering illegal trawling along the coast.
Local companies have already provided two wooden boats suitable for sinking at strategic points.
The budget for the project, including ongoing maintenance, is €400,000. Private companies have expressed an interest in collaboration and the Council now wants participation from various administrative bodies.
John says:
What a lovely idea, but will they repair the several breaks in the sewage pipe that is leaking raw sewage from Nerja into the sea at various points?
Better still, build a sewage treatment plant. Now there’s a good idea.
Surely eliminating raw sewage from the sea would be the first step towards ‘preserving and enhancing the seabed along the Nerja coastline, and increasing tourism’.
will says:
I totally agree with johns views, get the sewage issue under control and the marine conservation as well as the tourists will flourish.
I again don’t hold my breath for a resolution to the sewage issue, lets hope its not just words this time but a real effort to finally stop the beautiful Nerja being spoilt by something that can be prevented.