The summer has arrived, and with it an increase in recreational craft traffic and the resulting mass anchorages along the length of the coastline.
The Direcció General de Pesca i Afers Marítims (Directorate-General of Fishing and Maritime Affairs) has published the Best practice protocol guide for mooring and anchorage, of special interest to sailors and boat owners.
This guide seeks to raise awareness and educate sailors on the negative effects disrespectful practices of recreational craft have on marine habitats full of living organisms, which degrade zones that are protected for their high biological value.
For this reason, a series of marine phanerogam maps have been compiled by different administrations in order to publish one comprehensive map, essential for the sustainable planning of different activities in the marine environment.
Marine phanerogams
Marine phanerogams (Posidonia, Zostera, Cymodocea), that cover around 100 km2, are found very close to the coast, exposed to human activity. The plants form meadows, constituting complex ecosystems and playing an essential role in marine biological cycles. They are used as a place for laying eggs, spawning and the reproduction of many fish species (cuttlefish, red mullet, scorpion fish, sea bream, etc.).
They are essential for the stabilisation of the coastline, as well as being a good bioindicator of sea pollution, and, together with terrestrial woodlands, contribute to mitigating climate change.
Coral Yachting
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