Calls to protect sea grass grow
Posidonia meadows under threat
EXPERTS are calling for urgent action to protect the meadows of posidonia seagrass before they suffer irreversible damage.
The beds of posidonia oceanica create a valuable but fragile ecosystem off the Mediterranean coast but are threatened by human activity – with fleets of boats dropping anchor and illicit trawling identified as the worst offenders.
IROX, the Jávea oceanographic research institute, is calling on local politicians to step up moves to protect the valuable natural resource.
Jávea town hall has already launched a campaign to save the underwater resource; including urging the regional government to legislate and, locally, an educational programme involving schools, fishermen, and recreational associations, including yacht clubs.
IROX fears the posidonia meadows are heading for a ‘ tipping point’ because of the pressures on the environment.
Its members said this summer’s pictures of coves crowded with boats – many anchored in the posidonia meadows – ‘ gave testimony’ to the ‘ environmental damage’ caused to a resource which helped guarantee marine diversity. And the body is demanding action with new council bylaws.
It wants the numbers of boats to be limited, more ecofriendly mooring, and marine craft banned from entering certain areas.
IROX also wants information boards at marinas and harbours to warn about the need to protect the environment and list the penalties for breaking local legislation.
The institute has joined other environmental groups stressing the need for action to save the seagrass and its ‘ important role’.
It said the grass retained sediment and nutrients, oxygenated the water and was ‘ essential’ in the battle against climate change.
In a statement, IROX noted: “Although the posidonia oceanica is strongly protected as a habitat and species under European and state legislation, we do not have an autonomous decree – as already exists in the Balearic Islands – that regulates activities suffered by these meadows.
“On the Marina Alta the main pressures are illegal trawling, the cumulative effect of anchoring boats, the discharge of poorly treated water,
industrial waste, fertilisers and desalination brines, and beach cleaning operations.”
The organisation said over the last 10 years demographic and tourist pressures had intensified and, combined with the additional threat of climate change, had harmed a valuable natural resource.
IROX concluded that people were not aware of the need to
take care of the environment as they enjoyed leisure activities.
“If they do not stop to think and continue with these practices, we will reach a point of no return; which will lead to the total disappearance of the ecosystem and, therefore, of our coastline as we know it today,” it warned.