Shrinking Maltese beaches: What can be done?

The sandy beaches of the Maltese Islands have suffered an ample loss of sand for numerous reasons. These are mostly due to anthropogenic activities such as alteration of valley courses, removal of seaweed banks from beaches, road construction on the backshore and coastal development projects.

At present, only 2.5% of the Maltese coastline comprises sandy and pebble beaches, and this value is set to continue decreasing even further. But what can be done? Is beach replenishment a feasible option?

Several attempts at beach replenishment have been undertaken in coastal areas around the Maltese Islands; one such project was undertaken at St George’s Bay in 2004, which probably remains the most “successful” project of the type implemented locally. But what does “success” look like? and what are the differences between the beach replenishment works carried out at St George’s Bay and those made elsewhere around the Maltese Islands?

The causes of this beach degradation and the loss of the Maltese beach will be discussed by Prof. Joseph A. Borg, Associate Professor in Biology at the University of Malta, as well as sharing the various implications of beach replenishment on the local marine environment.

So join Malta Cafe Scientifique on Wednesday, 7 October at Valletta’s St James Cavalier (Spazju Kreattiv) and be a part of the discussion on this gripping topic.

The event will start at 7.30pm (with doors open at 7.15pm). Currently the event is being presented online and physically at Spazju Kreattiv with a limited audience limit of 20 people. Interested people should register on the Facebook page

if you are planning to physically attend or join in digitally. For seats at Spazju Kreattiv these will be allocated on a first-come, firstserve basis and additional COVID safeguards will be put in place.