The Calp Town Council has completed the installation of eco-friendly moorings at Cantal Roig beach and Penyal cove. These low-impact mooring systems will allow boats to secure their vessels and prevent damage to the Posidonia seagrass meadows.
The Mayor of Calp, Ana Sala, and the Councillor for the Environment and Beaches, Pere Moll, visited the area where the eco-friendly buoys have been installed this morning to learn about the infrastructure and how it works.
A total of 20 mooring systems have been installed: 10 off Cantal Roig beach and 10 off Penyal cove, in the southern part of La Fossa beach. These two areas are frequented by recreational boats. Furthermore, these beaches are home to meadows of two protected seagrasses: Cymodocea nodosa on Cantal Roig beach and Posidonia oceanica on La Fossa beach, considered the two most important marine plants in the Mediterranean.
Both species are included in the Valencian Government's Decree for the conservation of seagrass meadows in the Valencian Community, which stipulates that anchoring over these high-value meadows is only permitted using low-impact systems.
These anchoring systems consist of a surface buoy for mooring vessels, attached to a structure fixed to the seabed by a mooring base. This base, in addition to ensuring the system's stability, acts as a biotope and ecological refuge, promoting increased biodiversity in the surrounding area.
“These structures will replace the traditional moorings that caused serious damage to the protected seagrass beds, a key marine habitat for biodiversity and water quality. At the same time, these low-impact ecological systems will become veritable fish nurseries and safe breeding grounds,” stated Councilor Pere Moll.
The work, carried out by the company Sealand On Offshore Services SL, was awarded for €42,000. This project is part of Calp's Destination Tourism Sustainability Plan (PSTD) within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, financed by Next Generation EU funds.
