Fishing Nets and Other Debris Removed from Serra Gelada Coastline to Restore Marine Bed

150,000 euros are invested annually by the Department of Environment in the removal of fishing nets and other debris lost in the coastal area of the Serra Gelada Natural Park to restore its marine bed. One of the focal points of these efforts is the coastal area of Illot de Benidorm, a zone where numerous human activities converge, which, despite efforts to make them sustainable, have over time left collateral impacts on the area.

The Director General of Natural and Animal Environment, Luis Gomis, participated in one of these cleaning operations, highlighting the importance of restoring "the good environmental condition of marine habitats, making the removal of lost fishing gear and other elements essential to restore the Mediterranean's health."

"A clean sea is a sea full of life, and it is essential to avoid waste that harms our ecosystem," he added. He also emphasized the growing involvement of private companies and other organizations in actions aimed at improving the environmental state of protected marine areas. "The sea belongs to everyone, and we must all take care of it," Gomis stated.

The Generalitat has a Coastguard Team for Protected Natural Areas with bases in Serra Gelada, Cabo de San Antonio, and Irta. In the case of Serra Gelada, a collaboration agreement has been established for the surveillance and management of the marine area between the Generalitat, the municipalities of Benidorm, l'Alfàs del Pi, and Altea, as well as the Altea Nautical Club.

Similarly, various abandoned elements in the marine bed that could alter its conservation status, such as remnants of illegal mooring systems, ropes, plastics, tires, etc., are periodically removed.

The operation was carried out with the collaboration of the company AVRAMAR, which provided its crane-equipped vessel, Casa Mediterráneo, and the Nisos diving center, along with the Oceanogràfic Foundation, and involved the removal of abandoned fishing gear in La Llosa and tires accumulated in the Benidorm dock area.