Drive to protect garigue at Blue Lagoon
Photo: Chris Sant Fournier
Signs will be installed at Blue Lagoon in Comino warning day visitors not to place umbrellas and sunbeds on the protected garigue.
Hiring out beach furniture on the tiny beach there is regulated through a tender awarded by the Malta Tourism Authority last month but a spokesman said the planning authority was “concerned” about the “spilling over” of furniture on to the nearby garigue.
The sandy beach is usually packed with deckchairs and umbrellas, mainly placed there by the authorised operators but also by day visitors who bring their own beach furniture, which very often spill on to the protected garigue because of lack of space.
The site had three pending enforcement notices, issued against different operators, for illegally placing umbrellas and sunbeds without a permit but a tender by the MTA came into force in August regulating the activity.
Photographs taken by The Times indicate that many people take their beach equipment onto the surrounding garigue, which is protected, when they do not find space on the crammed beach.
Comino, which has an area of 3.5 square kilometres, is a Natura 2000 protected site.
The planning authority spokesman said that following a recent site inspection carried out with MTA officials, “the authority is satisfied that the designated area for umbrellas and deckchairs is in accordance with the tender and is respected”. What worried the authority were those people, including those bringing their own beach equipment, moving onto the protected garigue.
“To safeguard Comino’s biodiversity, the authority will be installing signage around the Blue Lagoon area indicating the zones where beach furniture can and cannot be placed,” the spokesman said.
An MTA spokesman too said the recent inspection indicated no major infringements in the designated areas.Minor issues like the lack of displayed prices were discussed on site for immediate correction, the spokesman added, noting that the area was monitored on a “regular basis” since the permits, which allow 35 sunbeds per operator, came into force on August 4.
Last week, officials from both the planning authority and the MTA reminded the operators of the permit conditions and the areas where beach furniture was allowed.
In case of a possible breach, the planning authority had said it would investigate and “take appropriate action to safeguard Comino from the placing of umbrellas and deckchairs in restricted areas”.
The planning authority spokesman said a management plan would be drawn up for Comino that would include regular monitoring to ensure the site’s integrity. At present, the law contemplates no penalties for those caught on the reserved areas. However, the spokesman said this would be tackled in the management plan.
“Meanwhile, the authority would like to take the opportunity to remind the public that we all bear a responsibility in safeguarding our natural heritage,” the spokesman added.
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16 Comments
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Ms Francesca Abela
Sep 2nd 2011, 23:32
Get Comino back to the way it was - remove the obscene unbrellas and deckchairs taking up every available space and restore it to what it was in the pre- mass tourism days. The beauty of Comino was it's unspoiltness. Now it's just another tourist trap where the land sharks misuse to make more money!
Mr James Tyrrell
Sep 3rd 2011, 11:09
Well said Francesca.
Mr James Tyrrell
Sep 1st 2011, 12:37
“To safeguard Comino’s biodiversity, the authority will be installing signage around the Blue Lagoon area indicating the zones where beach furniture can and cannot be placed,” the spokesman said." It's heart warming to see all this concern about a Natura 2000 protected site and then we remember that Dwejra is also a Natura 2000 protected site and the same authority allowed the dumping of 40 lorry loads of waste there!
There should be no umbrellas or sunbeds or anything else anywhere on Comino controlled or otherwise. When I went to the beach as a young lad I took a towel. I can't understand this obsession with sunbeds and umbrellas. It's like people who go camping and use a caravan so that they have all the comforts of home whilst they are 'roughing' it. Comino is there to be enjoyed as it is not to be turned into some plastic landscape.
Mr Mario Gauci
Sep 1st 2011, 12:06
As if this is going to make a difference.
What we should be doing if we really want to be ahead of the competition is to make arrangments where tourists and locals can have a great and comfortable day in cimoino.
John Scerri
Sep 1st 2011, 11:51
Proposal :
Yacht marinas at Msida and Birgu have floating platforms...Can something similar to cater for only bathers be constructed with sun protection canopies?
IN this way the areas in the photo can be declared out of bounds and bathers and at the same time enjoy a swim.
Mr R Bartolo
Sep 1st 2011, 11:34
All well and good, but a perfect display of the double standards at Mepa, which willingly doles out permits to suffocate many acres of garigue in places like Bahrija under piles of construction rubble which would eventually be covered by a layer of topsoil, for the commercial production of grapes.
Mr Tony Gatt
Sep 1st 2011, 11:34
What a ghastly sight! I'm glad I swim in St. Thomas' Bay. Please don't all go there!
J. De Bono
Sep 1st 2011, 10:53
This is all so hypocritical, the authority only wants to pretend to care about Comino as anyone in their right mind can tell you if you want to preserve the area you must remove everything, no road, no birthing of boats, no sun beds, no umbrellas nothing. I think this would be perfect for the area, if you want to get there you either swim ashore or walk from a neighbouring beach. This will also help to keep down the numbers and intern all the rubbish found there nowadays. Though lets me honest if it doesn’t make them money or open doors for back hander’s they certainly wouldn’t even consider it.
Mr Andrew Grech
Sep 1st 2011, 10:23
Frankly i cannot imagine anyone carrying a sunbed to that location from their boat without regretting the idea, let alone a whole group of people, umbrellas? maybe but the surface there wouldn't be too comfortable to sit or lie on either... so whilst the authorities (please note the plural) remind us the public that we have a responsibility in safe guarding our natural heritage, which we know and do try to everyday, we remind them that they are lacking behind on their responsibilities in ensuring that they act in a just manner with us citizens and that our motherland is well taken care of.
Chris Maeyer
Sep 1st 2011, 12:50
As I see it the authority (note singular as it seems that it is the planning authority who is involved) are trying to do something (there would be no article otherwise) and as the photo suggests the public do not seem to know that they should safeguard their natural heritage (again see photo).
Mr George Portelli
Sep 1st 2011, 09:40
There's only one way to protect comino. Make all this rubbish of activity illegal. Regulating the illegal is another way how to destroy what's left of our beautiful islands.Comino becomes a rubbish dump in summer.
Mr R ferriggi
Sep 1st 2011, 09:25
a suggestion.
strong long term wooden terraces can be constructed ( example 2 meters wide platforms by two rows of a 50 meters each) which will be raised from the ground about 2 feet.
these will have people to manage them and collect some minimal fee for expenses, wages, renewal of wooden decks.
NO ADDITIONAL BARS, RESTAURANTS, BUSINES ENTERPRISES PLEASE!!!!!!!!!
NOTHING PERMANENT.
BUT something has to be done to minimize the damage.
Odette Longo
Sep 1st 2011, 09:44
it's a good idea... but then the little plant-life there is would die because of the lack of sunlight. Maybe if part of the deck you propose is made of strong perspex or some such like material.
Bernard Storace
Sep 1st 2011, 08:58
Procrastination.....that is what MEPA is capable of....Action speaks louder than words. Act now before it is too late and get the enforcement personnel on the spot to do the job NOW. Is nothing holy on these Islands?
Mr Carmelo Azzopardi
Sep 1st 2011, 08:58
Commino should be closed to public and left as a nature and marine reserve. The hotel operators should be given a stipulated period of years in which at the end of that period they should totally move out of that island and leave the place in its original state. All other man made structures except the tower should be put down and left in their natural state. So maybe future generations will have one island that is not littered and manipulated by man.
J. De Bono
Sep 1st 2011, 10:58
Agreed in some ways, but as much as it should be preserved the natural beauty should also be enjoyed. I suggest no birthing what so ever on Comino, boats can anchor and should you wish to go ashore you swim, this will certainly reduce numbers and the amount of rubbish taken with people onto the island. I think this will also give the island what it need to start returning to its orginal state with out going overboard and closing it off to the public, But like i also said, if it doesnt make someone money it will never be considered.
Please choose the reason of your report below: