Catalan beaches ready to go
Catalan Water Agency gives thumbs-up to coastline waters and notes a decline in jellyfish population
Barcelona (CNA).- The Catalan Water Agency has published a report according to which the water samples taken from the local coastline show that 100% of Catalan beaches have excellent sanitary levels. Not one beach has received a 'poor' rating. More good news is that jellyfish, such a common problem in the Mediterranean Sea, have been less present on the beaches under inspection.
Only three species of jellyfish were observed, and only one of these gives a strong sting. The cleanliness of the water has also improved. In the first few days of analysis, the water was clear and clean. However, throughout the final few days of the sample, the sea was rougher and the water less clean. Waste debris and foam were only sporadically found. The sand has also been found to be clean, except for those days when the sea is rougher when cigarettes, plastic and other waste were driven to the shores. Only three species of jellyfish were observed, and only one of these gives a strong sting. The cleanliness of the water has also improved. In the first few days of analysis, the water was clear and clean. However, throughout the final few days of the sample, the sea was rougher and the water less clean. Waste debris and foam were only sporadically found. The sand has also been found to be clean, except for those days when the sea is rougher when cigarettes, plastic and other waste were driven to the shores.
The prevention and cleaning program for coastal waters kicked off on the 23rd of June and will continue until September 3. This program consists of the deployment of technical resources: 41 cleaning boats, a light aircraft and 80 staff including sailors, pilots, aerial observers and coordinators.
The boats will work on finding and removing floating waste in established routes, and also on controlling and improving the quality of the water and the beaches affected by pollution. The light aircraft will do daily aerial inspections throughout the entire Catalan coast to control the state of coastal waters and check out those spots where the water is of a lesser quality.
One of this year's technical innovations is the installation of a camera in the light aircraft, so that problems can be examined more precisely and predictions can be made about the causes and patterns in the movement of jellyfish.