La Herradura residents call on regional government to ban jet skis

The letter is addressed to the regional spokesperson for sustainability and the environment, Catalina García Carrasco; the mayor of Almuñécar, Juan José Ruiz Joya; the director-general for protected natural areas, José Enrique Borrallo Romero; the regional spokesperson for tourism, Arturo Bernal Bergua; the regional government’s representative in Granada, Antonio Granados and the conservation manager of the Maro-Cerro Gordo cliffs protected area, Javier Noriega.

The platform states that La Herradura Bay “is surrounded by two natural areas where jet skis are already banned or restricted”. On the one hand, the Maro-Cerro Gordo Cliffs natural area and, on the other, the special area of conservation for the cliffs and seabed of Punta de la Mona. Both areas form part of the Natura 2000 network, the European network of protected natural areas.

However, in the bay situated right between the two places, anyone can hire a jet ski or bring their own, enter via the municipal beach access points and ride in those waters. The result, according to the platform’s complaint, is that "a considerable number of these jet skis end up entering the protected areas at either end, in breach of the regulations".

The Guardia Civil has repeatedly fined jet ski users who have illegally entered these protected waters. But local residents believe that fines are not enough. “As long as jet skis continue to operate freely from the bay, the problem cannot be fully resolved,” they argue.

The members acknowledge and welcome the fact that the Andalusian regional government has just approved a ban on jet skis in the Cabo de Gata-Níjar natural park in Almeria province. For Bahía Tranquila, this decision sets “a crucial precedent because it recognises two important things: that jet skis are incompatible with marine conservation, and that they spoil the enjoyment of the sea for those who engage in peaceful activities such as swimming, diving, snorkelling, kayaking, sailing or simply observing marine wildlife”.

Their request is that "the same criteria" be applied in La Herradura. ‘The Cabo de Gata model shows that the Andalusian regional government is prepared to prioritise conservation and peaceful leisure activities over high-speed motorised activities. We are calling for the same level of commitment for La Herradura,” they state in their letter.

Bahía Tranquila’s proposal is “the creation of a continuous marine corridor, free from jet skis, along the entire length of La Herradura bay, connecting the two protected areas”. They explain in their letter that this is not “a capricious demand by a few, but a measure backed by European and Spanish legislation on nature conservation”.

Furthermore, they point out that the jet skis that enter protected areas do not come from within those areas, but from the municipal access points to the bay. For this reason, "responsibility" does not lie solely with the regional government, but also with Almuñécar town hall, which manages those access points. The duty of conservation, they argue, “applies to all public authorities”.

According to the group the benefits of this measure would be: "greater protection for the seabed of high ecological value at both ends of the bay, a reduction in illegal incursions into areas already under protection, greater safety for swimmers and water sports enthusiasts, a better experience for the thousands of visitors who come every summer and clearer regulations that are easier for the authorities to enforce”.