British tourists have been cautioned about visiting almost 50 beaches in Spain, designated as ‘black flag’ sites due to various environmental issues.
The environmental advocacy group, Ecologists in Action, has released a report identifying these problematic beaches, highlighting concerns such as chemical pollution, marine debris, overdevelopment, and sewage discharge.
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One such beach is Talamanca in Ibiza, which has suffered severe damage to its underwater vegetation due to illegal anchoring by boats and the discharge of salty wastewater from a treatment plant. El Amerador Beach in El Campello, near Alicante, has also been flagged due to fecal contamination from a nearby poorly-maintained pumping station. The report notes two recent instances of human waste entering the sea at this location in March and April.
The Canary Islands, which have recently seen protests against mass tourism and its impact on ocean pollution, are also heavily criticized in the report. An Ecologists in Action spokesperson pointed out the significant issue of ‘touristification’ and urbanization, particularly affecting the Canary Islands. The spokesperson accused local political leaders of prioritizing business interests in a ‘suicidal race,’ leading to record poverty and unemployment among residents. They emphasized that the ecological footprint of the Canary Islands is disproportionate, requiring a territory 27 times larger to meet the demands of its economic model.
A particularly alarming example from the report is Tenerife, where 57 million liters of wastewater are discharged into the sea daily, equivalent to 17 Olympic swimming pools of polluted water. This problem is widespread across all eight Canary Islands, with more than 90 percent of wastewater from urban, industrial, and agricultural sources reaching the sea with minimal treatment.
Playa Blanca in Lanzarote has also received a black flag due to a sewage spill in May, caused by a malfunctioning pumping station. Ecologists in Action noted that such incidents are common, often blamed on improper disposal of wet wipes and nappies.
The report assigns black flags to two beaches per province, highlighting various issues across different regions. For instance, dangerous pellets have been identified on the Costa Dorada in Tarragona, threatening marine and human life. Meanwhile, private boats have been blamed for damaging marine biodiversity on the Costa Brava.
Here is the complete list of ‘black flag’ beaches that British holidaymakers are advised to avoid:
- La Farella, Girona, Catalonia
- Various beaches on the Costa Brava, Girona, Catalonia
- Comarca del Maresme, Barcelona, Catalonia
- Sant Adrià del Besò, Barcelona, Catalonia
- Camino de Ronda, Tarragona, Catalonia
- Playa de la Pineda, Costa Dorada, Tarragona, Catalonia
- Playa de L’Estany-Capicorb, Castellon, Valencia region
- Playa de Burriana, Castellon, Valencia region
- Beaches at the Parque Natural de l’Albufera, Valencia, Valencia region
- Puerto de Valencia, Valencia, Valencia region
- Barranco y playa del Amerador, Alacant, Valencia region
- Playas de Cap l’horta, Albufera, Postiguet and San Gabriel, Alacant, Valencia region
- Mar Menor, Murcia region
- Portman Bay and Sierra Minera, Murcia region
- Playa Quitapellejos-Palomares, Almeria, Andalucia
- Playa de ‘El Lancón’ en Carboneras, Almeria, Andalucia
- Playa de Castell de Ferro, Granada, Andalucia
- Playa Granada y Poniente, Granada, Andalucia
- Playas de Malaga, Malaga, Andalucia
- Coast of Malaga, Malaga, Andalucia
- Tarifa, Cadiz, Andalucia
- Costa de Trafalgar, Cadiz, Andalucia
- Huelva river, Huelva, Andalucia
- El Portil, Huelva, Andalucia
- Aldán river, Concello de Cangas, Pontevedra, Galicia
- Arousa river and Pontevedra river, Pontevedra, Galicia
- Minera de Galicia, A Coruna, Galicia
- Pereiro river and Ramisqueira river, A Coruna, Galicia
- Alcoa pond, Lugo, Galicia
- Galician coast, Lugo, Galicia
- Port of Figueres, Asturies
- Villaviciosa, Asturies
- Playa de Usgo, Cantabria
- San Román de la Llanilla, Cantabria
- Lamiako marsh area, Bizkaia, Basque Country
- Gernika and Murueta, Bizkaia, Basque Country
- Santa Clara Island, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
- La Concha Island, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country
- Cala Xarraca, Ibiza, Balearic Islands
- Playa de Talamanca, Ibiza, Balearic Islands
- Port of Melilla, Melilla
- Melilla Bay, Melilla
- Monte Hacho, Ceuta
- Playa de Desnarigado, Ceuta
- Playa Blanca, Las Palmas, Lanzarote, Canary Islands
- Corralejo Dunes, Las Palmas, Fuerteventura, Canary Islands
- La Tejita Beach (Granadilla), Puertito de Armeñime (Adeje), Tenerife, Canary Islands
- Northwest coastline of Tenerife, Canary Islands
Holidaymakers are advised to take heed of these warnings to avoid environmental and health risks while planning their vacations in Spain.
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