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Date Published: 24/05/2024

Black Flag beaches in the Region of Murcia swimmers should avoid

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Two of the Region’s shorelines have been blacklisted due to poor environmental management or high levels of pollution

Black Flag beaches in the Region of Murcia swimmers should avoid

The beaches of Murcia are one of the greatest treasures of the Region: known for their natural, breathtaking beauty, they have become a paradise get-away for locals and tourists alike.

In recognition of their outstanding facilities and pristine shorelines, the Region of Murcia has been honoured with no fewer than 33 Blue Flags this year, the seventh-highest number awarded in all of Spain.

But while most of the area’s beaches are doubtlessly destinations of choice, some coastal spots have been marred by the sad environmental degradation caused by various human activities over the years.

Two points on the Murcian coast have received the dubious award of ‘Black Flags’ by environmental group Ecologists in Action, a distinction that advises people not to swim in the waters of some beaches due to high levels of pollution.

It’s worth remembering that the Black Flags are really only a symbol, and in no case is bathing actually prohibited, but the group has created the list in order to draw attention to the harm we are causing to our surroundings.

The Mar Menor

The Mar Menor could be considered, for good and bad, the greatest hallmark of the Region of Murcia: a natural jewel known for being the largest salt lagoon on the Spanish Mediterranean coast and which, at the same time, represents one of the biggest environmental catastrophes in Europe.

The granting of the Black Flag to the Mar Menor by Ecologists in Action, far from being a recognition to be proud of, points out the serious ecological crisis facing this area.

During the last eight years, the degradation of the Mar Menor has become more evident and agricultural, urban and mining activities have contributed to pollution, leading the lagoon to a state of environmental "shock".

From eutrophication in 2016, known as 'green soup', to mass fish deaths due to lack of oxygen in 2019 and 2021, the Mar Menor is on the brink of ecological collapse.

Bahía de Portmán and Sierra Minera: the toxic legacy

Another of the areas that received the Black Flag in the latest report published in the summer of 2023 was Portmán Bay, along with the Sierra Minera: an area that has been exploited for its mining resources for more than two thousand years.

Ecologists in Action have described the situation in Portmán as one of the biggest environmental catastrophes in Europe. The bay, filled with thousands of tonnes of polluting waste, continues to be affected by damaging spills even 30 years after the closure of mining activities. Decontamination attempts have been insufficient, and human health continues to be at risk due to exposure to these contaminants.

Also of interest: Spain dominates global Blue Flag beaches awards for another record-breaking year

Image: Ecologists in Action

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