The first beach on the Costa Brava where swimming is prohibited to preserve biodiversity

GironaIn Catalonia, there are several beaches along the coast where, year-round, bathing and towel-laying are prohibited. These are very specific areas, with special nature reserve protection, such as the Ebro Delta or the Llobregat Delta. There, no matter how good the weather is, human presence is restricted to promote biodiversity conservation. This summer, for the first time, Can Comas beach, between Sant Pere Pescador and Empuriabrava, right in front of the Wetlands of the Empordà.

This 2.1 km stretch of dune beach, between the mouth of the Fluvià River and the Muga River, will permanently prohibit the passage of people this summer. With this change in regulations, Can Comas becomes the first restricted beach on the entire Costa Brava.

The main objective of the measure is to promote the nesting and habitat of protected species, such as the black-backed gull, a small white-breasted bird. Other species of high ecological value will also benefit, such as Audouin's gull, the common gull, the least tern, the magpie, and even the loggerhead turtle, which lays its eggs in the sand.

The director of the Aiguamolls de l'Empordà Natural Park, Ponç Feliu, argues the benefits of the decision: "In the Girona region, there was no beach with this protection category. Now this space, which acts as a natural facade for the wetland lagoons, will truly be left to its natural evolution; the Costa Brava will be left to its natural evolution," he argues.

Empordà environmentalists value the initiative very positively. "The entire Empordà coastline has a very minimized beach ecosystem, and the low human traffic in this area will encourage the breeding of species such as the camanegro trail, which is in danger of extinction, and will prevent the deterioration of the dune ecosystem of psammophilous vegetation," says David Ibáñez, governing board of the Aiguamolls Park.

Integration into the nature reserve

The park's management made this decision because the entire beach ecosystem is part of the Aiguamolls del Empordà reserve, on the border between the sea and freshwater ponds or rice paddies. The sediment input from the Muga and Fluvià rivers creates sandy and silty seabeds that harbor a rich biodiversity of native flora and fauna, adapted to high salinity and strong winds, which, if not protected, is at risk of disappearing. In fact, until now, Can Comas beach was already closed during the spring. Now, with this permanent closure, sporadic visitor routes will be organized from the park to raise awareness of its value.

Can Comas beach, however, is also one of the most beautiful spots in the Gulf of Roses, with a kilometer-long coastline of fine sand, dunes and shallow waters, ideal for spending time with the family and very popular with sailing enthusiasts, who take advantage of the wind to practice. windsurf or playing with the stars.

However, the closed section was relatively quiet and uncrowded, as it is far from the main vehicle access points and requires walking to get there. To the south is the access via the Almata campsite, and to the north, via the Laguna campsite. Now, both campsites retain unrestricted space on either side of the fenced area for their water sports activities.

"People think of the beach as an immaculate place to lay out their towels, like a swimming pool, but in reality it's a living habitat, an ecosystem very sensitive to human pressure," Ponç Feliu recalls. The director of the natural park emphasizes that artificial cleaning with machines that smooth the sand or the removal of organic debris—such as seaweed—disrupts its natural balance. "By letting it evolve without these interventions, nature recovers much better," he concludes.