Walter Finch
TARIFA and Malaga have been named and shamed among ten Andalucian beaches and coastal zones awarded a ‘Black Flag’ in this year’s damning report by Ecologistas en Acción.
The annual report, published this week, accuses authorities of allowing serious environmental damage along key stretches of coastline through unchecked development, pollution and mismanagement.
In Tarifa, ecologists highlighted the cumulative impact of multiple urban development projects that have dismantled the area’s natural barrier between Zahara and Atlanterra, posing what they described as a major ecological threat to one of the most prized natural coastlines in Cadiz province.
Meanwhile in Malaga, a Black Flag was issued over the proliferation of luxury marina developments, which environmentalists say are putting nearby beaches and marine ecosystems at risk.
A second flag in the province was awarded due to rising levels of microplastics from wastewater treatment plants, which get consumed by the local fish and animal life, posing a threat to biodiversity in the region’s coastal waters.
In total, ten sites across Andalucia were singled out in the report, five for pollution and five for environmental mismanagement.
The Ría de Huelva estuary was blacklisted due to contamination linked to hydrogen-related industrial projects, while the beach at La Antilla in Lepe was flagged for overdevelopment, which campaigners say is preventing natural regeneration and could leave buildings vulnerable during storms and high tides.
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On the Granada coast, the Guadalfeo river delta in Motril and Salobreña was cited for past sewage discharges so severe that the beaches were closed to swimmers in 2023.
The province also received a second Black Flag for inappropriate construction along the scenic coastal path.
Almeria was not spared either. In Roquetas de Mar, microplastics were found polluting protected Natura 2000 sites, while the beaches of Vera were flagged due to urban plans that pose a risk to local habitats.
According to Ecologistas en Acción, the 48 Black Flags issued across Spain this year are split evenly between pollution and environmental mismanagement, with the group warning that coastal authorities continue to prioritise profit over long-term ecological health.
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