Throughout the year 2021, we carried out the second edition of “Un mar sin basuraleza”, a project that focuses on large-scale litter that is impacting seagrass meadows. This project is supported by the LIBERA Project, promoted by SEO/BirdLife in alliance with ECOEMBES.

In this second edition, the actions were focused on the area of Cap de Creus (Girona), specifically in the municipalities of Roses (in the coves of Canyelles Petites and Canyelles Grosses) and Llançà (in the Canyelles and Rastell beaches). The main goals were to locate large-scale litter impacting seagrass meadows in the area (in this case, Neptune seagrass) and extract the objects that were considered.

In addition, an informative and awareness-raising session was held in both municipalities to avoid new accumulations of waste in the future. These awareness-raising actions aim, on the one hand, to explain the LIBERA project, the main problems related to marine litter, the importance of marine phanerogams and highlight the impacts generated by large-scale waste on seagrass meadows, and, on the other hand, to show the results obtained in the actions that took place in both areas.

Altogether, a total of 47 objects were extracted, mainly abandoned elements used for anchoring (concrete blocks and chains), remains of disused pipes and boat fragments. These large and heavy objects accounted for a total of 4.500 kg of litter extracted from seagrass beds.

With this second edition of the project, we continued the work that began in 2019, where we acted in four different locations: Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park (Almería), Tabarca Island Marine Reserve (Alicante), Cabo Tiñoso Marine Reserve (Cartagena) and Cadaqués (Girona). In that edition, a total of 81 objects were extracted, involving a total of 8.500 kg removed from seagrass meadows. Thus, through both editions of the project, a total of 128 objects that impacted seagrasses have been extracted, involving a total weight of 13.000 kg.

In order to continue with this task, a third edition of the project is planned for 2022, in this case on the island of Mallorca.