Sardinia's Coastline Overrun by Boats Ignoring Distance Rules
In Sardinia, numerous boats are flocking to beaches, frequently disregarding rules that mandate a 200-meter separation from swimming zones. Footage captures vessels moored close to safeguarded beaches such as Cala Coticcio in La Maddalena Archipelago National Park, which restricts access to 60 individuals per day. Similar concerns are present at Cala Serena, Cala degli Inglesi, and Spiaggia del Relitto, prompting local anger over insufficient enforcement. At Cala Luna, Dorgali restricts beachgoers to 900, yet unpermitted dinghies circumvent this limit. Rosanna Giudice, president of La Maddalena park, noted 6,500 visitors instead of the allowed 2,500. The issue also affects Liguria, Tuscany, Lazio, and Puglia, where Italian law mandates minimum distances of 100-500 meters, with breaches occurring in protected regions.
Key facts
- Italian law requires boats to stay at least 200 meters from beaches with bathers.
- Videos show about 130 boats at Cala Coticcio, a protected beach on Caprera island.
- Cala Coticcio has a land access limit of 60 people per day, but boats bypass it.
- Similar crowding was reported at Cala Serena, Cala degli Inglesi, and Spiaggia del Relitto.
- The bay at Spiaggia del Relitto is a fully protected zone with no navigation or anchoring allowed.
- At Cala Luna, the municipality of Dorgali limits beachgoers to 900, but private dinghies are not counted.
- Rosanna Giudice, president of the La Maddalena park, said aerial checks found 6,500 people against a capacity of 2,500.
- Cagliari has approved new measures including buoys and swim lanes to prevent boats from anchoring near beaches.
- The problem also affects Liguria, Tuscany, Lazio, and Puglia.
- Minimum distances vary from 100 to 500 meters depending on the type of coast.
- In the Asinara marine protected area, boats cannot dock, but tourists dragged their dinghies onto the beach in late July.
Entities
Institutions
- Capitanerie di porto
- Parco Nazionale dell'arcipelago della Maddalena
- La Nuova Sardegna
- Comune di Dorgali
- Parco nazionale dell'Arcipelago di La Maddalena
- Comune di Cagliari
Locations
- Sardinia
- Italy
- Cala di Volpe
- Porto Cervo
- Cala Coticcio
- Caprera
- La Maddalena
- Cala Serena
- Cala degli Inglesi
- Spiaggia del Relitto
- Cala Luna
- Dorgali
- Nuoro
- Cagliari
- Poetto
- Calamosca
- Sant'Elia
- Asinara
- Liguria
- Tuscany
- Lazio
- Puglia
- Isola d'Elba
- Pontine Islands