Denia removed 1,800 tons of posidonia from its beaches in July

There is nothing quite like assigning numerical values to objects in order to evaluate their size. In Denia, the presence of posidonia on the seashore is a topic of controversy for yet another summer. Despite an effort to increase awareness of the aquatic plant’s role in maintaining marine biodiversity and its role in preventing coastal regression, there is a constant stream of complaints from those who believe it should be completely removed from the beaches each time the waves wash its remains onto the sand. A debate persists, dividing those who regard posidonia as a favour from those who regard it as a problem.

Fortunately, the Marina Alta’s waters are home to a substantial quantity of posidonia. Over 10,000 hectares of seagrass meadows cover the seabed, and stormy weather naturally washes the plant remnants up on the coastlines. They were previously removed as promptly as possible, at least during the summer. Currently, environmental regulations are designed to delay coastal erosion by preserving a significant amount of posidonia on the beaches.

In any case, as I previously stated, the phenomenon is of immense magnitude. 130 tonnes of posidonia detritus that had accumulated on the Marge Roig beach were removed by the Denia City Council’s beach cleanup operation last night. This action has resulted in a total of 1,800 tonnes being removed for July, an exceptional figure that has been driven by the two cyclones of rain and wind that have been recorded in recent weeks. The City Council’s Environment Department released the video below this afternoon, which depicts the removal of posidonia from the site last night.

In a single week, over 1,300 tonnes were produced

Marineta Cassiana beach and Marge Roig were particularly affected by the extraction of over 1,300 tonnes last week, as detailed by the Department of the Environment.

Posidonia oceanica, which is regarded as a critical indicator of excellent water quality and a component of coastal protection, is only removed from the sand when its accumulation impedes bathers’ ability to use the beach.

The cleanup efforts will resume nightly with the removal of dried posidonia grass from the second beach line in Les Albaranes and mechanical screening on the beaches of Les Marines. The sand will be sifted to enhance its condition for the summer season.