The Almuñécar Town Hall has begun to remove illegal boats from its beaches; i.e., those that display no registration markings and show signs of having been abandoned.

The Councillor for the Environment, Luis Aragon, explained how these craft had been left, cluttering up the official areas designated on San Cristobal and Puerta del Mar beaches.

He pointed out that the existing Ley de Costas, Artículo 31, which has been in force since 1988, places the obligation of removing instances of “illegal occupation of beaches;” i.e., anything that has not been expressly authorized by the State. In other words, the State decides what is legal but it is the municipal administration who is responsible for watching over and imposing it.

With this responsibility in mind the Town Hall has made a list of all the embarkations on its beaches and is removing any craft that does not comply with Article 31.

“Every craft must comply with the legal requirements for it to be left on the beach, just as a vehicle must have a number plate (registration number) and the correct paperwork if it is to be used on the roads,” said the Councillor.

(News: Almunecar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)