In March 2019, the Torrevieja City Council presented the results of a study conducted by the University of Alicante, which recommended the establishment of a marine reserve in the waters of Torrevieja. The aim of this initiative was to restore fish stocks and promote their repopulation.
Due to the nature of these coastal areas, they are already unsuitable for professional fishing by artisanal trawlers—who face fines if they operate too close to the shore—and seine fishing, which fish farther out at sea.
The study proposed protecting 416 hectares of ocean surface across two designated marine areas. The first, located north of Torrevieja’s coast, would cover 120 hectares, including Cabo Cervera and surrounding coves, extending 530 meters from the shore with depths reaching 14 meters.
The second, larger area, from Cala Ferrís to Punta Prima in the south, would encompass 296 hectares, averaging 900 meters in width with depths up to 20 meters.
The proposal also included buffer zones surrounding the core protected areas, covering 73 hectares in the northern sector and 123 hectares in the southern sector. These two areas were selected for protection because they are among the best-preserved and have the greatest potential for regenerating marine habitats and fish populations.
In April 2019, the Torrevieja City Council and the Fishermen’s Guild jointly requested that the Valencian regional government establish a marine reserve in the municipality, submitting all necessary documentation. As a result, several meetings took place with the regional Director General and Deputy Director of Fisheries.
The regional authorities ultimately confirmed that the study provided by the City Council was both feasible and aligned with EU conservation goals for marine resources and fishing, without imposing restrictions on recreational activities.
However, with the change in government, the initiative was shelved.
Before it was abandoned, the last development on the matter was the regional government’s interest in modifying the initial proposal. Instead of declaring a marine fishing reserve, they considered designating a marine protection zone, which falls under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Generalitat Valenciana and does not require central government approval.
This alternative could even offer a higher level of fishery resource protection than existing reserves in Tabarca, Cabo de San Antonio (Marina Alta), and Sierra de Irta in Castellón.
The PSOE of Torrevieja believes that whether through the establishment of a marine fishing reserve or a coastal protection zone, safeguarding marine resources and ensuring fish repopulation is crucial. To achieve this, negotiations with the Generalitat Valenciana should be resumed, or a new process should be initiated to pursue the same goal.
For this reason, Vicente Moreno Quesada, Secretary for Environment and Ecological Transition within Torrevieja’s Socialist Executive Committee, has announced that the PSOE municipal group will present a motion urging the Generalitat Valenciana to declare either a marine reserve or a protection zone along the Torrevieja coast, in accordance with the University of Alicante’s study recommendations.
