Drought leads to a cleaner sea and boosts fish stocks

Experts in Marine Sciences from the University of Malaga and spokesmen for the fishing sector in the province have acknowledged that the drought has contributed to achieving the desired zero discharge of waste water into the sea in many parts of the Costa del Sol.

Thanks to the improvement of the waters closest to the beaches, catches of fish varieties such as prawns have been given a boost.

Recycled water for agriculture

Torremolinos councillor, Luis Rodríguez, explained that this improvement in the provision of recycled water for agriculture has even led the olive oil giant Dcoop to promote a pioneering project in Spain to redirect 60 cubic hectometres of water currently discharged into the sea, for the olive groves of the Vega de Antequera and other parts of the Guadalhorce Valley and the Axarquia region.

Francisco Franco, Chair of Coastal Science Costa del Sol at the University of Malaga, said, “Achieving zero dumping is essential to improve marine ecosystems. We have been saying this for years and one of the benefits that this period of drought has brought is the streamlining of systems to be able to use recycled water in agriculture and reduce emissions into the sea”.