Qualified as Ecologists in Action, critics say the government’s plan to soften the impact of sand loss on Valencia region beaches is a misallocation of public funds. A spokesperson argued that the damage has already occurred and the process is irreversible. The immediate priority is protecting homes along the coast that face threats today, not distant promises of restoration.
The project is described as a mega effort by the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, through the General Directorate of Coast and Sea. It centers on deep-water sand extraction near Cullera, with a budget around 1,147 million euros recently made public. The plan contemplates 12.4 million cubic meters of sand deposits across 16 beaches or coastlines spanning Valencia and Alicante from Sagunto to Pilar de la Horadada, a distance of roughly 220 kilometers from the extraction site. The initiative has drawn critical response from Ecologistas en Acción.
Additionally, the project envisions another 54 million cubic meters of sand removal for further regeneration activities that are not yet specified. The NGO contends that the Environmental Impact Statement DIA from October 2013 is no longer valid under current environmental regulations, calling the proposal a new version of a plan already evaluated a decade ago.
The plan is seen as posing serious environmental risks to dune grasslands, seagrass meadows, and fishing resources along the Valencian coast. Ecologists warn that regeneration work and extraction could disrupt coastal ecosystems and livelihoods alike.
Impact on fisheries resources
The project involves extracting deep-sea sand and transporting it to beach nourishment sites. Public information indicates that the initiative has remained in a holding pattern for more than six years since a 2010 plan was processed, with a DIA approved in 2013 now regarded as out of date under environmental laws.
Cala Advocat in Benissa, Alicante, is cited in relation to the broader regional context. The latest plan differs from prior iterations by moving sand to 16 beaches in renewed nourishment efforts and altering the extraction method. The idea of permits and penalties is being reassessed as sand moves from the seabed to shore.
The mega project is said to carry substantial environmental repercussions, especially for seagrass beds and coastal fisheries. The ecologist Carlos Arribas highlights protected beaches that would feel the impact, including Port and Mojón beaches in Pilar de la Horadada, San Juan in Alicante, Marineta Casiana in Dénia, and the stretch between Dénia port and the Girona river.
Further, the project would affect fisheries resources across a broad area. About 66.4 million cubic meters of sand could be mined near the extraction zone, which lies within a 26 square kilometer deposit along the Cullera coast. Sediment dispersion and turbidity are expected to push fish away from the area, altering local fishing patterns for a long period.
“Extreme megaproject”
The plan encompasses three fishing ports Valencia, Cullera, and Sagunto, located within a Fisheries Protected Area established by a 1997 decree. The Environmental Impact Study acknowledges effects on several fishing sites, with a significant share of impact focused on the Les Maricueces fishing area.
Sand extraction is criticized for harming marine habitats and threatening benthic organisms that serve as food for fish, according to Arribas. The broader picture draws attention to seven protected marine natural areas within the Natura 2000 network, including La Albufera, Cabo Roig, Montgó, Cap del Horta, L’Almadrava, Marina Alta, and the submerged coastline of the Murcia Region. The plume from Albufera is extensive, reaching far offshore and underscoring ecological concerns.
The distances involved in moving sand from bed to shore are notable. Transport costs cited suggest a route of up to 150 kilometers to the southern beaches and about 220 kilometers to the beaches around Pilar de la Horadada. In total, the amount of sand moved would be substantial, raising questions about overall efficiency and environmental balance.
Ecologists argue that the project represents a poor use of public money given the ongoing social and economic crises and the climate emergency. They emphasize that the sand deposited on renewed beaches has only short-term durability and is likely to retreat to the sea after major storms, undermining long-term coastal resilience. The group contends that roughly 1,150 million euros would be spent on a project that fails to deliver lasting benefits for coastal protection and local communities, according to Ecologistas en Acción.