CHAPTER 14 • Tourist Development in the Costa Brava (Girona, Spain)
quented sites. Economic activities associated with the use of MAP's produced yearly
gross revenues. Adequate management should be emphasized to minimize damage,
however it is necessary to recognize by all the social agents involved, that the application of measures usually requires money and legal authority.
Other common changes related to human frequentation have been studied elsewhere. Effects of human trampling on marine rocky shore communities of Oregon
(USA) (Brosnan and Crumrine 1994), show the shift of the community composition to
an alternate state dominated by low profile algae. No similar studies have been conducted in our zone, but the direct collection of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) in
their habitats have changed in many localities the typical NW Mediterranean rocky
mediolittoral zonation.
Another good example of problems of frequentation is the seasonal dispersal of
recreational boats along the entire coastline. Posidonia oceanica is the dominant
seagrass in NW Mediterranean. It is a climax species that develops large stable meadows in sublittoral soft-bottom areas. There is evidence that Posidonia oceanica meadows are declining everywhere (see revision in MarM et al. 1996). Several causes have
been suggested: eutrophication, siltation, trawling, infections, coastal engineering and
marinas ... ,and frequentation. Anchorage in meadows have important repercussions
on these meadows. Anchorage of boats, as well as trawling in the meadows, have the
potential effect to form anchor scars which facilitate erosional processes in the meadow.
Studies conducted in the marine reserve of Port-Cros (France) showed that shoot size
and density were considerably larger in zones where anchorage was forbidden than in
other areas (Garcia-Charton et al. 1993). Anchorage of boats on Posidonia oceanica
meadows today have another potentially dangerous effect. In 1989, the invasive green
algae Caulerpa taxifolia was observed in the open sea at Monaco (Meinesz and
Hesse 1991). Since then, the area colonized by this algae went from one square metre
to thousands of hectares in Western Mediterranean, specially in the French littoral.
Caulerpa taxifolia is able to colonize with a dense mat on all kinds of substrates, even
over Posidonia oceanica meadows; the new assemblage dominated by this algae show
a reduced number of other algal species, and a very low diversity. Caulerpa taxifolia is
now present in many localities of the littoral in France and Italy as well as several Mediterranean islands (Elba, Sicily and Majorca). The dispersion over long distances seems
to be result of propagation through cleaning of anchoring systems of recreational boats
and fishipg nets since the algae is able to survive several days under the conditions
prevailing in a boat anchor locker (Sant et al. 1996).
The tourist industry of the Costa Brava is very dependent on beach management.
The beach is the most frequented space. Undoubtedly the beach is the basic asset of
any touristic resort on this coast. Beach changes are mainly related to variations in the
incident wave energy along the beach, the selective sorting of sediment during transport or changes in the amount and size of sediment supplied to the beach (Guillen and
Palanques 1996). Natural beach processes continue to mold the shore, but because
beaches are attractive for a wide variety of recreational purposes, increasing populations in coastal towns have usually located near or over them disturbing the natural
equilibrium of erosion and accretion "the equilibrium profile". In many cases, this equilibrium has been disrupted, and corrective actions are needed to restore the resort.
Engineering solutions to control erosion are to built groins, or to replenish beach sediments through beach nourishment.
quented sites. Economic activities associated with the use of MAP's produced yearly
gross revenues. Adequate management should be emphasized to minimize damage,
however it is necessary to recognize by all the social agents involved, that the application of measures usually requires money and legal authority.
Other common changes related to human frequentation have been studied elsewhere. Effects of human trampling on marine rocky shore communities of Oregon
(USA) (Brosnan and Crumrine 1994), show the shift of the community composition to
an alternate state dominated by low profile algae. No similar studies have been conducted in our zone, but the direct collection of mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) in
their habitats have changed in many localities the typical NW Mediterranean rocky
mediolittoral zonation.
Another good example of problems of frequentation is the seasonal dispersal of
recreational boats along the entire coastline. Posidonia oceanica is the dominant
seagrass in NW Mediterranean. It is a climax species that develops large stable meadows in sublittoral soft-bottom areas. There is evidence that Posidonia oceanica meadows are declining everywhere (see revision in MarM et al. 1996). Several causes have
been suggested: eutrophication, siltation, trawling, infections, coastal engineering and
marinas ... ,and frequentation. Anchorage in meadows have important repercussions
on these meadows. Anchorage of boats, as well as trawling in the meadows, have the
potential effect to form anchor scars which facilitate erosional processes in the meadow.
Studies conducted in the marine reserve of Port-Cros (France) showed that shoot size
and density were considerably larger in zones where anchorage was forbidden than in
other areas (Garcia-Charton et al. 1993). Anchorage of boats on Posidonia oceanica
meadows today have another potentially dangerous effect. In 1989, the invasive green
algae Caulerpa taxifolia was observed in the open sea at Monaco (Meinesz and
Hesse 1991). Since then, the area colonized by this algae went from one square metre
to thousands of hectares in Western Mediterranean, specially in the French littoral.
Caulerpa taxifolia is able to colonize with a dense mat on all kinds of substrates, even
over Posidonia oceanica meadows; the new assemblage dominated by this algae show
a reduced number of other algal species, and a very low diversity. Caulerpa taxifolia is
now present in many localities of the littoral in France and Italy as well as several Mediterranean islands (Elba, Sicily and Majorca). The dispersion over long distances seems
to be result of propagation through cleaning of anchoring systems of recreational boats
and fishipg nets since the algae is able to survive several days under the conditions
prevailing in a boat anchor locker (Sant et al. 1996).
The tourist industry of the Costa Brava is very dependent on beach management.
The beach is the most frequented space. Undoubtedly the beach is the basic asset of
any touristic resort on this coast. Beach changes are mainly related to variations in the
incident wave energy along the beach, the selective sorting of sediment during transport or changes in the amount and size of sediment supplied to the beach (Guillen and
Palanques 1996). Natural beach processes continue to mold the shore, but because
beaches are attractive for a wide variety of recreational purposes, increasing populations in coastal towns have usually located near or over them disturbing the natural
equilibrium of erosion and accretion "the equilibrium profile". In many cases, this equilibrium has been disrupted, and corrective actions are needed to restore the resort.
Engineering solutions to control erosion are to built groins, or to replenish beach sediments through beach nourishment.