CHAPTER 14 • Tourist Development in the Costa Brava (Girona, Spain)
273
work, the state institutions are responsible for basic legislation and general coordination. The parliament of Catalonia has the authority for developing the basic legislation, while local administrations have executive competencies. Since 1991 this executive responsibility has fallen on the Department of the Environment (which acts as a
ministry), the first of its kind to be created in the Spanish state. Although the Catalan
government has carried out a wide range of active environmental policies throughout
its territory, there is not a general plan of coastal zone management and the competencies in the issues are highly fragmented and divided into several administrative
offices (environment, territorial policy and public work, agriculture and fisheries, and
the different municipalities) (Fig. 14.3).
The coastal zone in Spain is regulated under the "Ley de Costas" Spanish Coastal
Law of 1988. The Spanish Coastal Law (1988) was enacted to protect coastal areas from
unregqlated development. It is commonly accepted however that this law arrived very
late in inany parts of the Spanish territory. Under the umbrella of the old Coastal Law
of 1969 unplanned growth and overdevelopment, abusive building of second houses,
many times on sensitive natural areas, unsustainable use of natural resources, and abusive practices of enrichment based on the appropriation of public goods, were carried
out everywhere. The new Coastal Law reaffirms the public domain of the coastline and
defines the rights of way and limitations on the property. The law also identifies an
inner coastal strip of 500 m in which development is subject to strict regulation. The
law outlines a transit area of 6 m, a protected area of 100 m that can be extended up to
200 m (20 in areas urbanized previously to 1988), and an area of influence of 500 m,
before private property is allowed.
The "Ley de Politica Territorial" (Catalan Law of Territorial Policy) of 1983 regulates
the development of the territory. Under this law other sector plans have been implemented. As a consequence of this law, the protection of the natural heritage has been
one of the key points for several organizations in Catalonia. In 1992, the Spaces of Natural
Interest Plan (PEIN) was approved (1997-2000). The plan protects and regulates 21%
of the Catalan territQry (144 natural spaces) and specific management plans are developed for every one of these spaces. On the Costa Brava, the Cape of Creus, the salt
marshes of L'Emporda, and the Medes Islands need yet to be outlined. The Cap of Creus,
a peninsula of great geological, floristic, and faunistic interest with abrupt and rocky
relief is actually in process of being protected by law. The saltmarshes of L'Emporda,
the second most important wetlands in Catalonia after the Ebro Delta, are in part (Alt
Emporda) protected by law since 1983, while the others (Baix Emporda) are also protected but still threatened by the surrounding urbanization. Since protection measures
were applied in these saltmarshes, a spectacular increase in biodiversity has been observed. The Medes Islands, protected by law since 1990, is a marvelous underwater
habitat, and together with a smaller site "Ses Negres" (Cap of Begur) they are the only
marine protected reserves in the Costa Brava region. The presence of these islands
benefits nearby towns, extending far beyond the reserve itself.
In 1983, the Catalan Government devel(i)ped the plan of recreational ports. In this
plan, the Costa Brava was classified by different categories of protection based on ecological data. The development of new infrastructures should be done having in mind
these categories. Other conservation measures and plans have been enacted to protect
species and habitats in our territory, such as the Spanish Law of Conservation of the
Natural Heritage, Flora, and Fauna (1989), the Catalan Law of Fisheries (1986), or the
273
work, the state institutions are responsible for basic legislation and general coordination. The parliament of Catalonia has the authority for developing the basic legislation, while local administrations have executive competencies. Since 1991 this executive responsibility has fallen on the Department of the Environment (which acts as a
ministry), the first of its kind to be created in the Spanish state. Although the Catalan
government has carried out a wide range of active environmental policies throughout
its territory, there is not a general plan of coastal zone management and the competencies in the issues are highly fragmented and divided into several administrative
offices (environment, territorial policy and public work, agriculture and fisheries, and
the different municipalities) (Fig. 14.3).
The coastal zone in Spain is regulated under the "Ley de Costas" Spanish Coastal
Law of 1988. The Spanish Coastal Law (1988) was enacted to protect coastal areas from
unregqlated development. It is commonly accepted however that this law arrived very
late in inany parts of the Spanish territory. Under the umbrella of the old Coastal Law
of 1969 unplanned growth and overdevelopment, abusive building of second houses,
many times on sensitive natural areas, unsustainable use of natural resources, and abusive practices of enrichment based on the appropriation of public goods, were carried
out everywhere. The new Coastal Law reaffirms the public domain of the coastline and
defines the rights of way and limitations on the property. The law also identifies an
inner coastal strip of 500 m in which development is subject to strict regulation. The
law outlines a transit area of 6 m, a protected area of 100 m that can be extended up to
200 m (20 in areas urbanized previously to 1988), and an area of influence of 500 m,
before private property is allowed.
The "Ley de Politica Territorial" (Catalan Law of Territorial Policy) of 1983 regulates
the development of the territory. Under this law other sector plans have been implemented. As a consequence of this law, the protection of the natural heritage has been
one of the key points for several organizations in Catalonia. In 1992, the Spaces of Natural
Interest Plan (PEIN) was approved (1997-2000). The plan protects and regulates 21%
of the Catalan territQry (144 natural spaces) and specific management plans are developed for every one of these spaces. On the Costa Brava, the Cape of Creus, the salt
marshes of L'Emporda, and the Medes Islands need yet to be outlined. The Cap of Creus,
a peninsula of great geological, floristic, and faunistic interest with abrupt and rocky
relief is actually in process of being protected by law. The saltmarshes of L'Emporda,
the second most important wetlands in Catalonia after the Ebro Delta, are in part (Alt
Emporda) protected by law since 1983, while the others (Baix Emporda) are also protected but still threatened by the surrounding urbanization. Since protection measures
were applied in these saltmarshes, a spectacular increase in biodiversity has been observed. The Medes Islands, protected by law since 1990, is a marvelous underwater
habitat, and together with a smaller site "Ses Negres" (Cap of Begur) they are the only
marine protected reserves in the Costa Brava region. The presence of these islands
benefits nearby towns, extending far beyond the reserve itself.
In 1983, the Catalan Government devel(i)ped the plan of recreational ports. In this
plan, the Costa Brava was classified by different categories of protection based on ecological data. The development of new infrastructures should be done having in mind
these categories. Other conservation measures and plans have been enacted to protect
species and habitats in our territory, such as the Spanish Law of Conservation of the
Natural Heritage, Flora, and Fauna (1989), the Catalan Law of Fisheries (1986), or the