The Natura 2000 Management Plan for Comino clearly establishes that one major Operational Objective is to prepare and implement a tourism carrying capacity assessment of the Blue Lagoon and provide recommendations for management.
The assessment mentioned in the Management Plan mentions the need to study seasonal variability of the number of tourists, but it also looks into landings of tourists by ferries, entrance fee-options, zoning and patrolling.
Environmentalists, who spoke with The Malta Independent following a story which showed how the uncontrolled influx of tourists in Comino is ruining the beauty of the island, are toying with the idea of having tourist capacity capping to preserve the biodiversity and ecology of the island.
But this idea was already mentioned in the Natura 2000 management plan which mentions the capacity issue in various occasions. In fact, one of the actions specifically recommended mentions the idea to “implement a tourism carrying capacity assessment of the Blue Lagoon and provide recommendations for management.”
“The stakeholders recognized that Comino is a complex site and it has to be decided whether a carrying capacity should be established in order to cap the number of visitors.”
The report lists the action plan regarding tourism capacity as one of high priority, ‘to be accomplished following the 1st year from the start of the MP implementation period.’
The aim of such an initiative is to have ‘better management of the site’s tourists and thus creating an increase in the site’s representability and naturalness.'
One of the objectives also proposes controlled access to certain habitats in the island in order to reduce trampling as well as to minimize disturbance to certain sensitive species such as breeding birds.
The paper on Comino also looks into issues related to recreation and leisure. One of the key issues identified in the report is the use of private areas on the foreshore. As highlighted in one of the objectives, the aim is to avoiding conflicting water sport activities and restricting the use of private areas (for kiosks and the hiring of seacraft, umbrellas and deckchairs) on the foreshore.
Natura 2000 report suggests the avoidance of “overprovision of coastal facilities by ensuring that demand for every sport/facility is well established prior to committing additional land on the foreshore.”
Authorities are also encouraged to channel the demand for the provision of coastal facilities and premises (re-the development of watersport activities such as sailing or canoeing) towards coastal areas that are already developed or committed with such facilities.
It also states that the authorities should not issue any more beach concessions for the construction of boathouses and beach rooms.
In 2002, MEPA had set up a Steering Committee for Comino to oversee environmental management concerns on the island of Comino. The committee had the responsibility to formulate and implement a management plan to protect and improve the environment of the island.
The authority had issued several Enforcement Notices in the Blue Lagoon region. Most of the Enforcement Notices refer to the illegal placing of umbrellas and sunbeds, installation of illegal concrete or wooden structures for mooring purposes.
A report published on The Malta Independent on Sunday showed how overcrowding and overpricing at Comino’s Blue Lagoon have become the subject of several complaints, with visitors openly objecting to the high cost of hiring deckchairs and umbrellas, while the idyllic sea and beaches are, day after day, losing their appeal because of the congestion
Friends of the Earth propose a plan to set up interpretation centre
Environmental NGO Friends of the Earth Malta are proposing the setting up of an interpretation centre in the building il-Forn in Comino. The aim of this centre is to serve as a centre demonstrating ecological technologies and sustainable lifestyles.
“It basically aims to provide the knowledge and skills required to minimise our impact on the environment and to live and work sustainably,” Friends of the Earth Malta Director Martin Galea de Giovanni explains.
“Our initial key areas of work will be related to renewable energy, environmental building, energy efficiency, organic farming, alternative waste management and Eco-tourism. In the future this could be extended to protecting and rehabilitating the land surrounding the Centre.”
The project also aims to develop a sustainable tour management model for the Natura 2000 site. The renovation of the site mentioned “Il-Forn” will strictly keep its actual footprint, Mr Galea de Giovanni explained.
“Where possible, material from collapsed parts of the building will be reused in the renovation of the place. Although the main aim of this project is for il-Forn to serve as an interpretation centre for the Island of Comino, a sustainable tourism product will also be offered and marketed. This component will include guided nature walks along pre-established marked trials with interpretation boards.”
The site will be open to the general public and will also be open for visits from any organisation interested to see how environmental sustainability is achieved. The complex will also be open for visits for schoolchildren for the same purpose and also for ecological talks and walks around the island.
The building can accommodate a small number of people for longer stays, such accommodation facilities are planned to be of a simple nature and low impact. The centre will be open also for national and international conferences, team building sessions, scientific research and seminars.
Mr Galea de Giovanni explained that these activities will be sold at market value in a bid to make the centre as self-sustaining as possible. He said that the government appears to be in favour of the project which was originally proposed to the previous administration.
As part of the proposed project, Friends of the Earth would be willing to assist in the enforcement of regulations and control of impacts and activities that may be harmful to the ecology of the area.