The ticketing system introduced to control access to Comino did not work, tourism anthropologist Professor Marie Avellino told The Malta Independent newsroom recently, arguing that overcrowding has persisted and enforcement has remained weak.

Overcrowding in Comino has been an issue for a number of years. The government took some action to try and solve the problem, one example of which was the introduction of a ticketing system. The system, for Blue Lagoon, allowed a maximum of 4,000 visitors at Blue Lagoon at any one time.

But 4,000 at any one time is way too high a number.

"There is still overcrowding," Avellino said plainly during the interview.

Avellino also said something most concerning about what happens on Comino. She maintained that enforcement was particularly challenging, as operators allegedly adjusted their activities when inspections were carried out. "When the inspectors come, they clear up quickly, and when they leave, they do what they want," she said.

This means that there should be a constant enforcement presence on the island during the summer months.

Comino is a Natura 2000 site, and needs to be treated like one. It deserves a high level of protection.

Moviment Graffitti, last August, had released a video, which it said captured how the large commercial boats are the main cause of chaos at Comino's Blue Lagoon.

These large tourist boats actively ensnare thousands of tourists from Buġibba and Sliema and spew them into the Blue Lagoon every day, Graffitti said. The environmental impact is massive, and by mid-afternoon nobody is able to enjoy the area for what it should be - a little piece of paradise, it said. More than 10 such large boats can be berthed at the Blue Lagoon at any one time, each with a capacity of several hundred people. Many boats carry out multiple trips per day, Graffitti said.

Too much footfall on the iconic Blue Lagoon means it is not enjoyable for those visiting there, and could also be causing damage to the area.

The government should stop hiding the carrying capacity study for Comino which it had undertaken, and release it for public viewing.

Last year, the government announced plans to rehabilitate Comino's Blue Lagoon. This proposal included enlarging the existing swimming area by 20% (roughly by 40 metres in length), removing existing kiosks from the Blue Lagoon's most prominent walkway and shoreline, among other points.

It had said that 99% of all interventions will be done on existing hardstanding (i.e., already degraded land) to mitigate adverse environmental impacts. It also plans to restore 35,000 sqm of garigue areas, extend the swimming zone by 20% (or 5,600 sqm in area) and replace the toilet block with an information centre to house Team Blue Lagoon on the Natura 2000 site of Comino.

The plan, at the face of it, sounds like it could make things better for visitors. Although not much has been heard about it since its announcement, and it remains to be seen what the final outcome would look like. At the same time, there is the fact that we still do not have a published study showing the island's carrying capacity, and in particular Blue Lagoon's carrying capacity. One assumes that the study took into consideration the importance of protecting the island's natural habitat.

Without a study taking that into consideration when calculating the carrying capacity, and without it being made public, it is impossible to tell whether enough is being done to protect the site. Proper studies should be conducted and made public.