SUMMARY
The use of the sea for touristic and recreational purposes has become increasingly intensive in the last two decades. The density of vessels in coastal traffic is increasing because vessels intended for spending leisure time at sea have become more affordable. Because of the lack of infrastructure, vessels anchor wherever possible, which has many negative consequences, both from the point of view of navigation safety and from an ecological point of view. In my bachelor’s thesis, I will focus on the anchoring of vessels with a permanent anchor, also called “corpo morto”, and on the positive aspects of the wider use of this method of anchoring in our coastal zone.
The negative consequences of unbridled anchoring can be summarized in the following nine points:
• reducing the biotic diversity of aquatic organisms,
• lifting of sea mud (silt), which causes reduced visibility of light penetration and oxygen below the sea level,
• pulling out the roots of organisms living on the seabed, especially sea grass (Posidonia oceanica),
• decrease in oxygen concentration (oxygenation) due to water murkiness,
• reduction of photosynthesis due to lower intensity of sunlight under the water surface,
• dangers for bathers and other vessels,
• pollution of the coastal zone if those who anchor are not ecologically aware enough,
• overloading the existing anchorages.
All of the above consequences affect a wide range of activities at sea directly or indirectly, not least tourism. I would especially like to emphasize the impact on the Mediterranean tapeweed habitats in our part of the sea. This is an endemic plant, a plant unique to a certain geographical area, in our case the Mediterranean Sea. It is identified as an endangered plant, reduces erosion and undulation, and preserves the biotic diversity of underwater life.
There are possibilities to improve the current unbridled exploitation of the sea (Maggiorre, Kappel, 2006) (Peterlin et al., 2013). When implementing the former, there would also be no need to limit or even ban the free use of the sea drastically. Quite on the contrary, we can optimize the use of space and improve the quality of sea water, and last but not least, new jobs.
All of the above can be implemented. A large number of analyses have been carried out. They confirm the positive effects of placing unnatural barriers, artificial reefs, or other related structures on the seabed. These facilities are easy to implement and relatively economical. After all, they can be easily removed if they harm the space around them.
As part of the projects carried out at the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport, a study of the setting of a certain number of permanent anchors is also being carried out. Among others, the study has the possibility of drawing European funds for its implementation. The primary objective of the study is to care for the marine biosphere, the independent regeneration of which has already partially begun. A considerable number of studies indicate the positive effects of the setting of permanent anchors on the preservation of biodiversity.
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