The picturesque coastlines of Sardinia are now facing an unprecedented influx of tourist party boats, which has provoked a strong reaction from both locals and environmentalists.
This summer, yachts and party dinghies have flocked to the Mediterranean Sea areas surrounding the Italian island, particularly targeting the protected Maddalena National Park on Sardinia’s northeastern edge.
Recent footage showcases the archipelago, which comprises roughly 60 islands, swarming with pleasure boats. These vessels drop anchors indiscriminately, causing significant damage to the ocean floor.
One video clip highlights a boat hosting a karaoke party, with music echoing across the waters.
Rosanna Giudice, who serves as the president of Maddalena National Park, expressed her concern to La Nuova Sardegna, stating, “They come swarming in like locusts.”
She said that as many as 6,500 boats have been seen in the area, when it is only able to accommodate around 2,500 a day.
The area has long been popular with the rich and famous. The late Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s controversial former leader, had a mansion there where he once invited Sir Tony Blair to stay.
And the country’s current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni holidayed in the region this month.
Yachts and party dinghies have been swarming the Mediterranean Sea surrounding the Italian island this summer
Footage has emerged of the protected region packed with pleasure craft whose anchors are tearing up the sea bed
One particularly egregious video showed a karaoke boat arty blaring music in the protected area
Lino Cozzuto, head of Guardie Ambientali Sardegna, an environmental protection group, told The Times: ‘Local governments have long tried to protect the beaches by limiting visitor numbers, but out at sea anchoring is out of control.’
Italian law requires boats to anchor at least 650ft from beaches and 320ft from rocky shores.
But many dinghies rented by day-trippers often go far closer, bypassing beach quotas and posing a risk to swimmers and the environment.
These holidaymakers have been emboldened by the rise of boat-rental apps, which make it far easier to book pleasure craft.
On top of this, local firms have pushed back against rules that aim to protect the environment. In the spring, the park introduced restrictions and priority rules for access via the sea, but boat rental associations slammed ‘the use of serious environmental concerns to justify measures to disrupt competition’.
But perhaps the biggest problem is enforcement. The protected park is around 47,000 hectares, of which only 2,500 are on land.
Mr Cozzuto said the swarm of boats has generated an ‘enormous amount of work’ for the coastguard.
Italy has long had a problem with overtourism, and authorities are now taking extreme measures to curtail the problem.
The protected park is around 47,000 hectares, of which only 2,500 are on land making enforcement hard
As many as 6,500 boats have been seen in the area, when it is only able to accommodate around 2,500 a day
Locals said the swarm of boats has generated an ‘enormous amount of work’ for the coastguard
Tourists who leave their belongings and towels on sun beds have now been warned they face confiscation and fines.
Dubbed ‘furbetti dell’ombrellone’, which translates to ‘umbrella cheats’, local authorities in Italy are clamping down on those who attempt to save spots on public beaches when they are not there.
Holidaymakers could find themselves charged up to €500 (£428). Officials dealt with ‘umbrella cheats’ on Laghetto Beach in Torre del Greco recently and saw around 40 unattended items, such as chairs, tables and parasols, removed.
Some of the belongings had been left unattended for more than two days and those hoping to recover their belongings face a long process to get them back.
Overnight crackdowns in Castellabate, Campania, during July saw 200 items taken by officials.
In Campomarino, Campobasso, 170 items were removed.
Meanwhile on Micenci beach in Sicily, hundreds of items, including unattended loungers and beach towels, were confiscated.
Graziano Gagliardi, general manager at Private Italy Tour, said: ‘These fines are not being imposed simply because authorities dislike unattended towels.
‘The rules exist to preserve access to publicly owned coastline and stop people informally claiming the best parts of the beach for days at a time.’
He explained that although Britons may view the behaviour as similar to reserving a hotel pool lounger, it isn’t quite the same as ‘a free Italian beach is public land’ so different rules apply.
Leaving behind items can also make cleaning the beach difficult and create possible dangers if things like umbrellas aren’t properly secured during bad weather.