Green buoys on the beaches of the Costa Dorada

Tarragona, Salou. Costa Dorada. 25 June 2016. Since 2012 Repsol sponsors ecological placing buoys on the beaches of the Costa Dorada, so that with 20 the summer of 2016 are placed on the coast of Tarragona, Torredembarra, Altafulla and l'Hospitalet de l'Infant will a total of 86 biotopes scattered around the Tarragona coast.

Unlike conventional buoys, which are based on rectangular blocks of concrete are removed and put each season, the bases of these buoys are unique artificial biotopes in the world, which are installed permanently. It is large pieces of stone work and taper of between 1.30 and 2 meters high by 1.5 meters wide. They weigh between 1,000 and 2,000 kilos and are made of a cement neutral pH and calcium carbonate that attracts marine flora and wildlife forming a reef. In this way also become an attraction for diving enthusiasts.

They also incorporate an innovative intermediate buoy which causes excess chain buoy floating, remains in suspension and therefore not damage the seabed when temporary. When the summer ends, two professional diving move to the point where each buoy is to remove the chain from the middle to the surface buoy. The rest of the structure and all the flora and fauna that has grown around stays where it is. The following summer buoys are located using a GPS and reposition the chain, intermediate and floating buoy.

In the project, Repsol assumes the cost of biotopes, while municipalities finance the maintenance of equipment and the installation and removal of the part that goes from the middle to the surface buoy.

Ecological buoys are an idea of Miquel Rota, an expert in marine aquarium hobby, culture alive and rock dive professional. The placement of these biotopes born from the project for the construction of Biotopo Antina, an underwater mountain 18 meters high and 80 meters in diameter made with rocks of calcium carbonate of coralline origin that is to be located in the natural set Navy off the coast of Torredembarra.

The project Biotopo is right now in its final phase, pending the Government to give its final approval. From the beginning, the City of Torredembarra has supported so that it can develop this project, you want to be a global benchmark for environmentally and ecologically while wants to serve as a tourist attraction for the area and for diving enthusiasts.

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