A critical assessment of beach management on the Catalan coast

The present status of beach management carried out by the lowest level of administration (municipalities) along the Catalan coast (NE Spanish Mediterranean) was analysed to detect the main problems and priorities. This analysis was undertaken by analysing answers to a questionnaire provided by personnel involved in beach management in 38 municipalities covering a coastline of 430 km. As tourism is the main economic activity in the area, current beach management is recreationally oriented. The beach is considered a product/service on offer to users and visitors. The main concern of managers was the appearance of sediment-management related problems. Although municipalities are the main “receivers” of erosion-induced problems, actions to solve or counteract such problems are decided, designed and executed at a different administrative level. This reflects the complex administrative scheme governing the coastal area in Spain, where three different administrations have different jurisdictional powers over a narrow piece of land.