en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Portuguese Government approved this Tuesday the revision of the Coastal Zone Plan for Ovar to Marinha Grande (POC-OMG), updating one of the core tools for managing the Portuguese coast.
The Ministry of Environment and Energy (Ministério do Ambiente e Energia) stated that this revision "adapts the classification and delimitation of beaches to current realities," while strengthening the protection of people and property, the conservation of coastal ecosystems, and enhancing the public use value of approximately 140 kilometers of coastline.
The revision was prepared by the Portuguese Environment Agency (Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente), with the participation of an advisory committee and following a public consultation.
Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, noted: "The Portuguese coast is facing increasingly serious challenges, so management tools must keep pace with this reality. This update enables a more effective response to coastal erosion risks, strengthens the safety of residents and visitors in these areas, and ensures more sustainable management of our beaches, balancing environmental protection, public enjoyment, and the development of marine-related economic activities."
The main new features of this revision include the creation of new beaches and the reclassification of existing ones. In this process, the following beaches were created or reclassified: Velha dos Pescadores Beach in Esmoriz, Cortegaça/Parque de Campismo Beach, Santa Marinha Beach, Furadouro Sul Beach, Biarritz Ria Beach, Barrinha de Mira Beach, Murtinheira Beach, and Água de Madeiros Beach. Additionally, Praia do Urso Beach in the municipality of Pombal has been included among the beaches covered by the plan, following updated safety, accessibility, and coastal dynamics conditions for that stretch of coast.
This revision aims to ensure more appropriate management of the natural evolution of the coastline, while strengthening the protection of people and property and the environmental value of the area. The decree also updates the Bathing Waters Management Regulations and the Beach Intervention Plans, adapting the management framework to the specificities of different coastal stretches and enhancing coordination between nature conservation, safety, and marine-related economic activities.
According to the Government, the resolution determines that these changes pertain solely to the management rules of the coastal zone plan and do not lead to updates of existing land-use plans, nor do they restrict the occupation, use, or transformation of land.
