The Barcelona City Council recently approved a decree that allows surfing on the beaches and coasts of the city under the responsibility of the surfer.
With this, it authorized the practice of surfing, paddle surfing and windsurfing, clarifying that whoever surfs in the sea under conditions of pre-alert and alert for bad sea (Basic Municipal Emergency Plan for bad sea conditions (PAEM), will do so under their own responsibility.
After several years where a somewhat contradictory regulation remained in force, today Barcelona already has this new decree that will open the waves in Barcelona for the free practice of these sports.
Surfing on the city’s beaches and coasts
Although Barcelona has traditionally been characterized by being more of fishermen, in recent years and as a result of the changes that the Catalan capital has experienced, surfing came to the beaches of the city.
In them, the athletes found the best scenario to practice this sport in the Mediterranean.
However, in Barcelona a curious fact was observed that despite being a city of sea with more and more surfers, the rule prohibited the practice of this discipline. Particularly on days with high waves and more wind, arguing safety reasons for the practitioners.
But this has changed and the swell is coming back to Barcelona to be able to practice this sport in the city’s seas.
You will be able to surf at your own risk
In the past, the city’s regulations prohibited surfing with a red flag, but there were contradictions, as there were more surfers, as well as police officers, on the days with the biggest swell.
And once out of the water, the athletes were fined by the authorities.
As a result of this situation, the practitioners of the sport, accredited to surf 2.5 meter waves, complained about the fines and the situation that arose.
The video where the complaint was made went viral and thanks to this, eventually the City Council issued this new regulation.
Surfing, windsurfing and paddle surfing are now authorized even in rough seas, under the sole responsibility of each person.
However, the new decree determines that the police may exceptionally prohibit the practice of surfing if they detect that there is an imminent, serious and concrete risk where the safety of people is at stake.
One of these cases is, for example, when there is “loss of cargo from a vessel”; a “vessel adrift or at risk of fire” or due to the “presence of chemicals or flammable products in the water”, among other high-risk cases.
The City Council recommends that people who practice this sport have a federation license or insurance.
