The Vila Joiosa City Council will have three drones and a boat to guarantee maritime safety and environmental protection of the coast

These resources respond to the aid program promoted by the GALP, which aims to strengthen the operations of the maritime unit of the Local Police and contribute to the protection of the marine ecosystem.

The Vila Joiosa City Council has requested the acquisition of a drone system and a specialized nautical vessel through the La Marina Local Fishing Action Group (GALP). This proposal presented by the Vila Joiosa City Council is part of the call for the Participatory Local Development Strategy approved for the local fishing action groups of the Valencian Community within the framework of the programming of the European Maritime Fund for Fisheries and Agriculture (FEMPA), for which these resources will be financed by the Valencian Generalitat and the European Union.
 

The project, presented by the Fisheries Department, is an innovative and necessary initiative for the protection of the coastline, the surveillance of the marine environment and the conservation of the submerged historical heritage of Vila Joiosa which aims to optimize the operational capacity of the Local Police, so as to ensure a more effective response to emergencies, better management of fishing resources and a reinforcement in the protection of the marine ecosystem.
 

With this, the maritime unit of the Local Police will be equipped with a specialized boat, three drones and an energy platform. The boat is designed for patrolling, rescue and surveillance on the coast and, due to its characteristics, it can get very close to the coast, even disembarking on land, in addition to being equipped with navigation technology, communication systems and security elements suitable for operations. In addition to the boat, the maritime unit of the Local Police will have a system of electronic devices that will optimize coastal surveillance, maritime security and rescue operations. There are three high-tech drones; one designed for rescue operations at sea and two more for surveillance, one intended for the inspection and monitoring of maritime incidents in real time and another for prolonged surveillance and maritime traffic control missions. In addition, it will have a portable power station designed to provide safe and efficient power to the teams of the Local Police maritime unit.
 

The Councilor for Fisheries, Carlos Soler, explains that these new resources are intended to improve surveillance, maritime security and protection of the coastal environment by strengthening the maritime unit of the Vila Joiosa Local Police. In this regard, he highlighted that "Vila Joiosa is a municipality with a strong fishing and maritime tradition, whose economy and sustainability depend largely on the good condition of its coastline and the appropriate management of its marine resources, which is why the maritime unit plays a fundamental role in protecting the fishing sector, preventing illegal activities at sea and environmental surveillance of the coast.

Therefore, we need to apply advanced technology to achieve more efficient, sustainable and safe management of the coastline." In addition, these resources will be applied to the protection and surveillance of underwater archaeological heritage, such as the Bou Ferrer site, in addition to carrying out preventive patrols on beaches and coves, the supervision of recreational and professional boats to guarantee compliance with navigation, anchoring and fishing activity regulations, the control of buoyage and bathing areas, the inspection of polluting discharges and marine pests, the control of illegal fishing and unauthorized fishing gear and participation in maritime events, such as the Desembarc and the Alljo of the Moors and Christians festivals, or in sports competitions, among other tasks.
 

On January 15, Mayor Marcos Zaragoza and the Fishing Councilor, Carlos Soler, met with the manager of GALP La Marina, José Manuel Sebastiá, to select the most suitable projects that adapt to the most urgent needs of the local fishing sector and the protection of the marine ecosystem.