British tourists fined £635 for peeing in sea! Marbella announces plan to clean up beaches by punishing bathers

Britons who pee in the sea could have to shell out an extra £635 for their Marbella holiday, as authorities impose new penalties as part of a clean-up campaign for tourists on the Costa del Sol.

Councillors at the holiday resort in southern Spain have said beachgoers could face fines of up to €750 if they are caught carrying out “physiological evacuations in the sea and on the beach”.

The measure, which was approved in plenary session and now awaits public scrutiny, is part of wider legislation aimed at tackling the impact of tourism in the Spanish resort.

This follows a similar rule introduced by lawmakers in Vigo, a city in the Galicia region, two years ago.

In case of repetition, the fine will be doubled, meaning that the second fine will be €1,500 and the third a maximum of €3,000.

However, the measure has been criticized and even ridiculed by locals, many of whom regularly participate in the practice themselves and say it is impossible to regulate and enforce.

Councillors in the southern Spanish holiday resort have said beachgoers could face fines of up to €750 if they are caught carrying out ‘physiological evacuations in the sea and on the beach’

Councillors in the southern Spanish holiday destination have said beachgoers could face fines of up to €750 if they are caught carrying out ‘physiological evacuations in the sea and on the beach’

Tourists show their buttocks on the beach in Spain

Brits looking to take a dip in the sea may need to shell out an extra £635 for their Marbella holiday

Most commentators agreed that urinating on the sand is understandably seen as an offence and can be severely enforced.

But urinating in the sea is a different story.

“Who is going to find the culprits – the jellyfish?” said an incredulous interviewee when asked about Mario Picazo’s measure for the Spanish television program “Tiempo al tiempo,” according to a media outlet The Correo.

“Let them worry about other things, this is stupid!” said another.

‘What would a police officer look at? You don’t see anything, I don’t understand anything.’

Other media openly criticised the measure, stating that urinating in the sea is ‘one of the most common customs in our country’.

Despite all the outrage, the measure has been in force in Malaga since 2004, albeit with much lower penalties.

Beachgoers caught urinating on the beach can currently be fined up to €300.

But these fines would increase significantly if the new legislation, along with a raft of other measures, is passed.

These include a range of new restrictions limiting ball games and paddle boarding on parts of the beach where the activities could ‘disturb other beach users’.

Beachgoers must also request permission from the competent authorities before organising parties, public events or competitions on the 25 beaches in Marbella covered by the legislation.

Marbella24hours Other restrictions were later reported that prevent people from leaving umbrellas or parasols in the sand to reserve a spot on the beach, and from leaving cigarette butts, trash and food scraps in the sand.

Parking caravans or campers at the beach is also prohibited if this is ‘contrary to the applicable traffic regulations’.

The measures in Marbella come months after authorities on the island of Mallorca introduced new penalties to combat chaos caused by drunk tourists.

Drunk Brits have been spotted on the streets of the Spanish resort of Magaluf this summer

You see partygoers sitting on the sidewalk with their heads in their hands after a long night on the town

In Magaluf, one of the most notorious party destinations for Britons, draconian laws are now in place for tourists who are banned from drinking alcohol on the streets or buying alcohol in convenience stores after 8.30pm.

Anyone who breaches the rules introduced on May 11 could face a fine of up to €1,500 (£1,350).

If it is decided that someone has committed a more serious offence, the fine can increase to €3,000 (£2,550).

The strict new rules also ban tourists from organizing public drinking parties, spray-painting graffiti, riding scooters and being naked.

The rules will remain in force until at least 2027, after which they will be evaluated for effectiveness and impact.