Following the introduction of a new ban on urinating in the sea, Spanish authorities have moved to clarify what the law means in practice.
The law was quite unique, but by no means the first of its kind, and it warned people against urinating on the high seas.
Under the new rules, proposed as a way to curb anti-social behaviour, tourists and locals alike could face fines of more than £1,200 for using the sea as a urinal for a penny.
A first offence carries a hefty fine of 750 euros (around £635), and if you’re caught doing it more than once the fine is doubled to 1,500 euros.
That works out to roughly £1,270, making the Spanish location in question – a holiday to idyllic Marbella on the Costa del Sol – much more expensive.
Local media have criticised the move, with Spanish TV presenter Nacho Abad saying he regularly uses the toilet in the sea and takes off his shorts (thankfully while in the water).
“I recommend that, otherwise your swimsuit will smell awful,” he said.
Brits love Marbella (Getty Stock Images)
One of the people interviewed laughed at the idea, saying: “Only jellyfish can tell when someone is peeing.”
Another said: “This is nonsense and stupidity, let them worry about other things.”
20 Minutes also reported that “urinating in the ocean is one of the most widespread habits in the country.”
However, Marbella City Council has begun to clarify how the law will be applied in practice, and thankfully, it’s all now clear.
In a statement to the Guardian, a city council spokesman said: “The bylaw does not impose any penalties for urinating in the sea.”
“No, the bylaw regulates potential anti-social behaviour on beaches in the same way that it regulates any behaviour in public places such as city streets.”
Other measures included in Marbella’s new law include banning dogs from swimming in the sea and creating new areas just for dogs.
Cabopino Beach in Marbella (Getty Stock Images)
This means that it is completely fine if you pee while swimming.
If you stand on a beach or a breakwater (like a harbor) and pee into the ocean, you should pay a fine. To be honest, you deserve to be fined if you do that. It’s awful.
The move in Marbella follows a similar one by the city council of Vigo, a city on Spain’s west coast.
