Proposal - Jellyfish nets

Nets to protect bathers from Jellyfish

Proposal for Participatory Budgets 2014
Tony Cabban

Reasons for investment:
1. Avoid all the pain and distress to bathers.
2. Be a major selling point for Javea in summer.
3. Be a benefit to beachside businesses through people going to Javea beaches instead of staying round their pool or enjoying another non-beach activity.
4. Save costs of boats to remove jellyfish from sea near to beaches.

Description

Nets can be bought that are 2 metres deep and are fixed to and supported by a floating roll that stands proud from the water and should prevent jellyfish floating over the top.
The nets and floating roll could be attached to existing bouys that mark swimming limits. They could be installed and remove whenever there was a threat of jellyfish.

This Italian company( see link below) offers net at 39€ per metre so for 600 metres that would be 23,400€

I see that the Diputacion de Murcia installed nets in Jul & Aug last year for 43 kilometers at a cost of 587,000€.(13,561€ per km)

http://www.retificioribola.com/EN/index.php

Treatments by Red Cross by beach:

2011 2012
Port 572 73
Benissero (Muntanyar) 617 63
Arenal 2,486 161
Portichol 1,155 113
Granadella 910 140
Total 5,740 550
Figures not yet available for 2013 but expected to be like 2012.

Length of Nets needed- rough estimate:

Port 500 metres
Benissero 1,000
Arenal 600
Portichol 500
Granadella 400
Total 3,000 metres

Economics

Cost of 3,000 metres of net should be about 45,000€ , based on Murcia costs (above).
Installing and removing cost should be covered by saving of boat currently used to remove jellyfish.
Assuming net lasts 3 years, cost per year 15,000€. Cost partly compensated by saved costs of Red Cross treating people, more tourists for Javea and no interruptions in beachside business through people staying away when jellyfish present.

Summary

Major benefit is avoidance of jellyfish stings spoiling peoples holidays.
Significant selling point for Javea.

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