Summer beach season kicks off in capital of Costa del Sol with new AI system to detect jellyfish

The summer beach season is launching in Malaga on the weekend of 14 and 15 June and the city council is preparing to implement various lifeguard, maintenance and recreational services.

One of the novelties this year is the launch of a special AI tool, which will allow bathers to detect jellyfish. In addition, people will be able to use their phone to get a permit for barbecues .

This year, the beaches of Pedregalejo, Caleta, El Palo, El Dedo, Malagueta, Misericordia and San Andrés will once again display the blue flag awarded by the ADEAC association for environmental and consumer education. The city has also received a special mention for its efforts in relation to 'accessibility and attention to people with disabilities'.

Councillor for beaches Teresa Porras explained that the full beach maintenance service began during Easter. She added that the lifeguard service is currently active on weekends, but it will be extended to every day from 15 June.

Therefore, until 15 September, lifeguards will work every day between 10am and 8pm. The team consists of a coordinator, four skippers, eight ATS, two drivers, two health technicians and 25 lifeguards. In addition, there are eight first aid stations, 25 lifeguard towers, 25 flagpoles, one boat, five jet skis and two ambulances.

The maintenance service has also been extended - from this year onwards, it will be applied from March until October. With that said, the low season will only be four months, from November to February. Since the beginning of March, some 30 employees have been working on the maintenance of the public toilets, walkways, railings and showers.

In addition, Malaga city council will once again launch the 'Disfruta la Playa' (Enjoy the Beach) programme to make bathing easier for people who need some kind of assistance. There will be three assisted bathing points (Misericordia, Malagueta and Dedo) and five autonomous bathing points (Guadalmar, San Andrés, La Caleta, Pedregalejo and El Palo).

The assisted bathing service will be available from 15 to 30 June from 12pm to 7pm every day. The autonomous bathing points will be equipped with an amphibious chair, a crane with a harness, toilet and accessible changing rooms. There will also be audio equipment to make bathing easier for visually impaired people.

The city's beaches have 47 public toilets distributed in 27 modules and more than half of them are adapted for people with reduced mobility. In addition, the toilets at La Malagueta are equipped with a baby changing station. There are also three toilets for ostomised individuals at Malagueta, Misericordia and Pedregalejo.

The Local Police force will have between 12 and 16 officers, including motorcyclists and plainclothes units, in addition to the officers who are on duty every day. This device focuses on crime prevention and respect for municipal order (with special attention to beach regulations concerning loose dogs, the use of personal mobility vehicles and bicycles in pedestrian areas, and inspections of unauthorised boats). These tasks will also be supported by the drone unit. Civil Protection volunteers will also be present along the coast with a special weekend deployment.

Malaga city council's free downloadable app - Málaga Funciona - provides access to a wide range of information about the city's beaches, such as the total capacity of each one, the flag each day and even an approximation of the number of people occupying them. The beaches department also has a website: www.playas.malaga.eu. There is an automated system for authorising barbecues.

Thanks to a municipal subsidy of 30,000 euros, the Costa del Sol chair of coastal sciences seeks to lay the foundations to promote the quality and excellence of the different ecosystems that can be found on the beaches of Malaga.

On the other hand, Malaga city council has awarded 27 plots for sunbed services and is currently in the process of tendering licences for the operation of a further 15 plots for the same purpose. In addition, a water sports service has been awarded on El Dedo beach.