Coalition of associations pushes back against moorings in Garitsa, demanding protection for historic bay

A common position on the need for institutional protection of Garitsa Bay and their opposition to plans for the installation of moorings or the creation of a marina was expressed by two of the town’s most active civic organisations during the discussion of the issue at the Municipal Council of Central Corfu.

“To Alsos”: “Garitsa will not become a marina"

The Garitsa Cultural Association “To Alsos” expressed categorical opposition to the prospect of installing moorings in the historic bay, arguing that such a development would effectively lead to the creation of an organised marina for recreational boats.

In its intervention, it stressed that the issue concerns not only Garitsa but also the overall identity of Corfu, the protection of the natural environment, the preservation of historical memory, and the public's free access to the sea. The Association argued that the designation of space for around 100 boats does not constitute environmental protection but rather the consolidation of the bay’s use as a boat parking area.

“To Alsos” calls for the designation of the bay as an area of historical memory and natural beauty, the abandonment of any plan to create a marina of moorings, the transformation of the waterfront into a large municipal beach, and the development of a comprehensive plan for the protection of Posidonia seagrass and the marine ecosystem. At the same time, it prioritises addressing pollution phenomena attributed to overflows from the municipal sewerage network operated by DEYAK.

Old Town Permanent Residents: “Protection of the bay as a public social good”

The intervention of the Association of Old Town Permanent Residents followed the same line, characterising Garitsa Bay as an area of particular historical, environmental, and social value, inseparably linked to the identity and cultural character of Corfu.

The Association proposes the immediate recognition and institutional protection of the bay as an area of historical memory and natural beauty, as well as the non-promotion of projects or installations such as marinas, moorings, and other interventions that could substantially alter the character of the area.

It further proposes, after the completion of the formal designation, the removal of the existing anchorage and any form of permanent or extensive anchoring in the bay, with only limited exceptions for the activities of NAOK, sports sailing vessels, and amateur fishing boats under specific conditions.

Until such a framework is implemented, it calls for immediate measures to limit the extent and intensity of current anchoring, protect the marine ecosystem, promote mild forms of recreation, and address pollution phenomena linked to the sewage system.

In conclusion, the Association of Old Town Permanent Residents calls on the Municipal Council to initiate, within a clear timetable, all necessary procedures for the recognition and protection of the bay as an area of historical memory, natural beauty, and public social good, warning that otherwise the municipal authority will bear political responsibility for any interventions that alter the historical, environmental, and social character of Garitsa.

GIORGOS KATSAITIS