Mijas, among the best submerged forests of the Mediterranean Sea

The importance of the seabed in Mijas is outstanding, above all for having authentic submerged forests where posidonias abound when they are practically extinct in the whole Mediterranean Sea.

Our Sea, or Mare Nostrum as the Roman called it, is known for its crystal waters thanks to the function of Posidonia. In Mijas beaches, you can see and feel it meters away from the shores.

The need to preserve the natural heritage of the seabed should be an objective for all of us and should be in our minds every time we go to the beach. Gema Infante, who belongs to the Eco&Dive diving club, advised the Mijas International newspaper: “It is quite interesting that we are aware of the need for conservation, not to leave anything on the beach, not my bag, not my package, nothing, and, of course, we are very strict about cigarette butts”.

She added: “If I leave something on the shore, it will reach the sea, but if I leave it in the rubbish and it is not properly covered, it will also reach the sea with the wind, just as if I leave it in a stream. So we also have to be very conscious of how we recycle and how we make sure that plastic is where it should be”.

According to this specialist, they are very shallow bottoms, a few metres from the shore there is already the possibility of seeing posidonias, of seeing the marine biodiversity that exists, so it is something very easy to do”.

Posidonia is a crucial and beneficial species for the mediterranean

Posidonia Oceanica is one of the oldest living organisms on the planet, perhaps even dating back 200,000 years. It is a marine plant found in the Mediterranean Sea that forms meadows between the surface and 40 metres deep. Also known as seagrass, it has a vital role in filtering sediments, thus raising the oxygen quality of the underwater ecosystem, and providing food and shelter to hundreds of marine plants and animals including starfish, sea urchins, sponges, sea horses and molluscs.

This plant is indispensable for the dynamics of the Mediterranean Sea as, due to the abundance of this species, it generates more white sand formed by small organisms that live among the Posidonia.

Photo: Patricia Murillo