The carefree act of gathering sand between toes or collecting picturesque pebbles, once considered innocent beachside pastimes, now carries unforeseen consequences, as visitors to the Canary Islands must now be cautious, mindful of the potential repercussions.
Enjoying the natural splendor of the Canary Islands comes with a caveat: beware, for seemingly harmless beach mementos may incur substantial penalties.
For UK tourists, the prospect of hefty fines, amounting to a maximum of INR 2.6 lakhs (£2,500 or $3,150), looms over the acquisition of ‘souvenirs’ from these idyllic island getaways.
This cautionary note may catch many travelers off guard, as they may be unaware of the punitive measures associated with their innocent beachside collections.
Authorities have initiated a crackdown on the practice of pocketing sand, rocks, and pebbles from the pristine beaches of the islands.
According to Canarian Weekly, the islands are experiencing a depletion of natural material due to tourists who often take home considerable quantities of souvenirs each year.
Lanzarote and Fuerteventura, in particular, bear the brunt of this souvenir-hunting frenzy, with approximately 1,000kg of natural matter disappearing annually from protected areas in Lanzarote alone.
Even the renowned ‘Popcorn Beach’ near Corralejo has not been immune to the plundering actions of tourists.
Despite the presence of clear signage warning against such practices, around 1,000kg of the distinctive sand from Popcorn Beach vanishes each year, exacerbating environmental damage in the local ecosystem.
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