Sludge and dredged gunge from the port of Tavira are being pumped onto the sea-bed off the bathing area of Cabanas.
Fishermen and concerned locals fear that Cabanas beach will end up being polluted by the sludge as it later shifts with the tides.
Docapesca, which has commissioned the long-overdue dredging operation in the river Gilão, claims the sediment is free of any contamination and could even be used directly on the beaches.
The dredging already is dragging up old tyres, supermarket trolleys and bicycles and the president of the Tavira Fishermen’s Association is somewhat apprehensive about the destination of the sludge.
"When the last dredging was done, about nine or ten years ago, they dumped the sand four or five miles off-shore. Now the rubbish is just 400 meters from the sand bank," claims the association's spokesperson.
Docapesca says the water quality is being monitored and that samples have been collected, as from the start of the operation on November 1st.
As for the results, "if the regulatory values are exceeded, appropriate mitigation measures will be adopted," showing that Docapesca is prepared for polluted sludge while claiming the sludge dredged so far, is unpolluted.
The deposit of sediment, is proceeding, "off the beach of Cabanas-Mar, according to the guidelines of the Portuguese Environment Agency and the positive opinion of the Institute of Nature Conservation and Forests," says Docapesca.
The fishermen's association representative said that he had not realised or questioned the destination of the sediment, "I thought it would be dumped off the coast, like last time."
The dredging work being undertaken in the Gilão aims to improve the navigability and safety in the river.
