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Hundreds join hands to “embrace” the Mar Menor in global show of support
Fifth annual human chain calls for urgent action to protect the troubled lagoon
For the fifth summer in a row, locals and holidaymakers lined the shores of the Mar Menor to form a huge human chain, symbolically wrapping the saltwater lagoon in a protective “embrace”.On Friday August 8, at exactly 1.00pm, crowds gathered at Playa del Espejo in Los Alcázares, the focal point of the initiative, to clasp hands in a united call for stronger measures to safeguard the Mar Menor.
The event was part of the international “Embrace the Water” campaign, which saw more than 100 human chains formed around the world this year. The Mar Menor version is promoted by the Mar Menor Alliance (AMARME) and carries the message: “All waters, the same water. All seas, the same sea.”
In Los Alcázares, the day was not only about the chain itself. The beach hosted an ecological and social market in the afternoon, offering sustainable products, followed by a round-table discussion and music from local DJs until midnight.
Pedro José Sánchez, the town’s Councillor for the Environment, described it as “one of the most exciting and visible expressions of citizen commitment to this unique ecosystem”.
The movement began as a local protest but has grown into an international statement of solidarity, involving more than 140 organisations worldwide. Each year, the embrace stretches further along the shoreline, joining more people, more beaches, and more kilometres of clasped hands in defence of the lagoon.
The Mar Menor has been at the centre of environmental concern for years. Excessive nutrients from agricultural runoff have triggered repeated episodes of algal blooms and dangerously high chlorophyll levels, which in turn have led to anoxia events - oxygen depletion that has caused mass fish deaths, with tonnes of marine life removed from the water in recent years. Even in July this year, tonnes of algae were cleared but serious problems persisted.
Most recently, worrying water analysis results led to swimming bans on several Mar Menor beaches. Campaigners say these issues underline the urgent need for the political will and practical action that the embrace symbolises.
For those who joined hands on Friday, the message was clear: the Mar Menor is worth saving, and the fight for its recovery must continue.
Image: Ayuntamiento de Los Alcázares
