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The island of Capri has proposed a barrier of buoys to stop boats from sailing too close to shore and prevent damage to its cove-filled coastline.
According to reports, plans for a perimeter of 40 buoys 100m offshore for 3.7 miles around the Italian island’s western coast were put forward by the local council last week.
The mayor of Anacapri, Franco Cerrotta, told The Telegraph: “There is too much traffic and motorboats are travelling too fast. We have to stop boorish behaviour and defend the sea.”
Mr Cerrotta added that the barrier would also protect children in swimming areas from dangerous encounters with boats.
Superyachts hosting celebrities from Leonardo di Caprio to Jeff Bezos and Beyonce are seen anchored offshore in Capri every summer.
Local boat rental companies that are dependent on tourism said the move would damage businesses and drive holidaymakers away.
Famous sites such as the Blue Grotto and Green Cave are A-lister magnets, and regular boat tours from Positano mean tourist numbers often exceed residents during the peak summer season.
As many as 16,000 international visitors a day travelled to the Mediterranean island – home to just 12,900 residents – in May and June, causing packed piazzas and bursting beaches.
This year, Capri doubled its visitors’ fee from €2.50 to €5 (£4.20) for tourists taking ferries from Naples or Sorrento between April and October – a move intended to persuade more people to visit the Italian island in winter.
In June, a water emergency prompted Capri to order a halt to the arrival of tourists.
Without a water supply, it was impossible to guarantee essential services to “thousands of people” who travel to the island daily during the tourist season.
The emergency was caused by a failure in the mainland’s water system that provides vital supplies to the island.
For more travel news and advice listen to Simon Calder’s podcast.
