Why Mazarrón's private island won't be taken over by the town hall

Environmental rules and unclear benefits mean Mazarrón's Isla de Adentro stays in private hands

A small island off Mazarrón will remain privately owned after an offer to hand it over to the town hall hit a dead end. The island, known as Isla de Mazarrón, is also called Isla de Adentro or Isla de Paco, and locally referred to as La Isla or La Islica.

The island's two owners, Felipe Fuster and Juan Antonio Tolón from Alicante, had suggested swapping the eight-hectare property for other land owned by the council. But the plan fell through because the island has no real financial value. Its protected status stops any kind of building or development on the island. Fuster has, however, asked a planning lawyer to see if there's any way a transfer could be made legally.

Some council officials also questioned what the town would actually gain by acquiring the land. They pointed out that it wasn't clear what benefits the council would get from owning the island.

The proposal came after the State's Coastal Authority began a new survey to define the island's boundaries and protect it. Fuster and Tolón claim ownership through a purchase made in 1962, though Fuster admits he doesn't know how much his father paid or why he bought it. The coastal authorities are still working on the process, and the town hall has not filed any objections.

A look into the island's history

The island lies off one of Mazarrón's most famous beaches and is known for its archaeology. Two shipwrecks, around 2,700 years old, were found nearby and are now in the ARQUA Museum in Cartagena. Underwater archaeologists believe the island probably played a supporting role in a Phoenician port system from the late 8th century BC. It likely wasn't a main settlement, but could have been a secondary site or even a burial area.

Later stories link the island to German submarines during World War I. The name Isla de Paco comes from the late 1970s, when developers planned a hotel, homes, a restaurant and an open-air auditorium. Environmental opposition and a negative provincial planning report stopped the project.

Today, the island’s protected status prevents any building. A 19th-century house, an old water tank and traces of garden terraces remain. Fuster, now retired, says he hasn’t received any offers for the island and is exploring whether the old house could be rebuilt as a summer home for his family.

The island is also a real haven for wildlife. Large colonies of seabirds live here, especially gulls and little egrets. Its waters are packed with fish, like big groupers and cod, to breams like white seabream, dentex and two-banded sea bream. Seasonal visitors include pelagic species, and amberjack, barracuda and spearfish are common sights. On a lucky day, you might even spot sea eagles, dolphins or sea turtles.

Also read about: Phoenician boat interpretation centre in Puerto De Mazarrón

Image: CC/ 19migmas63