Towel wars: Fines for snagging beach spots

Stop hogging the sand guys.

Allison Wallace - Yahoo7 Be on August 10

Italian authorities are cracking down on a seaside menace: beach seat-savers.

It's an all-too common scene on Italian beaches: people arrive on the sand first thing in the morning only to discover that the plum spots are already claimed with deckchairs and umbrellas but there is no one in sight.

This practice has been going on for decades at some of Italy's most popular beaches, but coastal authorities from Tuscany to Sardinia are fed up with the practice and have warned beach-goers they’ll start confiscating beach gear and issuing fines to those who don’t play fair.

People responsible for leaving out equipment could face fines of $290 (€200).

Just this week the Livorno coastguard seized 37 deck and beach chairs, 30 umbrellas, towels and even some bathing suits, according to a report in La Repubblica.

Further south, in Roseta Capo Spulico, more than 200 umbrellas and chairs were removed following complaints.

While the rules vary from beach to beach, it is generally not acceptable to leave unattended items before 8.30am and especially not overnight which has become common in many popular locations.

The paper called the reservation of beach spots an “ancient and ingrained habit” that began as the first big waves of tourists started to visit Italy after the second world war.

The crackdown has been dubbed "Operation Safe Sea".