Countries where it is illegal to pee in the sea

If you're going on holiday soon, you need to check out travel information before heading out. If you don’t, you risk being slapped with a fine of up to £8,647 for simply peeing in the sea.

Almost half of YouGov Pollers have claimed that relieving yourself in the sea is acceptable, but some authorities would definitely say otherwise.

And I get it; sometimes it can feel easier to trot into the ocean for a couple of minutes in your swimming costume instead of parading up and down the promenade trying to find a manky public bathroom.

But would you still risk it if you knew you were going to have to fork out a five-figure sum if you got caught red-handed weeing?

Below, we’ve outlined countries where you’re likely to be met with a cash fine if you’re caught urinating at the beach, as well as the travel destinations where public urination is frowned upon, full stop.

Relieving yourself in the sea is frowned upon in some countries, with some places slapping fines on perpetrators (Getty Stock Image)

Spain - Marbella and Vigo

Last year, the Marbella city council proposed a series of initiatives designed to improve the quality of the city’s famous beaches.

This includes fining anyone who carries out ‘physiological evacuations (bowel movements and urination) in the sea or on the beach’.

After their announcement, officials were quickly forced to confirm that anyone wading out into the Costa del Sol’s warm waters to relieve themselves wouldn’t actually receive a fine.

Instead, the legislation was aimed at people directly peeing in the sea from the shore or from breakwaters.

“The bylaw does not impose a sanction for peeing in the sea,” they said in an email to the Guardian.

“It will not be applicable. The bylaw regulates possible antisocial infractions on the beach, just as any such acts are regulated in any public space, such as on the city’s streets.”

If you’re caught, you could face a fine of around £635, whilst repeat offenders could face a fine of up to £1,298.

Vigo, situated in the northern region of Galicia, will also slap you with a hefty fine if you’re caught urinating at the seaside, reported Euro News.

Portugal

It’s been falsely reported in the past that peeing in the sea is illegal in Portugal. The National Association of Municipalities (ANM) confirmed to Postal that there are ‘no actual laws regulating the prohibition of urinating in Portuguese waters’.

However, there are laws in place about peeing in public places.

Albufeira, for example, has specifically introduced a code of conduct with fines for public urination and other inappropriate behaviours.

"The municipality of Albufeira has introduced a Code of Conduct which bans inappropriate behaviour in public places,” the Foreign Office stated.

“Check out the rules that are now in force. If you break the rules, you could be fined on the spot from between 150 and 1,800 euros.”

These sanctions include urinating in public, spitting on the ground, sexual acts or simulations in public and drinking alcohol in the street.

Italy

Experts have weighed in on whether peeing in the sea is safe (Getty Stock Image)

Like Portugal, it isn’t technically illegal to pee in the sea, but you could be hit with a fine worth around £8,000 if you’re caught urinating in public - especially near the beach.

The Express reported that a 19-year-old was slapped with one of these public urination fines in 2017 while in the northern Italian city of Genoa.

He was initially ordered to pay a five-figure sum, but The Local Italy said he ended up having to pay a third of the total figure because he was able to pay straight away.

Advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) explained: “Some Italian towns and cities have specific laws, and you could be fined for breaking them.”

So it’s always worth looking at legislation before you jet off on your next holiday.

Is it okay to pee in the sea?

Andrew J. Esbaugh, a professor at the University of Texas, told Refinery 29 that peeing in the ocean isn’t harmful to marine life.

This is because, as The Telegraph reported 'urine is 95 per cent water, but it also contains sodium and chloride ions – the same chemicals that make seawater salty'.

However, scientists have said reefs near large hotel complexes have ‘suffered’ in the past due to human waste being spilt into the ocean by tourists.

Maya Bay in Thailand temporarily stopped tourists from coming to the famous film location for three years due to damage caused by human waste.

And of course, it’s also not very nice for nearby swimmers, making it a serious politeness issue.

But is it okay health-wise? Yes, according to the American Chemical Society

Officials stated that, from a health perspective, it is ‘absolutely okay to go in the ocean’.

“The amount of urea in our pee is negligible compared to the sea's volume,” they added.