Lisbon, 31 March 2026 (Lusa) - The Portuguese Federation of Lifeguards (FEPONS) has expressed "concern" about the shortage of lifeguards to ensure the start of the bathing season on Portuguese beaches and warned of the urgency of amending the sector's governing law.
"Every year, on average, we lose approximately 50% of our lifeguards," Alexandre Tadeia, president of FEPONS, told the Lusa agency, expressing "the concern of not knowing how many professionals can be counted on" for the start of the 2026 bathing season.
He said there are over 5,000 certified lifeguards in Portugal monitoring beaches, most of whom are "young university students who, upon finishing their degree, seek other employment options."
This factor, which requires training about half of the necessary lifeguards every year, contributes to the federation’s annual struggle with a professional shortage at the start of the season.
"As they are young university students, they are usually only available from mid-June or early July, which creates major problems at the start of the bathing season, especially in areas of the country where the season begins as early as the start or middle of May," Tadeia said.
Foreign workers, mostly from Brazil and Argentina, will likely fill the summer shortage of professionals, as has happened in recent bathing seasons. These workers are usually available at that time of year.
However, Tadeia urged the creation of a different system that moves away from a bathing season focused on only three or four months.
He called for an end to the current seasonal concept, saying that most Portuguese beaches are used year-round.
FEPONS advocates for legislative reform to create a system similar to the fire service, with Portugal's national lifeboat institution (ISN) as a central coordinator and non-profit lifeguard associations providing local rescue services.
The Federation said municipalities must assume this responsibility, which has been within their remit since 2018, rather than pushing the obligation onto beach concessionaires.
Concessionaires must be removed from this equation, Tadeia said, as it makes no sense for them to pay for the lifeguards and buy the equipment. The state must view this sector from a humanitarian perspective rather than a commercial one, with companies competing to see who can offer the lowest price to patrol a beach. “Mixing rescue and money usually leads to a poor result," he said.
Improving pay and working conditions for lifeguards can help address the shortage of lifeguards, according to Tadeia. These people undergo demanding 150-hour training and deserve respect, he said.
Concerns regarding the start of the bathing season have intensified this year following February's storms. Many beaches across the country lost significant amounts of sand and suffered extensive damage, requiring substantial work to ensure they remain safe for public use.
The Portuguese Environment Agency holds jurisdiction over this area. FEPONS assists in identifying needs only when requested and currently lacks information on which ones will be ready to welcome beach-goers at the start of the season.
DA/RYOL // ADB.
Lusa
