FLORENCE – It’s every man for himself on Italy’s beaches, where a new law is preventing overeager sunbathers from claiming coveted beach spots overnight.

According to CNN, the habit of staking an overnight spot on the beach with sun loungers and umbrellas has been commonplace throughout Italy’s most crowded summer shorelines for decades. But coast guards are now kicking the habit to the curb by threatening perpetrators with hefty fines of 200 euros.

To some, this may sound a bit steep, but La Repubblica reports that things are getting out of control. It has reported the seizure of 30 umbrellas, 37 loungers, towels and even swimwear on a 100-metre strip of sand in Livorno. In Roseta Cap Spulico, 200 umbrellas and beach chairs have been seized after complaints from tourists.

In Tuscany’s Cecina, it is now illegal to leave unattended equipment on a beach before it opens at 8:30 a.m.

It’s believed that the main culprits of all this beach hogging include umbrella operators and sun-seekers hoping to reserve space for friends and relatives. Hopefully, with the new fines in place, calling shotgun on prime beach real estate will be a thing of the past in Italy.