In the southwest of Lanzarote, next to the Atlantic, the Janubio Salt Flats constitute one of the most unique industrial landscapes in the Archipelago. Its multicolored ponds are the result of a transformation of the coastline that, centuries after the volcanic eruptions, allowed the development of an exploitation that supplied the fishing industry for decades and contributed to the island's economy. Today, this complex faces the challenge of maintaining its artisanal production and adapting to new market demands.
The commemoration on October 27th allows us to recover this history, from the formation of the lagoon to the gastronomic recognitions obtained in 2026. The date serves as a framework to remember a living heritage, although it has not been documented that it coincides with the anniversary of the salt flats' foundation.
From seaport to salt landscape
Before becoming an industrial exploitation, Janubio was a bay linked to port activity. The Timanfaya eruptions, which occurred between 1730 and 1736, profoundly modified the southwestern coast of Lanzarote. The lava flows altered the old Puerto Real de Janubio and, subsequently, coastal dynamics contributed to the formation of a pebble barrier that partially closed the bay and gave rise to the current lagoon.
The Geological and Mining Institute of Spain identifies this enclave as a place of geological interest due to its geomorphological and volcanological evolution, as well as the presence of ancient marine terraces with fossiliferous materials from the Tortonian and Pliocene epochs. The environment allows for the study of processes dating back millions of years and observation of the traces of historical eruptions.
The configuration of the lagoon, insolation, and winds favored the use of its waters to obtain salt, an activity that would end up leaving a deep mark on the island's economy and landscape.
1895, the beginning of a decades-long project
The construction of the Janubio Salt Flats began in 1895 on the initiative of Vicente Lleó Benlliure. His nephew, Jaime Lleó Mira, continued the project with the collaboration of the Cerdeña family and Ginés Díaz.
The facilities were developed progressively until the mid-1940s. Historical documentation puts their surface area at approximately 440,000 square meters, equivalent to 44 hectares, while later company sources place the extension at around 450,000 square meters.
One of the main obstacles during construction were the leaks that prevented the proper retention of water. The solution attributed to Víctor Fernández Gopar, known as el Salinero, consisted of using a mixture of mud and brine to improve the waterproofing of the ponds.
This procedure, based on knowledge of local materials and soil behavior, allowed for the refinement of the production system. The heritage documentation of the Government of the Canary Islands highlights the architectural, technical, historical, and ethnographic interest of the complex, whose layout is an example of traditional engineering adapted to the volcanic environment.
Ten million kilos of salt in its best years
During its peak activity, the salt pans produced around ten million kilos of salt annually, according to historical information from the operation itself. Its development was closely linked to fishing and the preservation of food through salting, especially when refrigeration was not yet widespread as it is today.
Salt allowed for the preservation of catches and facilitated their transport and commercialization, integrating Janubio into the economic circuits linked to the fishing industry of Lanzarote and other parts of the Archipelago.
The production process required careful control of water circulation. After being captured, seawater passed through different compartments, where the sun and wind promoted evaporation and increased its saline concentration. Finally, it reached the vats or crystallizers, where crystals formed and could be collected.
Windmills played an essential role in raising the water before being replaced by motorized systems. Despite these changes, the maintenance of the walls, the cleaning of the channels, the conditioning of the ponds, and the harvest continued to depend largely on manual labor.
The crisis of a traditional trade
The expansion of refrigeration, changes in the fishing industry, and commercial competition reduced the traditional demand for salt and forced a search for new ways to sustain the activity.
The company indicates that current production exceeds 20% of the ten million kilos annually achieved in the best years. This reference allows us to appreciate the transformation of the sector, although it does not constitute an exact statistic of the 2026 production. Municipal information from 2019 placed the workforce at ten workers and estimated that year's production at 1.5 million kilos; there is no sufficiently verified public data to transfer these figures to the present.
The viability of Janubio depends on its commercial capacity as well as the maintenance of the facilities and the transmission of traditional knowledge. Direct sales, heritage dissemination, and interest in artisanal salts can contribute to sustaining the operation, although they require investments and continuous activity to prevent the deterioration of the ponds and hydraulic systems.
A recognition of the quality of Lanzarote salt
Janubio's trajectory maintains its projection in the gastronomic market. The Official Agrocanarias Marine Salt Competition 2026, organized by the Government of the Canary Islands through the Canary Institute of Agri-food Quality, distinguished several productions from the operation.
The flower of salt obtained the recognition for the Best Innovation, Image, and Presentation of the Canary Islands 2026, in addition to a grand gold medal in that category. The virgin marine salt also received a grand gold medal.
The competition was held on September 17 at the Islote de Fermina, in Arrecife, with twelve productions from the six salt pans that remain active in the Archipelago. The verdict was announced on October 1.
These awards reinforce the commercial projection of an activity that seeks to differentiate itself through higher value-added products and to target consumers who value origin and production methods. They constitute a recognition of quality, although they do not eliminate the economic difficulties facing the sector.
Industrial heritage and refuge for birds
Janubio also stands out for its environmental interest. Its ponds provide habitats for different species of aquatic and shorebirds that use the coastal wetlands as feeding and resting areas during their migratory movements. The variety of water levels and salinity favors the presence of different environments within the same space.
The enclave has environmental protection as a Site of Scientific Interest and is included in the Special Protection Area for Birds ES0000098. The official record consulted assigns this ZEPA an area of 161.61 hectares, which should not be confused with the approximately 44 hectares corresponding to the saltworks.
In the cultural sphere, the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands published in 1998 the initiation of a file to declare the saltworks an Asset of Cultural Interest as a Historic Site. Other cultural and paleontological protection procedures were also processed. The definitive status of each file must be checked in the corresponding heritage registry before attributing declarations to the complex that are not documentarily confirmed.
The coexistence of historical, productive, and natural values requires reconciling the maintenance of the facilities with the continuity of traditional activity and the protection of biodiversity.
The memory of Lanzarote written in salt
The evolution of Janubio reflects the economic changes in Lanzarote: from an activity linked to fishing and food preservation to an exploitation that seeks new commercial opportunities without renouncing its traditional methods.
Its channels, walls, and ponds preserve the imprint of those who learned to work with water, wind, and sun. Preserving this complex requires maintaining the knowledge and conditions that allow the exploitation to continue operating, in addition to protecting its historical and environmental values.
Remembering Janubio on the anniversary of October 27 is recognizing that Lanzarote's landscape is not explained solely by its volcanoes, but also by the generations who knew how to take advantage of its resources and build an activity that has lasted for more than a century.
In Janubio, salt is much more than a product: it is the testimony of a relationship between nature, work, and history that is part of Lanzarote's identity.
Documentary sources:
Salinas de Janubio, official history of the exploitation; Official Gazette of the Canary Islands, heritage file of 1998; Geological and Mining Institute of Spain, Spanish Inventory of Geological Sites; Government of the Canary Islands, information on Agrocanarias 2026 and environmental protection of Janubio.
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