Ecologistas en Acción Lanzarote denounces and condemns the movement of marine cages for aquaculture from Playa Quemada to the vicinity of Playa Honda and Arrecife.
The association maintains that since the PROAC, the aquaculture planning plan, was approved in 2003, it “has been a constant controversy”, especially after 2021, when the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Government of the Canary Islands “approves the zoning of an area of aquaculture interest located between the La Bufona area and Punta el Barranquillo, as a possible interest for the practice of this fishing activity”.
Ecologistas en Acción assures that it has carried out “successive actions against this marine planning plan, due to the impact of this activity on the seabed due to the high concentration of organic matter generated by excrement or the imbalance in local ecosystems of high ecological interest due to the escape of predatory species such as sea bass and sea bream." In addition, the association adds the problem of "the arrival of fats from excess feed and bad odors reported on numerous occasions by neighborhood associations in the area during past years”.
On this occasion, Ecologistas en Acción states that “they have joined forces” with the Tías City Council, the neighborhood associations of Playa Quemada, the Fishermen's Associations of La Tiñosa, Playa Blanca and Arrecife, together with the Chamber of Commerce of Lanzarote and La Graciosa “to achieve the cessation of this fishing activity”.
Ecologistas en Acción Lanzarote emphasizes that it has made “successive allegations and complaints” that reflect “the ecological inviability of this planning plan”, to prevent and demand the transfer of this activity to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Government of the Canary Islands.
“But our confusion has increased upon the announcement of the approval of the transfer of the Marine Cages by Piscifactorías del Atlántico S.L. to a new location, knowing that the exploitation concession for the marine cages in the Playa Quemada area had already expired in recent months,” denounce Ecologistas en Acción.
Finally, Ecologistas en Acción Lanzarote affirms that “it cannot understand” how the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Government of the Canary Islands, after the marine pollution and the impact on the neighborhood of Playa Quemada, “gives carte blanche to this company to continue its activity in a new location where more than 80% of the island's residents are concentrated and with the largest hotel offer, in addition to being close to places of community ecological importance.”
In this way, the association maintains that “the doubt arises as to who will take responsibility for cleaning and regenerating the affected areas, as well as the inability to understand why detailed regulations for the Aquaculture Interest Zones continue to be approved in the face of evidence of continued pollution and the ineffectiveness of the control and sanctioning systems.”
