Representatives from different nautical sports clubs, federations, and associations attended the meeting called by the Real Club Náutico de Arrecife this Thursday morning, where they discussed the negative consequences that the installation of cages for aquaculture on the coast of Arrecife, San Bartolomé, and Tías could have on nautical sports and the economy.
It has been agreed to convene a popular gathering for Saturday, February 11th at 12:00 p.m., after requesting the necessary official permits. It is expected to have representation from the different nautical sports clubs, federations, and associations. Each of them will participate with their athletes and nautical equipment.
Another agreement was to request from the General Directorate of Fisheries of the Canary Islands Government a copy of the file by which the aquaculture concession is granted to be located in the geographical area of the aquaculture interest zone ZIA-LZ-2 of the island of Lanzarote, called by Resolution of October 28, 2021, in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC) No. 41, of March 1, 2021.
To present objections to the installation, to which the Tías City Council has already expressed its opposition by filing a contentious appeal against the regulation of that strip of coastline, the other two affected municipalities, San Bartolomé and Arrecife, have also expressed their opposition. The Plenary of the Cabildo of Lanzarote approved in May 2021 an Institutional Declaration to prevent the proliferation of marine cages off the coasts of Arrecife, San Bartolomé, and Tías, as stated in the Regional Plan for Aquaculture Planning in the Canary Islands (PROAC) approved in 2018.
The intervention of the former General Director of Fisheries of the Canary Islands Government served to explain the situation to the attendees from his point of view. "The area is far from being the most suitable, it will bring more harm than good," was the first assessment made by Delgado. To which he added: "On an island that lives on tourism, the choice of that part of the coast is not logical, do we want tuna or tourism?". Delgado Morín stated that from his point of view, "the ideal area for aquaculture facilities would be the NW coast between Pechiguera and Tinajo".
Lanzarote at the highest international level in nautical sports may lose its best "sports field"
The level of our athletes and national and international competitions that are held annually in Lanzarote is well known. "The approval of the project would mean the loss for Lanzarote of one of its best sports fields and one of the best regatta fields in the world, usually used for major world events," say from the Real Club Náutico de Arrecife.
"It would mean a significant loss. Not only in terms of sports, but it would also affect tourism, our primary economic sector, due to the presence in Lanzarote of high-level international athletes and different sports, who compete and train in Lanzarote waters for long seasons, generating significant economic income for the tourism industry (hotels, villas, apartments, restaurants, rent a car, tourist centers, supermarkets...). Sports such as sailing, Latin sailing, canoeing, swimming crossings, diving... would be affected by the new area to be restricted," they criticize from the Club.
