The Cabildo of Lanzarote initiates the internal consultation process on marine cages

Councilor Samuel Martín requests individual reports on the environmental document, the viability and relevance of the initiative

December 2 2023 (08:28 WET)
Councilor Samuel Martín, together with Oswaldo Betancort. Photo: Cabildo of Lanzarote.
Councilor Samuel Martín, together with Oswaldo Betancort. Photo: Cabildo of Lanzarote.

The Cabildo of Lanzarote will study the environmental document of the project Cultivation of sea bream, sea bass and Atlantic tuna that the company Yaizatún promotes on the Island. This business initiative contemplates the installation of marine cages between the tip of La Bufona and the beach of El Barranquillo, a coastline that bathes the municipal districts of Arrecife, San Bartolomé and Tías.

After analyzing this document, the highest island institution will show its position to the General Directorate of Ecological Transition and Fight against Climate Change of the Government of the Canary Islands, which manages the procedure.

On the morning of this Friday, the Councilor for the Environment and Biosphere Reserve, Samuel Martín, held a coordination meeting with the departments of Territorial Policy, Legal Advice, Fisheries, Geopark, Environment and the Reserve, in order to request individual reports on the aforementioned environmental document and the viability and relevance of the business initiative.

In addition, in order to have updated environmental arguments, the Fisheries area has commissioned an impact assessment, which will be part of the criteria for defining the position of the island administration before the Government of the Canary Islands.

The business initiative contemplates the installation of marine cages in a strip of water between the tip of La Bufona and the beach of El Barranquillo, a coastline that bathes the municipal districts of Arrecife, San Bartolomé and Tías.

The General Directorate of Ecological Transition has informed the Cabildo that, at present, the project is in the technical moment prior to the pronouncement on whether the proposed economic activity should be submitted or not to the environmental impact assessment procedure. According to the Law, said pronouncement must take into account both the technical analysis of the documentation presented and the result of the consultation phase with the competent and affected public administrations, as well as interested parties.

The considerations deemed appropriate must be transferred to the Government of the Canary Islands within 20 business days from receipt of the document. 

The responsible councilor has expressed his interest in debating and reaching a consensus on the decision to be taken with the affected municipalities “with the aim of acting as a united front, in addition to having points of view before responding to a project of this magnitude.” 

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