Tenerife, nestled in the Canary Islands and surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, is known for its breathtaking coastlines and rich marine biodiversity, which attract many visitors every year. Yet beneath this beauty, Tenerife’s marine ecosystems have been suffering many problems due to human activity. The island’s story is one of struggle and hope, now supported by OCEAN CITIZEN, a European-funded initiative aiming to restore and protect Tenerife’s coastal waters, ensuring a sustainable and healthy future for its marine life and the people who depend on it.
A troubled past
Over the years, Tenerife’s coastal waters have faced multiple challenges. Population growth, increased tourism, overfishing, and pollution have all contributed to the decline of the island’s marine environment. Once-thriving fish populations have significantly decreased, the rocky reefs have been damaged, and seagrass meadows, crucial for carbon storage and vital habitats for marine life, have regressed in various areas of the island.
Pollution from industrial and agricultural activities has worsened the situation, introducing harmful substances into the water. This has affected many marine species, damaged the island’s fishing industry, and limited recreational activities. Climate change is also adding pressure, with rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification further threatening the local marine life.
The present challenge
Mercedes Reyes from WeWhale recalls how, as a child, “the yellow moss covered the rocks so thickly that it was the softest thing to walk on during low tide.” Today, in southern Tenerife, low tides mostly reveal bare rocks.
Today, Tenerife is at a critical point. The need for sustainable management of its marine resources is more urgent than ever. In response, the OCEAN CITIZEN project has selected Tenerife as its primary pilot site.Our international consortium is working with local communities, scientists, and policymakers to restore the health of Tenerife’s marine environment. By combining scientific research, historical ecology and innovative restoration techniques, we aim to address the island’s pressing coastal ecosystem challenges.
A vision for the future
With OCEAN CITIZEN’s ambitious goals leading the way, the future of Tenerife’s marine ecosystems is filled with hope. Here’s a look at the strategies and solutions that will be promoted on the island:
- Habitat restoration: One of the main goals is to restore important marine forest populations such as gorgonians or black coral, seagrass meadows, and macroalgae. Restoration efforts include planting seagrass, building artificial reefs, and transplanting local species to rebuild key marine forest communities. The evaluation campaigns led so far revealed rich marine animal forests in deeper water, supporting a most likely good recovery of these populations once restored in shallower waters.
- Climate resilience: As the main site, the waters of Tenerife will be closely monitored in terms of environmental parameters, allowing a better understanding of climate-related factors and their impact on marine life. A close follow-up of these parameters after implementing the project’s restoration efforts will help monitor its success, and allow for new strategies to be developed to help marine ecosystems adapt to climate change.
- Community engagement and education: The success of OCEAN CITIZEN depends on active community involvement. The first encounter with the local community highlighted the concerns felt by Tenerife’s residents and their willingness to engage in the protection and restoration of the coastal ecosystem. Educational programs and citizen science initiatives are still to come, aiming at empowering the communities and involve them properly in our restoration activities. You can read more about this first event here.
- Innovative research and technology: The project relies heavily on cutting-edge research and technology. Innovative methods such as the use of drones for monitoring, genetic studies to understand species resilience, and advanced modeling techniques to predict future changes are being employed.
A message of hope
OCEAN CITIZEN represents a glimpse of hope for Tenerife’s coastal ecosystems. By addressing the root causes of degradation and implementing comprehensive restoration strategies that involve the local communities, the project sets the basis for long-term improvement of the island’s marine environment. The collaborative spirit, innovative approaches, and holistic vision of the project provide a roadmap for sustainable marine conservation not only for Tenerife but for other coastal regions facing similar challenges.
