We wish to promote responsible diving and respect for our environment. We hope you find the content on this page interesting and informative.

There are several 'problem' areas specifically relating to the marine environment of the Canary Islands including marine pollution, overfishing and endangered species but there are also several ways in which we can all do our bit to help protect our seas:

• Every time we dive we can collect rubbish to put in our BC pockets
• Ensure we maintain proper buoyancy control
• Secure equipment and streamline body position
• Maintain a distance from sensitive environments
• Don't touch or chase animals
• Become a member of a charitable organisation such as Project AWARE or Bite-Back
• Raise awareness

Local beach clean-ups

We regularly participate in beach clean ups which are organised by the local council of Arona and involve many of the dive centres working together to tidy up the regions coastline.

Cleaning our seas does not have to be limited to events such as this though. We can be careful with our litter and collect the rubbish of those who are not every time we dive.

Project AWARE

PADI's Project AWARE is a non-profit organisation dedicated to conserving underwater environments through education, advocacy and action.

Project AWARE and dedicated volunteers are committed to conservation initiatives including:

• Underwater Cleanups and Marine Debris Prevention
• Coral Reef Conservation, Monitoring and Data Collection
• Shark Education, Reporting and Conservation
• Improved Management Policies and Marine Protection Efforts
• Environmental Training for Divers and Education Programs for Kids

Click on the AWARE logo to learn more.

Endangered species of the Canaries

Here in Tenerife we enjoy a diverse range of marine life including 27 species of Cetaceans, Sharks, Rays & Turtles.

Shark species include Hammerheads, Smooth Hound Shark and Mako (a member of the White family and the fastest known shark in the world, recorded at speeds of 43mph). Paradoxically however by far the most common species we will see while diving is the Angel Shark.

Angel Shark (Squatina squatina) - Critically Endangered, Population Declining

Although we will frequently encounter the Angel Shark during the cooler winter months in Tenerife it is listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

The species is particularly vulnerable to bycatch in benthic trawls as it is a bottom dweller. As Benthic trawling has increased in both effort and intensity in recent years the Angel Shark has already been declared extinct in the North Sea. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) assesses:

"It is now extremely uncommon throughout most of the remainder of its range, with the possible exception of some areas of the southern Mediterranean and Canary Islands. There is an urgent need to confirm the status of this species in the southern Mediterranean, Canary Islands and other areas where populations may still persist. Appropriate conservation measures are needed to protect this species there."

Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) - Endangered, Population declining

The Green turtle is also frequently encountered in our waters but is listed as endangered and with a declining population globally.

While all turtles, including Green turtles, are highly migratory, after a number of years in the oceanic zone these turtles recruit to neritic developmental areas rich in seagrass and/or marine algae where they forage and grow until maturity. In particular we can find examples of these creatures at one of our dive sites named El Puertito.

Habitat degradation in the marine environment results from increased effluent and contamination from coastal development, construction of marinas, increased boat traffic, and harvest of nearshore marine algae resources.

Combined, these impacts diminish the health of coastal marine ecosystems and may, in turn, adversely affect green turtles. For example, degradation of marine habitats has been implicated in the increasing prevalence of the tumor-causing Fibropapilloma disease.

We have also witnessed somewhat more obvious dangers to these creatures which surface frequently for air and are therefore particularly susceptible to the rubbish that people so carelessly discard. Plastic bags, sometimes mistaken for jellyfish, are eaten by the turtles and are trapped in the gut eventually killing them.

But all kinds of other rubbish can be just as damaging. The picture shown here is of a baby green turtle we rescued from just off our local beach, choking on fishing net. We are very happy to report the same creature still inhabits this area several years later and appears to be doing fine.

Butterfly Ray (Gymnura altavela ) - Vulnerable, population declining

Formerly common all along the west African coast, this species has suffered from fishing pressure, taken as bycatch in shrimp trawls and in artisanal fisheries. There is heavy fishing pressure throughout this species’ inshore and shallow water habitat that is unlikely to be reduced in the coming years.

Observers indicate that the abundance has dropped severely and that the median size has been dramatically reduced as most of the adults have been removed by fishing activities.