Government Announces Marine Fishing Reserve Between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote

The Directorate General of Fisheries of the Canary Islands has set a medium‑term goal of establishing at least one marine reserve of fishing interest on every island. The regional government announced the new measure following the agreement reached for the marine reserve of La Graciosa and the islets of the Chinijo Archipelago, presenting it as a model that could be replicated in the La Bocayna Strait—the waterway that separates Fuerteventura, the Islet of Lobos and Lanzarote.

Fishing‑monitoring commission agreement

The fishing‑monitoring commission for the Lanzarote marine reserve has reached a new arrangement with the sector, introducing a strict management regime for vessels authorized in the Chinijo Archipelago reserve and allowing, for the first time, the Cofradía de Playa Blanca (Playa Blanca guild) to fish there.

Details of the pact

The agreement, signed on 26 March at the Centro Sociocultural de Caleta del Sebo in La Graciosa, is built on two main measures:

• Division of the vessel census into two lists

  • Fixed list – based on regularity and proximity, mainly local boats anchored in Caleta del Sebo and Órzola, plus vessels already on the current census.
  • Complementary list – vessels registered in Lanzarote and La Graciosa that are not on the fixed list; they may rotate weekly to fish in the reserve.

• Inclusion of Playa Blanca professionals – for the first time, artisanal fishermen from the Cofradía de Playa Blanca (south of Lanzarote) will be allowed to operate in the reserve under strict control and monitoring, including geolocation of the vessels.

The proposal was drafted by a working group of local professionals, with participation from the cofradías of La Graciosa, San Ginés and La Tiñosa, coordinated with the Regional Federation of Fishermen’s Cofradías of the Canary Islands and supported technically by the Directorate General of Fisheries.

Participants in the meeting

The session in La Graciosa brought together:

• Esteban Reyes, Director General of Fisheries of the Canary Government
• Elisa Carbajo, Deputy Director General of Fisheries Research and Data Collection, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Representatives of the involved cofradías and the National Federation of Artisanal Fishing (FENAPA)
• Officials from the Cabildos of Lanzarote and La Graciosa and the Teguise City Council
• Technical staff

Government details on the agreement

The Canary Government clarified that the accord includes:

• A fixed list of vessels
• A complementary list for rotating access
• Punctual, controlled entry for artisanal fishermen from the south of Lanzarote

Marine reserves of fishing interest

Under Canary legislation, marine reserves of fishing interest aim to protect and restore fish and shellfish stocks while supporting the artisanal sector by limiting activities within their boundaries. These areas may comprise:

• Zones of maximum protection
• Restricted‑use zones
• Moderately‑used zones

A regulated census determines which vessels are permitted to enter each zone.

The La Graciosa agreement was concluded during a series of meetings held 23–26 March as part of a shared‑management framework between the regional government and the Ministry. Those talks also addressed the status of the marine reserves of La Palma and La Restinga‑Mar de Las Calmas (El Hierro).

A marine fishing reserve on every Canary Island

The Directorate General of Fisheries also lists, among its medium‑term objectives, the creation of at least one marine fishing‑interest reserve on each island. Since 2021, the regional executive has been conducting studies and participatory workshops on the Islet of Lobos and the La Bocayna Strait (between Fuerteventura and Lanzarote) to assess the feasibility of a future reserve in that area.

“This agreement benefits the sector of both islands and responds to claims that have been made by professionals for many years,” said Esteban Reyes.
“The rights and interests of all parties are guaranteed and a more inclusive management is adopted, without excluding fishermen from any cofradía or port of both islands.”