Government examines Puerto del Rosario coast to combat sea‑level rise

Data will enable high‑resolution climate scenarios for 2050 and define adaptation measures against coastal erosion and flooding

The Councillor for Ecological Transition and Energy of the Canary Islands Government, led by Mariano H. Zapata, has carried out a measurement campaign along the maritime front that stretches from the Puerto del Rosario pier to the industrial area of Las Salinas on Fuerteventura. The aim is to map seabed depth, underwater relief, and substrate composition in order to plan adaptation measures against rising sea levels and coastal erosion.

• The budget allocated to analyse these six zones across the Canary Islands totals €111,300, while the broader ADAPTACOST6 project is funded with €2,317,300.

The operation on Fuerteventura’s coast has produced a detailed submarine cartography covering 3.7 million m² with a resolution of 0.25 m, and has collected sediment samples to characterize the texture and properties of the seabed.

“Puerto del Rosario is a strategic enclave and, at the same time, vulnerable to climate‑change impacts, because this stretch of coast hosts critical infrastructure such as the thermal power plant and the desalination plant, alongside residential areas like the El Charco neighbourhood,” said Mariano H. Zapata.
“Having high‑precision scientific information allows us to anticipate risks, reduce uncertainties, and design effective adaptation solutions that guarantee the safety of the population and essential services in the coming decades.”

Zapata added that the data will be used to develop high‑resolution climate scenarios for 2050, enabling simulations of various flooding and erosion situations. These scenarios will form the basis for prioritising and sizing adaptation measures within the Canary Islands’ coastal‑resilience strategy.

The field work was performed by ECOS, Estudios Ambientales y Oceanografía S.L., contracted by TRAGSATEC, the entity coordinating the ADAPTACOST6 project. Campaigns took place from June to August 2025, employing a multi‑beam echo‑sound inertial navigation, and motion‑compensation techniques to ensure result accuracy.

The Puerto del Rosario study is part of the ADAPTACOST6 assignment, which encompasses six coastal zones across the islands of Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote.