European Ocean Biodiversity Information System

"The project ‘Canarias, por una costa viva (CCV)’ was an integrated research and educational initiative that run between 2003 – 2004 with the goals of gathering robust scientific information of keystone coastal habitats and the promotion of public awareness about responsible uses of marine resources in the Canary Islands (Central East Atlantic Ocean). This project was fully supported by the Spanish Ministry of Environment and the scientific activities were mainly conducted by the Biodiversity and Conservation Research Group of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (part of the Research Institute ECOAQUA). The scale of the CCV project covered almost during the same period of time the coastlines of the 8 inhabited islands, with two research teams collecting samples in selected coastal stations. The marine research inside CCV focussed on the development of the environmental diagnosis of the Canarian Archipelago’s main littoral ecosystems. We have assessed the ecological processes and environmental quality of the intertidal and subtidal ecosystems (brown algae beds, urchin barrens and seagrass meadows) as well as water quality in coastal areas. Sampling effort has been carried out biannually at 100 locations around the coastlines of the overall Canary Islands. Specifically, we have studied the conservation status of key marine species and their role in their ecosystems. The relationship between the human population, the natural environment and the pressures it supports has been observed in different anthropogenically stressed areas (sewage areas, shell fishing activity, sea-cage fish farms and ports) and preserved areas."