“We have reported the situation to Puertos Canarias and Fisheries, and they keep passing the responsibility back and forth without addressing the lack of maintenance at the Tajao fishing sanctuary, which is in a deplorable state,” says Fran García, the manager of the fishermen’s association in San Miguel de Tajao. He recalls that the previous Government of the Canary Islands had agreed to maintain the facility.
In a detailed analysis report of the premises sent to Puertos Canarias and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the Government of the Canary Islands, the association outlined, supported by photographs, the poor condition of the fishing sanctuary. It includes broken and rusted fences, abandoned boats in the shipyard, litter, and hazardous waste. “It’s an intolerable neglect that requires immediate attention,” insists Fran García, pointing out that neither they nor the Arico City Council have the authority to oversee the maintenance of the facility, which at times is used to “abandon boats that have been involved in drug trafficking.”
The report that was submitted, but has yet to receive a response from the regional authorities, describes “the state of the facilities necessary for its functioning as a landing point for fishing products, as stipulated in the order of September 2, 2002, correcting the mistakes of the July 1, 2002 decree, which designates the ports for fish product unloading within the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, as published in BOC nº.121, on Wednesday, 11 September 2002.”
It is also highlighted that neither “the Tajao fishing sanctuary nor any of the facilities where the San Miguel de Tajao fishermen’s association is based have received any investments for their proper upkeep. This, combined with the harsh weather conditions in the area, often battered by trade winds for most of the year, has led to the following situation: the perimeter fencing around the dock area is falling apart at several points and has needed to be secured with ropes to prevent it from collapsing entirely.”
Therefore, Puertos Canarias and Fisheries, as those responsible for the sanctuary, are urged to “present a specific plan, with timelines and allocated budgets, for the refurbishment of the Tajao fishing sanctuary and the premises housing the fishermen’s association.”
Recent Developments in 2017
The last maintenance work at the fishing sanctuary dates back to 2017, when Puertos Menores committed to the association to relinquish its use and management, while the Vice-Ministry of Fisheries of the Canary Islands Government organised the relocation of port equipment.
Subsequently, the esplanade of the fishing refuge was transformed into a parking area operated by the San Miguel de Tajao fishermen’s association, while the Departments of Public Works and Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries of the Arico City Council led improvement initiatives in the association’s premises. However, maintenance remains the responsibility of the facility’s owner, Puertos Canarios, according to the agreement with Fisheries.
On the other hand, the maintenance of the fishing sanctuary in Candelaria is overseen by Epelcan, a municipal company, following an agreement with the association in that area and Puertos Canarios.
San Miguel de Tajao, situated on the Arico coast, heavily relies on fishing for its livelihood. This not only includes those directly involved in fishing but also the local restaurants, with eleven gastronomic establishments thriving thanks to the seafood caught in the area, facing the looming threat of offshore wind projects.
