The Cabildo of Tenerife is currently considering a partnership with the Oceanographic Centre of the Canary Islands to implement eleven radars aimed at addressing marine spills, creating an early warning mechanism for swimmers in the event of sewage contamination, and providing a response for volcanic emergencies.
This topic was discussed yesterday by the island’s president, Rosa Dávila (CC), the director of the Oceanographic Centre, Jesús Arrieta, and the representative for the Archipelago of the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC), Manuel Nogales.
Dávila expressed enthusiasm for the innovative projects undertaken by the centre, which is part of the CSIC, focusing on areas such as spill detection, volcanic emergency responses, and the captive cultivation of seagrass for the restoration of underwater meadows. “It ranks as one of the most advanced globally regarding scientific inquiries into our oceans, and we are particularly keen on specific initiatives that we wish to advance,” she noted.
Among these initiatives, she highlighted the installation of eleven radars that would provide reliable data concerning the behaviour of potential spills, given that substantial vessels navigate the waters around the Canary Islands, an area known for its significant marine conservation. Furthermore, she pointed out a project designed to implement an early warning system for coastal regions popular with swimmers, facilitating the gathering of marine chemistry data near sewage outlets, which would enable a proactive alert system. In this scenario, three buoys would be deployed, consistently collecting samples to determine whether there is any turbidity present in the water.
The director of the Oceanographic Centre, Jesús Arrieta, advocated for establishing collaboration with the Cabildo, which would include a network of radar stations, a recreational water monitoring system to guard against the inflow of sewage, or a project focused on the captive breeding of seagrass.
