Feature Destination

New century, new approach to marine planning in B.C.

Marine Planning Partnership Covers

SUMMARY: For the first time in British Columbia’s history, First Nations have been equal partners with the provincial government in developing marine use plans – a historic approach viewed largely by all involved as having yielded very positive outcomes. Beyond the promise of achieving real and lasting impact in shared marine spaces, there are broader lessons for planning and engagement that can be applied in other parts of Canada and globally.

In British Columbia, a unique approach to developing marine plans has involved a spirit of collaboration. The Marine Plan Partnership for the North Pacific Coast, or MaPP as it’s more commonly known, involves the Province and 17 member First Nations — represented by the North Coast–Skeena First Nations Stewardship Society, Coastal First Nations–Great Bear Initiative, Council of the Haida Nation, Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance and Nanwakolas Council. The partnership’s mandate is about planning for marine uses, economic sustainability and the long-term ocean health on B.C.’s North Pacific Coast, divided into four sub-regions: Haida Gwaii, North Coast, Central Coast and North Vancouver Island.

This collaborative approach integrates provincial government policy with First Nations governance systems, cultural practices and Indigenous and scientific knowledge. With a rich and complex history that could have otherwise resulted in lengthy delays and barriers to progress, instead this made-in-B.C. approach has realized solid working relationships and real progress in the five years since a founding letter of intent was signed in 2011.

The MaPP initiative culminated in the official signing of marine plan implementation agreements in early August 2016. With completed plans and agreements in place for the area and its four sub-regions, there is now a clear roadmap and commitment to joint implementation going forward.

The marine planning backdrop

The marine plans achieved through the unique MaPP approach are a combination of provincial and local government policy, First Nations interests and values, traditional and local knowledge and marine science. They also integrate First Nations traditional values and current legal and political perspectives.

The plans come at a time when the legal landscape is shifting, the result of a variety of factors that include: evolving legal definitions for Aboriginal fishing rights, now defined by pre-contact activities and practices; the protected right to fish for food, social or ceremonial purposes; and commercial fishing rights in certain nation-specific cases.

Meanwhile, broader legal drivers are also at play. They include evolving case law, which has opened the doors for First Nations engagement and co-leadership in activities that were typically provincial or federal government-led in the past; a requirement for prior consultation with affected First Nation Peoples; and the expectation for up-front negotiation and agreement in planning and management, now the new norm.

Understanding the approach

With increasing commercial, industrial and recreational activity along the British Columbia coast, the need for marine planning to help guide decisions about ocean use became increasingly clear.

The area involved is vast, encompassing about 102,000 square kilometres of ocean and 29,000 kilometres of coastline — an area that includes the traditional territories of the 17 First Nations’ partners, stretching along two-thirds of the North Pacific Coast of B.C.

MaPP focuses on common First Nations and provincial marine interests where the Province considers that it has legal jurisdiction and regulatory authority.

The MaPP approach and its emphasis on collaboration has stemmed from decades of resource planning (in B.C. and other parts of Canada) that has evolved towards more concerted planning involving First Nations governments. Fundamental to this approach has been the provincial government’s official recognition that First Nations are not simply stakeholders like other individuals or groups, but full-fledged, equal nation-to-nation partners.

This understanding and the relationships built through MaPP represent a critical milestone, with First Nations partners undertaking significant work to prepare for this process and, in many ways, leading on information-gathering, scientific analysis and policy development. Indeed, the precedent MaPP has set is being upheld as an international example of governance and marine spatial planning.

Various factors have not only distinguished the MaPP approach, but contributed greatly to its success.

The geographic scale alone and the number and collaboration of First Nations (in the past, perhaps one or two) coupled with the number of stakeholders engaged was unprecedented in a marine plan.

That the process was designed within a collaborative governance arrangement and involved so many nations was a major first. Such extensive First Nations participation, with nations working together and co-leading the marine planning process with the provincial government, had never before been achieved.

MaPP’s approach to funding was also integral, employing a quasi public-private partnership model that leveraged government and First Nations resources, as well as external resources from private foundations.

The diversity of stakeholders MaPP has brought together and number of marine uses, activities and values it has addressed – and will continue addressing – also distinguishes it from other processes. Among the many planning issues considered: marine science, coastal forestry, commercial and marine tourism, public recreation, finfish and shellfish aquaculture, marine conservation and infrastructure, fish processing, and renewable and non-renewable energy.

More keys to success, lessons learned

There are additional factors the MaPP partners credit to the approach’s success, which they also consider lessons learned.

A major benefit was that everyone involved understood they were at a unique point in time, as mandates and public interest can quickly change while resourcing can go away at any time. Accordingly, opportunities to achieve progress were fully leveraged.

Having the right arrangements and expertise in place was crucial. With proper governance structures and funding already established, the MaPP partnership could quickly undertake its work.

Being able to tap into an abundance of local experts made a real difference. The MaPP process was fortunate to be able to draw on resources in the form of staffing and localized expertise from within the partner organizations.

Having buy-in from stakeholders and local governments, supported by adequate funding to ensure they could engage meaningfully in the process, was critical. Also, establishing the engagement process in advance, ensured a solid, common understanding by project partners of how stakeholders would be engaged over a two-year period.

That plans were developed using a hybrid approach, having both strategic and operational components (where plans would typically be one or the other) – a major benefit. This gave regulators, decision-makers, stakeholders and the public a wide operating policy framework as a foundation.

Considerable flexibility built into the MaPP’s administration and overall project management allowed for much-valued nimbleness, both for organizational and process purposes.

All four MaPP plans used the same zoning approach, which included recommended use tables for each zone and sub-zone. The tables direct managers on how to address applications that are received for a zone’s marine uses and activities. When an application is made, it is referred to both local government and First Nations. This saves considerable time and effort by screening out marine uses from a complex review process – welcome news to First Nations and local governments alike.

Marine management took a significant step forward, with the completion of plans under the Marine Planning Partnership (MaPP) for the North Pacific Coast; a co-led partnership between BC and 18 coastal Nations. Click the image to learn more.

Challenges and complexities

If the process was to be revisited, the consensus is it would have been better to put additional staff and resources into pre-implementation planning much earlier as it is easy to become so focused on planning that implementation becomes more an after-thought. In this case, implementation agreements were being prepared about eight months before the plans were finalized – a timeframe which proved less than ideal. Once the marine plans were completed, it took a year before some parties were sufficiently comfortable with the implementation agreements to sign them. In the interim, implementation activities were identified and advanced so momentum could be maintained and progress could be demonstrated while collective agreements were refined.

Other significant lessons learned include recognition that good process builds relationships that will outlast current information, science and policy, and that the deliberate effort to reflect First Nations cultural values, governance systems and stewardship obligations leads not only to balanced plans but also greater awareness, understanding and sensitivity by non-Aboriginal stakeholder groups. In B.C., where both First Nations and the Province assert ownership of the marine and coastal areas, this approach reflects a new planning reality as well as provincial government policy.

Some specific challenges and complexities faced during the planning phase included:

how to identify and zone areas for marine protection without committing to specific legal designations under provincial legislation;
how to address marine and coastal resource management issues that were only indirectly within the mandates of participating governments, First Nations and stakeholder groups;
how to link broad, strategic objectives and strategies of the plans with specific area-based zoning direction and recommended use tables;
how to draft strategies so that they can readily be translated into measurable actions to gauge plan implementation success and to indicate ecosystem changes in the planning areas.

A new model for planning and policymaking

The marine plans developed through the MaPP partnership reflect a careful balance of planning, policy, science, First Nations tradition and more. The approach has been about applying creative, incremental solutions to areas where there were policy deficiencies.

Many issues faced by the provincial and First Nations governments, including jurisdiction, authority and governance, history and the impacts of past decisions and the importance of economy, culture and environment, can be found in other geographies.

Indeed, some of the tools developed and successfully used in MaPP are already at work in marine planning well beyond B.C. For example, a compatibility matrix, master list of definitions, allowable activities tables and rationale tables are either being used or developed for application in the Seychelles. Also in the Seychelles: a process for stakeholder input and review is being modelled after MaPP, while lessons learned are providing valuable guidance in key areas such as the importance of government-to-government partnerships and leveraging timelines to maintain momentum.

MaPP is a success story about how collaborative planning can work across a very large area that encompasses many different communities, a complex geography with hundreds upon hundreds of inlets and bays and a wide range of priorities, and balancing consistency of approach with flexibility to reflect different issues. Similarly, in places such as Indonesia, with thousands of islands and millions of people spread across thousands of kilometres of ocean space, MaPP can offer useful comparisons to support planning and stakeholder engagement. At the same time, it shows that high-quality ocean planning can occur and be successful while taking into account issues such as governance, Indigenous rights, jurisdiction and authority.

The MaPP partners believe this collaborative approach to planning in the North Pacific Coast has worked because of the enormous effort made by all parties to build trust, establish open lines of communication, address differences and conflicts, agree on deliverables and scope and make decisions together.

In short, good process has contributed to building relationships that will outlast the latest information, science or policy. Furthermore, the MaPP approach is a huge step towards achieving the B.C. government’s commitment to reconciliation with First Nations.

MaPP is a collaborative partnership between 17 member First Nations and the Province of British Columbia. MaPP plans and other information can be found at mappocean.org.

IN FOCUS: BUILDING A SUB-REGIONAL PLAN Each of the four sub-regional plans developed had its own process, unique participants, stakeholders and objectives. The following are some highlights relating to the development of the sub-regional plans.
Pre-2011	Local First Nations complete individual community plans. Existing provincial plans, policies, legislation and management procedures.
November 2011	MaPP is formed. The local First Nation plans are used as the basis for development of preliminary draft plan components with the Province, which then augments with exiting provincial legislation, policies and management measures to be used in discussions with stakeholders.
Late fall 2011 through June 2014	To build the sub-regional plans, the Marine Plan Advisory Committees (MPAC) are formed and go on to meet nearly 15 times over a two-year period to review draft plan components. Supporting the process are two co-leads (one representing the First Nations and the other representing the Province) and a wealth of expertise from partner organizations staff. MaPP partner technical staff work together to develop shared planning tools (zoning framework, recommended uses and activities table, vulnerability matrix, compatibility matrix, Sea Sketch online mapping, current conditions and trends reports, and a plan assessment process). The sub-regional planning teams use information from available or internal research, consultant reports and stakeholder input to build the overall plan. Public open houses are held in sub-regional communities, launching a six-week public review period in the spring of 2014. Based on public input, proposed changes to the plan are subsequently reviewed and/or incorporated. Among the topics discussed as part of the development of a sub-regional plan are: a vision statement; ecosystem-based management issues, objectives and strategies; climate change; tsunami debris management; marine pollution; marine conservation and protection; cultural and heritage resources; marine recreation and tourism; commercial, recreational and First Nations fisheries; the tenuring process; aquaculture; log handling and storage; energy; infrastructure; collaborative management and governance; monitoring and enforcement; marine research and education; communities and economy; and zoning framework.
April 2015	A signing ceremony is held at the B.C. Legislature in Victoria where sub-regional partner representatives, technical staff and stakeholders celebrate the signing of the four sub-regional marine plans.
May 2016	Regional Action Framework is signed.
August 2016	Four separate implementation agreements between the B.C. government and sub-regional First Nations are signed.

Contact person:

Josie Byington
Communications Assistant
Marine Plan Partnership
jbyington@mappocean.org
250-816-1934

mapp logo

By John Bones, Charles Short, Steve Diggon. The Marine Plan Partnership for the North Pacific Coast (MaPP) is a co-led process between 17 First Nations and the Government of the Province of British Columbia that developed and is implementing plans for marine uses on B.C.’s North Pacific Coast, now and into the future. The MaPP initiative is notable also for the diversity of stakeholders involved and the number of marine uses, activities and values addressed. For more information on Marine Plan Partnership for the North Pacific Coast (MaPP) visit http://mappocean.org/.

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Aquacultures & Fisheries

What the Fish Are Telling Us About Marine Biodiversity and Ocean Health Around Tenerife

Tenerife sits in the eastern Atlantic like a crossroads. Positioned roughly 300 kilometres off the northwest coast of Africa, the island intersects the paths of the Canary Current, warm subtropical surface waters, and the deep cold upwellings of the Atlantic basin. The result is one of the most ecologically productive marine environments in the northern hemisphere, a place where bluefin tuna from the Mediterranean share waters with tropical reef species and migratory whales from the polar ocean. What lives in these waters, and how those populations are changing, tells us something important about the health of the broader Atlantic system.

The Anatomy of an Exceptional Marine Environment

The waters around Tenerife support approximately 400 species of fish, a number that reflects the unusual convergence of marine provinces that the island straddles. [1] Its seafloor topography is dramatic: the island drops away steeply from the coast, reaching oceanic depths within just a few kilometres of shore. This proximity of shallow coastal habitat to very deep water creates conditions that support both reef-associated species and the large pelagic predators of the open ocean, sometimes within sight of the same beach.

In the deeper offshore waters, the Canary Islands are internationally recognised as one of the finest big game fishing destinations in the world, and for good reason. Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) pass through in their thousands between December and April, migrating northward toward Mediterranean spawning grounds. These are not small fish. Individuals regularly exceed 250 kilograms, and the largest bluefin recorded in these waters approach 450 kilograms. [2] Their spring passage coincides with dense schools of Atlantic mackerel (Scomber scombrus) and smaller baitfish that concentrate near the island, drawing the giants in from the open Atlantic.

Blue marlin (Makaira nigricans) and white marlin (Kajikia albida) are present from spring through autumn, the two billfish species that define Tenerife’s reputation among dedicated sport anglers. Spearfish (Tetrapturus belone) inhabit the deeper offshore trenches. Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus), wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri), and mahi-mahi (Coryphaena hippurus) complete a pelagic assemblage that few locations outside the tropics can match. [2]

Closer to shore, the volcanic reef structures support a different community. Atlantic amberjack (Seriola dumerili), barracuda (Sphyraena viridensis), grouper (Epinephelus spp.), and European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) inhabit the rocky substrates, alongside numerous wrasse species, bream, and moray eels. The deeper sandy bottoms, where slow-jigging techniques are most effective, hold species less visible to tourists but central to local gastronomy: red porgy (Pagrus pagrus), sargo (Diplodus sargus), and various sparids that have been fished by Canarian communities for centuries. [3]

Reading the Signals: What Is Changing

The richness of this marine environment is not static, and the signals coming from the water are mixed. On one hand, the resident cetacean populations tell a story of relative stability. Whale Watch Tenerife, which has logged cetacean sightings systematically since 2018, recorded 17 different species in both 2018 and 2023, with short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) present on nearly every survey day. [4] In 2025, orca sightings and encounters with fin whales were notable additions to the year’s record. [4] The continued presence of these apex predators is generally a positive indicator of ecosystem function.

On the other hand, the EU-funded OCEAN CITIZEN restoration project documented concerning trends at the base of the food web when it began its work on the island in 2024. Fish populations associated with rocky reef habitats have declined significantly compared to historical baselines. Seagrass meadows (Cymodocea nodosa), which serve as nurseries for juvenile fish and feeding grounds for sea turtles, have retreated across multiple coastal areas due to sedimentation, pollution, and rising water temperatures. Rocky reefs have been degraded by a combination of physical disturbance and the effects of ocean acidification. [5] These are not peripheral problems. Reef habitats and seagrass meadows are foundational to the productivity that ultimately supports the entire marine food web, from the smallest reef fish to the bluefin tuna and the pilot whales that hunt above them.

The Atlantic regulatory framework governing commercial fishing has also evolved. EU fisheries ministers, meeting in December 2025, set 2026 catch limits with 81 percent of total allowable catches in the northeast Atlantic at maximum sustainable yield levels — an improvement on previous years, though the failure to agree a mackerel quota for 2026 due to disputes with non-EU countries was a notable setback. [6] For sport and recreational fishing around Tenerife, a growing culture of catch and release has taken hold among charter operators, particularly for bluefin tuna, billfish, and other large pelagic species. Most reputable charters now apply mandatory release for bluefin tuna, reflecting both changing regulation and a shift in the values of visiting anglers. [3]

What the Fish Are Actually Telling Us

Marine ecosystems are exceptionally good at communicating ecological stress, if we know how to listen. The presence of 28 cetacean species, including year-round resident pilot whales, tells us that the deep-water food web west of Tenerife remains productive. The decline of reef fish populations and seagrass cover tells us that the shallower coastal zone is under sustained pressure from human activity. The continued migration of bluefin tuna past the island tells us that large-scale Atlantic management is beginning to take effect after decades of overfishing. The appearance of orcas and large baleen whales in 2025 tells us that the waters retain the biological richness to attract ocean wanderers from across the hemisphere.

Tenerife’s marine environment is neither pristine nor beyond recovery. It occupies a contested middle ground where genuinely exceptional natural heritage coexists with the pressures of one of Europe’s busiest tourist destinations. Paying attention to what lives here, in all its scientific specificity, is the first step toward deciding what kind of relationship the island will have with its sea.

Sources

Wikipedia: Tenerife — fauna and marine ecology
FishingBooker: Tenerife Fishing — The Complete Guide for 2026, fishingbooker.com, January 2026
FishingBooker: Canary Islands Fishing — The Complete Guide for 2026, fishingbooker.com
Whale Watch Tenerife: Tenerife Whale Watching Season — cetacean sighting data 2023-2025, whalewatchtenerife.org
OceanCitizen EU: Reclaiming Tenerife’s Ocean, oceancitizen.eu, September 2024
European Commission Oceans and Fisheries: Fisheries ministers agree fishing opportunities for 2026, December 2025, oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu

Art & Culture

A Nature Traveller’s Guide to Tenerife (With a 7-Day Itinerary)

south coast does exactly what it promises. But Tenerife is an island of extraordinary geographical and ecological variety, and the version of it visible from a resort terrace is perhaps the least representative of what the island actually is.

Tenerife is home to Spain’s highest mountain, three distinct rural parks, a UNESCO biosphere reserve of ancient laurel forest, villages perched at elevations above 1,400 metres, volcanic landscapes that look like the surface of Mars, and a western coastline of sheer black cliffs falling 600 metres into the Atlantic. It has colonial cities with 16th-century architecture, cave-dwelling communities, stargazing sites that rival professional observatories, and natural tidal pools carved into lava rock where locals have swum for generations, completely uninterested in tourism. The island has a population of around 930,000 people living real, varied lives, and understanding a little of that life makes a visit significantly richer.

This guide is for travellers who want more of that Tenerife.

Understanding the Island’s Geography

Getting oriented matters here, because the island’s regions are genuinely distinct and travelling between them takes time. The central volcanic massif, dominated by Mount Teide at 3,715 metres, divides the island climatically: the north is wetter, cooler, and dramatically green; the south is dry, sunny, and more arid. The three main rural areas — Anaga in the northeast, Teno in the northwest, and the Teide highlands in the centre — each offer a completely different landscape and character. A rental car is essential for exploring any of them independently, and it is worth noting that many mountain roads are narrow, steep, and genuinely demanding to drive.

Where to Stay: Choosing Your Base

The most interesting places to base yourself are not on the resort strip. Here are four alternatives worth considering.

La Laguna (northeast) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most beautiful colonial towns in the Atlantic islands. It was the original capital of Tenerife and its historic centre is a grid of 15th and 16th-century streets filled with carved wooden balconies, baroque churches, and a genuinely lively student population from the nearby university. Staying here puts you within easy reach of Anaga Rural Park and Santa Cruz, without sacrificing urban infrastructure. Hotel Laguna Nivaria, housed in a 16th-century mansion, is one of the finest small hotels on the island. 1

Garachico (northwest) was the most important port in the Canary Islands until the volcanic eruption of 1706 destroyed much of it and permanently altered the coastline. What remained was rebuilt thoughtfully, and today it is arguably the most architecturally coherent small town in Tenerife. The natural lava pools at El Caletón, formed in the same eruption that destroyed the port, are now a beloved public swimming area. Boutique Hotel San Roque, an 18th-century mansion facing the sea, and Hotel El Patio, a 16th-century farmhouse set in a 60-acre banana plantation, are both exceptional places to stay. 2

Vilaflor (central highlands) at 1,400 metres above sea level is the highest municipality in Spain, and sitting within it feels genuinely remote. Pine forest surrounds the village, the air smells of resin and altitude, and Teide National Park is just a short drive away. For travellers prioritising time in the volcano landscape, basing yourself here rather than driving up from the coast every day changes the experience entirely.

Anaga villages (northeast) — in particular Taganana, the oldest agricultural settlement in Tenerife, set in a steep valley running down to a black-sand beach — offer a different kind of immersion. Accommodation here is small-scale and basic, but the location inside the biosphere reserve, with walking trails directly from the door, is hard to match.

The Three Landscapes You Must Understand

Teide National Park and the Volcanic Interior

Teide is the obvious centrepiece, and it deserves its reputation. The national park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most visited natural sites in the world, but it is large enough that you can find solitude if you walk beyond the car parks. The caldera, known as Las Cañadas, is a 17-kilometre wide depression formed by the collapse of a previous volcanic edifice, and the landscape within it — lava rivers, ash plains, volcanic cones in shades of ochre and rust, and the extraordinary Roques de García rock formation — is unlike anything else in Europe. 3

The summit of Teide itself requires a permit to access the final 200 metres to the crater rim; permits are free but must be reserved well in advance through the national park website. The Telesforo Bravo trail, when an entry permit is obtained, is one of the most extraordinary hikes on the island, ascending through multiple volcanic zones. For those without a summit permit, the trail around Roques de García is an accessible and genuinely beautiful alternative, taking roughly ninety minutes and offering Teide in full view throughout.

After sunset, the altitude and absence of light pollution make Teide one of the finest stargazing locations in the northern hemisphere. The Mirador de Llano de Ucanca and the Portillo area are good spots for amateur stargazing; guided telescope tours depart from various operators in the park. 4

Anaga Rural Park: The Ancient Forest

Anaga is, in a very literal sense, one of the oldest living things in Europe. The laurisilva — the laurel forest — that covers much of this UNESCO biosphere reserve is a relic of the subtropical forests that covered much of southern Europe and North Africa before the Pleistocene ice ages. When those forests vanished from the continent, pockets survived in the Canary Islands, Madeira, and the Azores. Walking through Anaga’s mist-covered ridges and moss-draped trees is not merely walking through an old forest; it is walking through a landscape that has not fundamentally changed in millions of years. 5

The trails here range from gentle ridgeline walks with Atlantic views in both directions to more demanding descents into the deep barrancos (ravines) that separate the Anaga massif’s many ridges. The trail from Punta de Hidalgo up to the cave village of Chinamada — where several families still live in traditional cave houses carved into the hillside, some of them inhabited for centuries — is one of the most culturally and scenically rewarding hikes on the island. The coastal walk from the hamlet of Benijo to the Faro de Anaga lighthouse and back through Chamorga is longer and more demanding but offers one of the most remote feelings achievable in Tenerife. 6

The Cruz del Carmen visitor centre, at the main road through the park, is a useful orientation point and has staff who can advise on trail conditions.

The Teno Massif: Cliffs, Gorges, and Masca

The Teno Rural Park in the island’s northwest corner is geologically the oldest part of Tenerife, and it looks it — angular, layered, deeply eroded by millennia of wind and rain. The main road through the Teno mountains to the village of Masca is one of the most dramatic drives in Spain: a single-lane road that clings to cliffsides above thousand-metre drops, with a viewpoint that looks out across the Atlantic toward La Gomera.

Masca itself is a small village of stone houses that seems to cling to the mountainside by force of will. It has become increasingly popular in recent years, and an early start is strongly recommended to avoid the worst of the crowds. From Masca, the descent into the Barranco de Masca gorge to the black-sand beach at its base is one of the island’s iconic hikes, though it requires an advance permit and careful planning; boat collection from the beach rather than the return ascent is the standard approach. 7

Elsewhere in the Teno, the Chinyero Special Nature Reserve protects the site of the last volcanic eruption on Tenerife, which took place in 1909. The lava fields here are still raw and largely unvegetated, and the circular trail around the Chinyero cone gives a visceral sense of the island’s ongoing geological life. 8

Cultural Touchstones

Outside of nature, several experiences offer genuine insight into Canarian culture. La Laguna’s historic centre merits at least half a day of unhurried walking — the cathedral, the convents, the narrow streets of the Casco Histórico, and the Aguere cultural space. La Orotava, a town in the Orotava Valley on the northern slope of Teide, has some of the finest examples of traditional Canarian architecture anywhere in the islands: carved pine balconies, stone mansions, cobbled streets. The Casa de los Balcones is the most visited building in the town, though the whole historic centre is worth wandering. The valley below, filled with banana and potato terraces and still farmed in traditional strips, is a reminder that Tenerife had a complex agricultural life before tourism arrived.

The Drago Milenario in Icod de los Vinos — a Dracaena draco, or dragon tree, estimated to be between 500 and 1,000 years old — is one of the botanical landmarks of the Atlantic islands. The species is endemic to the Canary Islands and Madeira and was sacred to the indigenous Guanche people; its red sap was known as dragon’s blood and had ceremonial and medicinal uses. The tree in Icod is the largest specimen known. 9

For an encounter with the island’s pre-Hispanic past, the Pyramids of Güímar in the east of the island are a genuinely puzzling site: six stepped pyramidal structures of uncertain origin, oriented to the solstice sun. They were brought to international attention by the explorer Thor Heyerdahl, who believed them to be of pre-Columbian significance. The on-site museum presents multiple interpretive perspectives with appropriate caution.

Suggested 7-Day Itinerary

This itinerary is designed to move through the island’s distinct regions at a pace that allows genuine engagement with each. A rental car is essential throughout.

Day 1 — Arrive, La Laguna Check in to La Laguna. Spend the afternoon walking the historic centre. Evening in the city’s restaurant and bar scene.

Day 2 — Anaga Rural Park Full day in Anaga. Morning: drive the Anaga mountain road with stops at viewpoints above Taganana and the Cruz del Carmen visitor centre. Afternoon: hike the Punta de Hidalgo to Chinamada trail (roughly 4 hours round trip, moderate difficulty). Return to La Laguna.

Day 3 — Santa Cruz, then drive north to Garachico Morning in Santa Cruz: the Tenerife Auditorium, the Mercado Nuestra Señora de África, and the seafront. Early afternoon: drive to Garachico (roughly 1 hour). Check in. Explore the town and swim at El Caletón tidal pools before sunset.

Day 4 — Teno Massif and Masca Early start. Drive the Teno road to Masca (arrive before 9am). Walk the Barranco de Masca if booked in advance, exiting by boat; otherwise explore the village and hike the Santiago del Teide to Masca ridge trail. Afternoon: Chinyero lava field walk.

Day 5 — Drive south via La Orotava, ascend to Vilaflor Morning in La Orotava: Casa de los Balcones, the old town, the valley viewpoints. Drive through Icod de los Vinos to see the Drago Milenario. Continue south and upward to Vilaflor. Check in to local accommodation. Evening: early night ahead of Teide day.

Day 6 — Teide National Park Full day in the park. Morning: Roques de García circuit (1.5 hours). If summit permit held: Telesforo Bravo ascent. Afternoon: explore the caldera floor. Stay until after dark for stargazing at Mirador de Llano de Ucanca.

Day 7 — Anaga coast or rest day, return Optional: drive to Taganana for a walk down to the beach, or return to La Laguna for a last morning in the city. Depart.

Sources

The Hotel Guru: Best Places to Stay in Tenerife, thehotelguru.com; Hotel Laguna Nivaria listing
Secret Places: Boutique Hotels Garachico, secretplaces.com; Hotel El Patio and Boutique Hotel San Roque
Our Wanders: Best Day Hikes in Tenerife, ourwanders.com, March 2026
Tenerife Excursions: Tenerife — stunning nature between Teide, Anaga, and unique landscapes, escursionitenerife.com, October 2025
Hiking Fex: Tenerife Hiking — 30 most beautiful hikes, hikingfex.com, September 2025
Moon Honey Travel: Hiking Tenerife Mountains, moonhoneytravel.com
Charlies Wanderings: The 7 Very Best Hikes in Tenerife, charlieswanderings.com, August 2025
Our Wanders: Best Day Hikes in Tenerife — Chinyero section, ourwanders.com
Let Y Go: Itinerary of the 6 Little-Known Villages of Tenerife — Icod de los Vinos section, letygoeson.it, July 2025

Feature Destination

Is It Safe to Swim in Tenerife? A 2026 Guide to Beach Water Quality and Coastal Pollution

The question visitors to Tenerife are increasingly asking before they book is one that would have seemed unusual a few years ago: is the water actually safe to swim in? It is a fair and important question, and one that deserves a straightforward, evidence-based answer rather than either alarming exaggeration or reassuring dismissal. The situation is genuinely complicated, varies significantly by location and season, and is in the middle of a politically charged response from local and national authorities.

The Scale of the Pollution Problem

The water quality crisis affecting parts of Tenerife is not a tabloid invention. In late 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union formally condemned Spain for failing to comply with the EU’s Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, identifying at least 12 specific locations on Tenerife where sewage collection, treatment, and discharge into coastal waters was either inadequate or entirely absent. [1] This followed years of documented failures. Environmental analysis cited by campaigners estimated that approximately 57 million litres of wastewater are discharged into Canary Islands seas every day, equivalent in volume to around 17 Olympic swimming pools. [2]

The consequences became impossible to ignore in 2024 and 2025. Playa Jardín, a well-known black-sand beach in Puerto de la Cruz on the island’s north coast, was closed for almost a year after E. coli levels in the water significantly exceeded safe limits. Investigations revealed fractured discharge pipes, pumping stations operating without legal authorisation, and a wastewater treatment plant that had gone years without the mandatory inspections and repairs. [3] In August 2025, the Public Prosecutor’s Office took the unusual step of charging six officials — including a former mayor of Puerto de la Cruz and the island’s former Tourism Department head — with environmental negligence and mismanagement of public infrastructure. [3]

The Spanish environmental NGO Ecologistas en Acción, which publishes an annual “Black Flag” report ranking the worst-managed coastal zones in Spain, awarded black flags to both Playa Jardín and Puertito de Adeje in its 2025 edition. [4] Puertito de Adeje, on the island’s southwest coast, was flagged not for E. coli but for what the organisation described as poor management in relation to new luxury coastal development and an underwater garden project that critics argue threatens endangered marine species. [4]

Storm events have made the underlying infrastructure problems dramatically visible. When Storm Claudia brought heavy rainfall in November 2025, drainage systems in Garachico and Las Américas were overwhelmed, sending wet wipes, oils, and other debris onto the shore. Beachgoers in Las Américas reported finding white, greasy masses on the sand, which chemists explained as the product of soaps and oils in wastewater reacting when pushed out to sea. [5] The Canary Islands government’s own discharge register, updated in 2025, recorded 403 coastal discharge points across the archipelago, with more than half operating without full authorisation. [1]

The Response: €81 Million and a 2030 Target

In February 2026, Tenerife’s Island Council formally presented an €81 million infrastructure plan designed to address these failures over a four-year period running through 2030. The plan covers modernising outdated wastewater networks, increasing treatment capacity, preventing unauthorised coastal discharges, and improving coordination between the island’s municipalities, which have historically operated fragmented and sometimes incompatible sanitation systems. [6] Vice President Lope Afonso framed the initiative around a “zero waste” ambition and called on all local municipalities to participate in the 2027-2030 Cooperation Plan. [6]

The plan has been welcomed cautiously by environmental groups. The Tenerife Association of Friends of Nature (ATAN), which was among the first organisations to raise public alarms about the contamination crisis in early 2026, has called for more transparency about the actual scale of coastal pollution and demanded that tourists be given honest information about water quality at specific beaches rather than generic reassurances. [1] This tension between the island’s economic dependence on tourism and the imperative to communicate environmental problems honestly is not going away quickly.

Where Is It Actually Safe to Swim?

The water quality situation varies significantly across Tenerife’s coastline, and not all beaches are affected equally. The problems documented in official reports are concentrated primarily in the north of the island, around Puerto de la Cruz and parts of the northeast coast, and in specific southern locations where infrastructure has struggled to keep pace with resort development.

The southern resort strip between Los Cristianos and Costa Adeje generally maintains higher water quality, supported by more recently built sanitation infrastructure and EU Blue Flag certification at several beaches. Blue Flag status, awarded annually by the Foundation for Environmental Education, requires compliance with strict water quality testing, environmental management standards, and safety requirements — making it the most reliable indicator of consistently clean swimming water available to visitors. [7]

Practical guidance for 2026 visitors: check the current flag status at your specific beach on arrival, not the status from a previous season. Red flag means swimming is forbidden, regardless of the reason. Avoid swimming within 48 hours of heavy rainfall anywhere on the island, as storm runoff affects even beaches that are generally well managed. The north coast, including the Puerto de la Cruz area, carries higher current risk than the southwest. Beaches within the southern resort area with active Blue Flag certification — including Playa de Troya, Playa del Duque, and Las Vistas in Los Cristianos — are your safest options while the infrastructure improvements work their way through the system.

Looking Ahead

Tenerife’s coastal pollution crisis is real, but it is being taken seriously in a way it was not a few years ago. EU legal pressure, criminal charges against officials, a significant funding commitment, and genuine civic pressure from environmental organisations have combined to produce a political response with specific targets and timelines. Whether that response is adequate, and whether it moves fast enough to protect both public health and the island’s reputation, is a question that will be answered in the coming years.

What is certain is that the era of uncritical optimism about Tenerife’s beach water quality is over. Visitors deserve accurate information, and the island’s long-term interests as a destination are better served by honest communication than by silence.

Sources

BritBrief: Health alert for Canary Islands — tourists warned about beach water pollution, britbrief.co.uk, January 2026
National World: Warning to avoid 48 Black Flag beaches in Spain, nationalworld.com, June 2024
DaNews.eu: Prosecutor charges six officials over pollution at Playa Jardín in Tenerife, August 2025
Travel Tomorrow: Tenerife set to invest €81 million to clean up island’s coastline and reputation, traveltomorrow.com, February 2026
Canarian Weekly: Waste and pollution wash up on Tenerife’s coastline again, canarianweekly.com
Travel and Tour World: Tenerife Plans to Invest Eighty Million Euros in Overhauling Water and Sanitation Infrastructure, travelandtourworld.com, February 2026
Curious Expeditions: Is the sea clean in Tenerife?, curiousexpeditions.org, March 2026