September 17, 2026
From expeditions to protection, Spain’s new proposed MPAs
BY: Arin Owoturo
Topics: Habitat Protection
Since 2009, Oceana has carried out 35 research expeditions aboard the Ranger helping to increase our knowledge of the ocean and support the designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Through its at-sea expeditions, Oceana gathers data on marine habitats and species, providing scientific evidence needed to strengthen marine protection.
This month, the Spanish government has announced a proposal to establish 23 new Marine Protected Areas in the Canary Islands and Mediterranean Sea, 21 of them to protect marine habitats and species and two exclusively for birds. 17 of the proposed sites are in the Canary Islands, and aim to protect seagrass meadows, turtles, coral reefs, dolphins, sea birds and deep-water habitats. If approved, this would increase Spain’s Natura 2000 marine network to a total of 24.53% of its waters.
Oceana’s expedition in the Canary Islands
Oceana’s work in the region spans more than a decade. During its first expedition to the Canary Islands in 2009, Oceana studied seamounts and seabed habitats across the archipelago. A team of professional divers worked at depths of up to 40 metres to photograph and film these underwater environments, while researchers documented vulnerable marine habitats and assessed damage caused by destructive fishing practices. Oceana also collected sediment samples and small marine organisms to improve scientific understanding of the area’s ecosystems.
In 2014, Oceana returned to the Canary Islands for a month-long expedition to document waters around El Hierro and map the seamounts north of Lanzarote and the Sahara Seamounts. These underwater mountains provide habitat for a wide range of marine life and are home to vulnerable ecosystems, including coral communities and sponge aggregations, that play an important role in maintaining healthy marine ecosystems.
From designation to effective protection
Oceana’s expeditions have also highlighted important differences between the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean. During Oceana’s expeditions in the Mediterranean, the team documented seabed damage caused by bottom trawling fishing, including within some marine protected areas. Species once common in the Mediterranean, like the angel shark, have disappeared and are only present in the Canaries, where the majority of fisheries use only artisanal gear. Effectively managing artisanal fishing activities in these new proposed areas and banning harmful practices from them, such as bottom trawling in the Mediterranean ones, is thus a key step to ensure they deliver effective protection.
Protection has become increasingly important as pressures on marine ecosystems, from climate change and marine heatwaves, continue to intensify. In 2020, the European Union committed to protecting 30% of its seas by 2030, including 10% under strict protection for areas of particularly high biodiversity value.
Over the course of its expeditions in the Canary Islands, Oceana documented a wide variety of features and species. These include:
Volcanic rock
Forest of black coral
Planehead filefish
Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris)
Glasseye (Heteropriacanthus cruentatus)
Stronger protection needed in Spain’s MPAs
While the proposal for 23 new marine protected areas marks an important step towards achieving marine conservation targets, protection on paper alone is not enough. Many of Spain’s existing MPAs still lack effective management and enforcement measures.
Oceana continues to campaign for stronger protection and management of marine habitats to ensure that MPAs deliver lasting benefits for marine life, fishers, and coastal communities.
