The Canary Islands are in the oil industryâ€™s crosshairs, and
that spells danger for the areaâ€™s marine habitats and
wildlife. In a new report, Oceana has denounced oil prospecting
plans in the Canary Islands, highlighting the dangerous impact
of these activities on cold-water coral reefs, deep sponge
fields, hydrothermal vents, and nearly 100 protected species.
Spanish oil company Repsol is planning to prospect in the Canary
Islands Channel, located off the northwest coast of Africa. The
channel contains gas-based habitats that are protected under the
Habitats Directive. These habitats support coral and sponge
communities that would be destroyed by oil prospecting activity.
A total of 25 protected areas and 82 endangered species would be
threatened by Repsolâ€™s prospecting activities. These include
sea turtles, short finned pilot whales, angel sharks, bottlenose
dolphins, and a variety of fish. The International Maritime
Organization has declared the Canary Islands a Particularly
Sensitive Area for its bi