The main objective of the LIFE+ INDEMARES project is to contribute to the protection and sustainable
use of the biodiversity in the Spanish seas through the identification of valuable areas for the Natura 2000
Network. The Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) has been in charge of implementing scientific
surveys to map sensitive habitats of seven of the ten INDEMARES areas, and to determine the fisheries
footprint over these areas.
Banco de La Concepci´on is one of the areas chosen to be depicted in the frame of INDEMARES project.
Located at 71 km to the NE of Lanzarote, at the coordinates 29º 55’ Latitude N and 12º 45’ Longitude
W, Banco de la Concepci´on raises from 2,541 m up to its summit at 170 m deep.
The biological richness of Banco de la Concepci´on is very influenced by the deep water up-welling
phenomena, which create a high productivity, attracting a multitude of pelagic species, such as cetaceans,
turtles, sharks, and tunas looking for food. In its vicinity, fishery resources such as goraz, anglerfish, and
hakes, are abundant, and a rich invertebrate fauna cohabits in their bottoms. Banco de la Concepci´on is
a traditional fishing area of oceanic pelagic species, and very good to catch demersal fish; it is highly
visited by Galician and Portuguese drifters and long liners that fish in Mauritania, and mainly by the
Andalusian longliners. In general, its main impacts are related to uncontrolled fishing pressure. The
available information on the anthropogenic impact of the area was scarce, and its level of research was
very poor as well, before INDEMARES project.
Methodology approach complies with a multidisciplinary perspective, having described the area from
geological, oceanographic, biological and fisheries points of view. Several surveys have taken place since
2009 to 2013 at Banco de La Concepci´on waters. Traps, longlines, beam trawls, benthic dredges and box
corers have been used to sample benthic fauna. These last two, plus EM 3002 multibeam echosounder,
PS 18 parametric sub bottom profiler, EA600 monobeam sounder, Seapath 200 positioning sensor and
SV Plus sound velocity calibration sensor were used to make a geophysical study which provides a range
of environmental factors. CTD was used to depict physical conditions of the water column. Finally,
Remote Operated Vehicle Liropus 2000 and different photogrammetric tugged sleds were used to make
a great effort of visual sampling.
Data from VMS (Vessel Monitoring System) were used, combined with interviews to users (fishers), to
describe the fishery uses in the area.
Results from all this field work provide enough information for the administrations to establish a new
Natura 2000 area, trying to reconcile protection of biodiversity and artisanal local economic activities.
This establishment should take place at the end of a process of public consultation to stakeholders which
is taking place in the present and which will help to shape the future Management Plan which will give
details about permitted and prohibited uses
