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ISRA FACTSHEETS

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ISRA FACTSHEETS

EUROPEAN ATLANTIC

Alcalá-Playa San Juan ISRA

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Alcalá-Playa San Juan ISRA

Alcalá-Playa San Juan

Summary

Alcalá-Playa San Juan is located on the western coast of Tenerife Island, Canary Islands, Spain. It encompasses the coastline between Alcalá and San Juan beaches bounded by rocky outcrops. The area is characterised by sandbanks and rocky reefs. The area is influenced by the Canary Current and the seasonal coastal upwelling system off northwest Africa, which brings cold, nutrient-rich waters, enhancing primary productivity especially from the boreal spring to autumn. Within this area there are: threatened species (Common Stingray Dasyatis pastinaca); and undefined aggregations (e.g., Round Fantail Stingray Taeniurops grabatus).

Alcalá-Playa San Juan

Alcalá-Playa San Juan

DESCRIPTION OF HABITAT

Alcalá-Playa San Juan is located on the western coast of Tenerife Island, Canary Islands, Spain. It encompasses the coastline between Alcalá and San Juan beaches bounded by rocky outcrops. The area is characterised by sandbanks and rocky reefs (EKM Meyers pers. obs. 2025).

The area is influenced by the Canary Current and the seasonal coastal upwelling system off northwest Africa, which brings cold, nutrient-rich waters, enhancing primary productivity especially from the boreal spring to autumn (Gómez-Letona et al. 2017).

This area overlaps with the Oceanic Islands and Seamounts of the Canary Region Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Area (EBSA; CBD 2025).

This Important Shark and Ray Area is benthic and is delineated from inshore and surface waters (0 m) to 30 m based on the bathymetry of the area.

CRITERION A

VULNERABILITY

One Qualifying Species considered threatened with extinction according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species regularly occurs in the area. This is the Vulnerable Common Stingray (Jabado et al. 2021).

CRITERION C

SUB-CRITERION C5 – UNDEFINED AGGREGATIONS

Alcalá-Playa San Juan is an important area for undefined aggregations of two ray species.

During recreational diving activities at this well-known site, popular for regular and predictable sightings of rays, citizen scientists and divers have documented year-round aggregations of Common Stingray and Round Fantail Stingray. Daily diving (weather permitting) has been ongoing since 2019, with sightings of 1–8 individuals of each of these species recorded on each dive (Pama Diving pers. comm. 2025).

Between 2021–2025, Common Stingrays were consistently observed in the area throughout the year (RedPROMAR Gobierno de Canarias 2025; Pama Diving pers. comm. 2025). Aggregations were regularly reported by recreational divers and citizen scientists. Aggregations ranged between 3–5 Common Stingrays (Pama Diving pers. comm. 2025). Additional data on the size and sex of the individuals remain unavailable. Further information is required to understand the nature and function of these aggregations.

Between 2021–2025, Round Fantail Stingrays were consistently observed in the area throughout the year (RedPROMAR Gobierno de Canarias 2025). Aggregations were regularly reported by recreational divers and citizen scientists. Aggregations ranged between 3–8 Round Fantail Stingray, with at least four aggregations documented in 2023 and 2025 (RedPROMAR Gobierno de Canarias 2025; Pama Diving pers. comm. 2025). Additional data on the size and sex of the individuals remain unavailable. Further information is required to understand the nature and function of these aggregations.

Alcalá-Playa San Juan

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