The conflict over aquaculture off the coast of Telde escalated on March 3, 2026. The Platform for a Clean Sea issued a challenge to the Canary Islands Government, demanding clarity on the agreement with Aquanaria, the leading company in large-scale sea bass farming. Despite operating off the coast of Telde, Aquanaria maintains its registered office in San Bartolomé de Tirajana (specifically in Castillo del Romeral). Local residents' groups denounce that what was presented as a "cessation of activity" is, in reality, an empty promise with no legal effect, leaving the future of the coastline at the mercy of corporate whims.
The administrative status of the Melenara II concession, located in Salinetas, is the main point of contention. According to the platform, these facilities operate in an area strictly prohibited for aquaculture, just 355 meters from the beach. Although the company was obligated to progressively dismantle the old facility, the group claims that the regional government has admitted in private meetings—with Councilor Narvay Quintero and Director General Esteban Reyes—that the cessation agreement is not binding and that they are unaware of the actual status of the removal process.
Public distrust has worsened following the mass fish die-off in October 2025. While the Platform for a Clean Sea questions the crisis management and the veracity of the official figures—600 tons were recorded as removed compared to much higher citizen estimates—the regional government has used the secrecy order imposed by the Prosecutor's Office to deny access to the complete files.
This wall of administrative silence contrasts sharply with Aquanaria's financial muscle. The company, headed by Gustavo Larrazábal and based in the south of the island, has an annual turnover of between 15 and 30 million euros and has received significant public subsidies in recent years—a fact that neighborhood groups use to highlight the municipality's "defenselessness" against the interests of the aquaculture industry. The Platform now hopes that the Public Prosecutor's Office will act decisively against what they consider "institutional inaction" that has left the health of Telde's beaches in a legal limbo until at least 2029, the official expiration date of the concessions if the early withdrawal agreement is not implemented.
