The coastline of Mogán, in southern Gran Canaria, has become one of the most vulnerable areas in the Canary Islands to marine plastic pollution. A recent study, conducted between July 2022 and February 2023 as part of the European OCEANLIT project, confirms that the so-called “Mogán Marine Strip,” declared a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), has concentrations of floating debris that make it a natural retention point for micro- and macroplastics carried by Atlantic currents.
The research, led by the ADS Biodiversity association and the EOMAR group at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, simultaneously assessed the presence of macro-litter—fragments larger than 2,5 centimeters—and micro-mesoplastics—between 200 microns and 2,5 centimeters. Measurements were taken using blanket nets and macro-nets deployed along two-kilometer transects in both the Mogán and Teno-Rasca Special Areas of Conservation (Tenerife).
The results reveal that, although the average concentration of floating debris was higher in Tenerife, the Mogán coastline showed a particular pattern: the highest densities were located in its southern sector, around the Maspalomas area. There, the interaction between the coastal morphology and the limited exposure to prevailing currents creates a retention effect that favors the accumulation of plastics. In numerical terms, concentrations ranged from 0 to 13.433 fragments per square kilometer for macrodebris and up to 106.667 per square kilometer for microplastics.
The study establishes a direct correlation between the two types of waste—microplastics are eight times more abundant than macroplastics—and indicates that both concentrate during periods of calm seas, especially between September and October, when wind and wave energy decrease. This situation makes Mogán and Teno-Rasca veritable “hotspots” of floating pollution in the northeastern Atlantic.
The study highlights the vulnerability of the Mogán marine ecosystem, home to protected species such as loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and resident cetaceans. The accumulation of plastics increases the risk of ingestion and entanglement, with potentially lethal consequences. According to the researchers, the management of these Special Areas of Conservation must incorporate ongoing monitoring strategies and mitigation measures adapted to the ocean's seasonal dynamics.
Beyond the data, the report underscores the archipelago's role as a natural barrier against floating debris in the Atlantic. The islands, located in the path of the Canary Current—the eastern arm of the North Atlantic subtropical gyre—intercept a portion of the waste flow traveling from the Gulf of Guinea, Western Europe, and the African coast. In the case of Mogán, its position on the leeward side and the unique shape of its continental shelf make it a natural laboratory for studying the mechanisms of plastic accumulation and dispersal.
The researchers insist that the situation should not be considered irreversible. “The Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) are spaces of opportunity to measure, correct, and restore,” they state in their conclusions. They recommend maintaining seasonal sampling campaigns, reinforcing coastal clean-up efforts, and fostering cooperation among institutions, tourism operators, and local residents.
The study was funded by the European programs INTERREG MAC 2014–2020 and IMPLAMAC, with support from the Government of the Canary Islands and the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Its final message is clear: the beauty of the Mogán sea, a tourist emblem of southern Gran Canaria, increasingly depends on society's ability to curb the silent advance of plastic.
