This decision, responding to a request from the Gran Tarajal Fishermen's Guild, will allow the resumption of this seafood resource extraction on the island after a 22-year ban. The measure addresses the demands of Fuerteventura's artisanal fishing sector, whose professionals have noted the recovery of mussel populations after more than two decades of protection.
Concurrently, the Ministry has commissioned the public company TRAGSATEC to conduct a scientific study to assess the current status of Canary Island mussel populations and their recovery capacity. The findings, expected by summer 2027, will provide updated information on the species' situation and help determine whether to revise the current protection and exploitation conditions on the island.
The harvesting of Canary Island mussels is regulated by Decree 134/1986, and the Order of July 16, 2004, establishes the specific ban regime on the coast of Fuerteventura. The authorized collection permits extraction within the specified period and according to established limits, without constituting a general lifting of the ban or a definitive modification of the species' protection regime.
The last scientific assessment of Canary Island mussel populations in Fuerteventura was conducted in 2014. The new study will update knowledge on its conservation status and evolution, informing future management decisions to balance the conservation of the mollusk with the needs of the artisanal fishing sector.
