Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Urchin Eradication Campaign Reaches Garachico
Know the enemy: Diadema antillarum. Photograph taken by Daniel P. B. Smith. Copyright ©2003 by Daniel P. B. Smith.They mean serious business against these destructive pests; the sea urchins, which have been described as a plague in Canary Islands waters.
The Tenerife Cabildo (Island Corporation), with collaboration from Garachico town hall are promoting a campaign for the eradication of these sea urchins from the coasts of the area.
Activities planned for this coming Saturday, June 24th, from 11 a.m. onwards, in the port of Garachico hope to get the local population in general and the regular users of the seafront, in particular, involved in "the fight against this plague whose devastating action is destroying marine ecosystems."
The report identifies the enemy, which is currently affecting 60 percent of the ecosystems on the coasts of Tenerife, as the Diadema antillarum, a sea urchin of the genus diadema with long black spines. The incredible rise in the numbers of these urchins is being blamed on the disappearance of their natural predators, due to pressure (of fishing, etc.) on the coasts.
Elsewhere, they are ecologically important. Ironically, the fact that 97% of these urchins died out, which had normally lived in the Carribean, has meant that Caribbean reefs have been overcome by micro-algae which stifles coral growth.
La campaña de erradicación del erizo de lima llega a la costa de Garachico
