The Aquatic Animal Alliance recently sent a report to the government of the Canary Islands in Spain, warning about the serious environmental risks that the installation of an octopus farm in Puerto Las Palmas on the island of Gran Canaria would entail.
The Nueva Pescanova company has requested an environmental permit from the local authorities, and the information provided by the company for this purpose was recently made public, according to the alliance.
The plans to establish an octopus farm “generates high concern due to the potential effects on the marine ecosystem surrounding the farm, as well as the community of the islands,” according to the alliance, which adds:
“The company does not clarify the methods and processes to avoid the filtration of potentially dangerous substances into the effluent or the concentration of ammonium, nitrite, nitrate and phosphorus, among other elements that can negatively affect the ecosystem.”
Additionally, the alliance says the most worrying aspect of the report is the lack of mention of the possible spread of diseases in the context of intensive exploitation.
The alliance’s report explores in much greater depth all the environmental risks associated with the approval of this construction.
“Due to the substantial evidence that was provided to the government on the negative impacts that this project could have on the surrounding environment, we request that the government reject the environmental permit for the Nueva Pescanova octopus farming operation, given that there is not enough information provided by the company to execute this project.”
For more info, go to ali.fish, or check out the alliance’s report here.
