Gran Canaria Bass Company submits its aquaculture concession for public review

The General Directorate of Fisheries of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty of the Government of the Canary Islands has opened for public consultation the project and environmental impact study submitted by the entity Gran Canaria Bass Company, S.L.U. for the granting of an aquaculture concession in the aquaculture area of interest ZIA-GC-9, within the marine geographical area A.G.M.-GC-9, on the island of Gran Canaria. The announcement, signed on August 3, 2026, by the Director General of Fisheries, Esteban Cipriano Reyes Hernández, is published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (Boletín Oficial de Canarias) number 169, dated August 24, 2026.

The project was selected as the winner of the public tender for the granting of the concession via a resolution of the General Directorate of Fisheries dated February 21, 2024, called by a resolution dated October 3, 2023 (BOC no. 203, of October 16, 2023). The action complies with the guidelines of the Regional Aquaculture Management Plan of the Canary Islands, approved by Decree 102/2018, of July 9, and the Detailed Management of ZIA-GC-9, approved by an order of the Department dated June 26, 2023.

An environmental process in two phases

The project was initially submitted for public consultation in accordance with Article 33 of Law 17/2003, of April 10, on Canary Islands Fisheries, via an announcement published in BOC no. 57, of March 19, 2024. Subsequently, the Vice-Department of Ecological Transition, Fight against Climate Change and Energy publicized, via a resolution dated April 15, 2025 (BOC no. 93, of May 12, 2025), the agreement of the Autonomous Environmental Assessment Commission dated April 10, 2025, which formulates the environmental impact report for the technical project for the installation of marine nurseries.

Said agreement determines that the action must undergo an ordinary environmental impact assessment as it may have significant effects on the environment, in accordance with Law 21/2013, of December 9, on environmental assessment. Therefore, and in application of articles 36 and 37, the public information and consultation process for affected administrations and interested parties is now open.

Magnitudes and characteristics of the concession

The concession will be located in the systematic development units U.R.D.S.-1 and U.R.E.S.-2, between Baja de Cabrera and Piedra de la Fuente, on the coast of the municipalities of La Aldea de San Nicolás and Artenara. Its global magnitudes are:

• Marine surface U.R.D.S.-1: 4,268,175.99 m².
• Marine surface U.R.E.S.-2: 2,778,733.75 m².
• Productive aquaculture utilization U.R.D.S.-1: 9,200 tons.
• Productive aquaculture utilization U.R.E.S.-2: 6,000 tons.
• Maximum coastline occupation by floating cage-type devices: 1,516.82 linear meters.

Regarding species, any species of aquaculture interest from the list of species of interest for aquaculture provided for in Article 14 and following of the PROAC regulations, as well as its amendments, may be cultivated. The type of establishment shall be any of those defined and classified by Articles 20 and 21, in relation to Article 39 and following, of said regulations.

Deadline and form of participation

The documentation may be consulted during a period of thirty business days, counting from the day following the publication of the announcement in the BOC, on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food Sovereignty. Allegations, observations, or reports must be addressed to the Directorate General of Fisheries, and may be submitted through the Electronic Registry of the Public Administration of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands or by any of the means provided for in Article 16.4 of Law 39/2015, of October 1, on the Common Administrative Procedure.

The concession, with a joint production capacity of 15,200 tons, is part of the promotion of marine aquaculture in the Canary Islands and will have a direct impact on the fishing sector and the marine environment of northwestern Gran Canaria. Citizen participation in this process is key to assessing the environmental effects of a facility of this magnitude before its final authorization.

Source: Official Gazette of the Canary Islands, no. 169, August 24, 2026, V. Announcements, Other announcements, page 33116 (official reference: boc-a-2026-169-3052).