Teno-Rasca Marine Strip.

Special Conservation Zone (ZEC)

Blue Boat regulations          Carta por la sostenibilidad del avistamiento de cetáceos

Teno-Rasca Marine Strip

Teno-Rasca Marine Strip.

Teno-Rasca Marine Strip is located in the western part of Tenerife. It covers an area of ​​69,489.68 hectares. It washes the coastline from Buenavista to Arona.

Contained in the Natura 2000 Network, announced since September 2011 as a Special Conservation Zone. Therefore its purpose is to make sure of the long-term survival of the most vulnerable animals and natural habitats in Europe. To help to stop the loss of marine diversity caused by the effect of human activities.

To conclude the community interest of this area is managed in a way to guarantee protection and improvement of different types of natural habitats and species. Achieve a sustainable balance between the progress of uses and activities in the area by adopting necessary conservation rules of the natural values ​​it contains.

Teno-Rasca Marine Strip

Teno-Rasca Marine Strip: GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS.

For the development of uses and activities of this area to be compatible with the conservation goals of the marine strip, it will be necessary to take into account the following considerations.

Is prohibited:

  • Perform any type of waste spread from a boat located at sea.
  • Anchor over seagrass beds.
  • Capture or collection of animals that have some figure of protection.
  • Feeding of the species in their natural surrounding conditions.
  • Any activity or behavior that may annoy. Including harm or damage to dolphins, whales and sea turtles.

Whenever possible, is recommended:

  • Collect those objects or waste created during the process of activities in this area.
  • In case of accidental capture of protected animals first of all go-ahead and return it to sea. Especially with care to cause as little damage or harm to the marine animal.
  • To avoid crashes with dolphins, whales or sea turtles, reduce the speed of transit in the area. Equally important to minimize the noise created by boats. Also, avoid maneuvers that may compromise the safety of ocean life.
  • Know well enough limits of protected areas. It is a good idea to handle updated navigation charts.
Teno-Rasca Marine Strip

Teno-Rasca Marine Strip: PRESENT NATURAL VALUES

Ocean Floors.

The protected Marine Strip has varied ocean floors and has great complex difficulty. It has important sandbeds without vegetation, seagrass beds, commonly known as “Sebadales”. Sand bottoms with groups of gardener eel, maërl bottoms,  seaweed, whitish areas, sea caves and reef structures. The fish community is represented by at least 358 species. Such as trumpet fish, blue rooster, spiny drum and blue horse mackerel.

Tropical Conditions.

Unlike other areas, we have special conditions of warm quiet waters for much of the year. There are great depths reached near our coastline. These features make the being of large and medium dolphins or whales, registering up to 22 different species. Some of these include Bottlenose Dolphin or Short Finned Pilot Whale. These species maintain a resident population in the area throughout the year. Also, here in these waters is loggerhead turtle and green turtle. Hawksbill turtles and leatherback turtle visit the area rarely.

Teno-Rasca Marine Strip

Teno-Rasca Marine Strip: TYPES OF NATURAL HABITAT AND SPECIES OF COMMUNITY INTEREST OF THE ZEC

In Teno-Rasca marine strip there are now 1110 Sandbanks always covered by shallow seawater, 1170 Reefs and 8330 Marine caves underwater or half underwater. In addition to marine animals of community interest like loggerhead turtle, green turtle and bottlenose dolphin.

Sand Banks.

1110 Sandbanks permanently covered by shallow seawater and includes sandy banks of vegetation. Connected with different biological communities, always submerged underwater. Species of seagrasses, the most representative plentiful and ecological role, it is the Cymodocea Nodosa. They form known grass meadows. Of Great ecological importance by providing key areas of shelter, breeding and feeding for example many invertebrates and fish.

1170 Reefs.

Deep underwater reefs are hard compact essential substrates or land and rock-based origin. They extend from the coastline to the deep bottoms. By its volcano-related source, as a result ocean floors mostly rugged and rugged Rockies where there are many underwater canyons and valleys. This type of habitat can house a whole colony of underwater communities of ocean life species. Distributed according to measurement, as well as other nonliving factors. Apart from this, seaweed usually dominates the areas well illuminated, being the genera Cystoseira the more typical of the Macaronesian zone.

8330 aquatic or semi-aquatic sea caves.

Type of habitat widely represented in Canarian island ocean floors. Mostly rocky and winding relief. Lack of light prevents the growth of plant life, pushed away to the seabed. Except for some species of chalky red seaweed near the entrance. On the contrary, they make up the ideal habitat for a large number of stackless invertebrates (sponges and corals), a representative in part of deeper ecosystems, which travels freely from nocturnal habits (crabs, fish, etc.), which uses these as a safe place during day time.

ALL YEAR (RESIDENTS)

Calderón tropical

Short Finned Pilot Whale (Globicephala macrorinchus)

Short Finned Pilot Whale belonging to the Delphinidae family. This toothed cetacean (Odontoceti) owes its classification as a whale to its size, it can grow to well over 5 metres long and weigh between 900 and 1,800 kg . This is the easiest species to come across on a whale watching excursion in Tenerife.

Delfín mular

Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)

Most well-known species of dolphin and can easily be spotted just off the coast of Tenerife. With an average length is 2.7 metres for males and 2.5 metres for females, with oldest individuals measuring over 3 metres. They live in groups of between 10 and 30 members known as pods. Their backs are a dark grey colour which grows gradually lighter towards the belly.
ALL YEAR (SPORADIC)

Delfín moteado

Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (Stenella frontalis)

This species can be identified by the spots that cover most of their skin once they reach adulthood. They form large pods and are very active. Most oftenly spotted between autumn and late spring. Weighing between 60-80kg and reach lengths of up to 2.3 metres.

Delfín diente rugoso

Rough-Toothed Dolphin (Steno bredanensis)

Ridges and wrinkles on their teeth and their long heads are the most significant features of this species. Darker than bottlenose dolphins and have light spots on their skin. They group together in pods of 6 to 10 members. Weighing up to 150kg and reach up to 2.7 metres in length.

Rorcual tropical

Bryde’s Whale (Balaenoptera edeni)

Similar in appearance to the sei whale, though the Bryde’s whale is smaller and more robust, featuring a characteristic that is unique to this family: three ridges on the top of its head as opposed to one central ridge. Male specimens can reach up to 13.7 metres, while females can measure 14.5 metres and can reach up to 15 metres. Their backs are a dark bluish-grey to metallic grey colour, with slightly lighter sides and an even lighter throat and belly.

Delfín listado

Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba)

Bluish colour and stripes that run from its eyes almost down to its tail, this dolphin is very easy to identify. They often steer clear of boats but they are fast swimmers and you might glimpse them jumping out of the water. Their usual weight can reach between 100-130 kg, and measure 2.7 metres in length.

Calderón gris

Risso’s Dolphin (Grampus griseus)

Morphologically, this mammal is very similar to the pilot whale but its skin is grey in colour, or even closer to white in some adult specimens, which contrasts with the dark colour of its dorsal fin. Risso’s Dolphin can weigh between 300 to 600kg.

Cachalote

Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus)

Largest of the Odontoceti family and is as big as most whales. Its most notable features are its huge head, grooved dark skin and small dorsal fin. It can hold its breath for more than an hour under water in order to find food at depths of over 2,000 metres. They are most often seen in spring time. Their weight can reach between 13,500 and 54,000 kg and reach lengths of between 11 and 18 metres.
OCCASIONALLY SEEN (MIGRATORY)

Delfín común

Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis)

Common dolphins can be found in most of the world’s oceans. It is easy to identify due to the special yellow markings on its sides. They are most often seen in winter. Weighing between 80-130 kg and reach lengths of up to 2.5 metres.

Falsa Orca

False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens)

Slender body and a dorsal fin that can measure up to 30 cm high. Two of its most distinctive features are the bend and elbow-like bulge half way along each of its flippers. The false killer whale is dark grey to black all over. It can grow to up to 6 metres, weigh up to 1,500 kg and live as long as 60 years. They are sociable animals who live in pods of 10 to 50 members.

Rorcual común

Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus)

Top and sides of the body are black or a dark greyish-brown, which fades gradually into white on the belly. Colour of the head, however, is asymmetrical. Right side of its face is light grey with a white jaw, matching the colouring of the throat and belly. Left side of its face is darker, with a dark grey jaw and throat. It also has a series of colour markings across the width of its back, behind its head, the most distinctive being shaped like an upside-down V, which is more visible on the right side.

Rorcual norteño

Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis)

Similar to the Bryde’s whale but bigger, darker and more slender, and with a single ridge on their head. The proportion of the head is similar to that of the Bryde’s whale, ranging from 1/4 to 1/5 of its total length, but looks narrower from above and has a well-defined ridge. The overall colouring is dark grey or brown, almost black, often resembling galvanised metal, except on the belly, which has a white colouring that varies in size. Male sei whales can measure up to 17.1 metres, while females reach up to 18.6 metres and can weigh as much as 25,000 kg.
RARELY SEEN

Orca

Orca or Killer Whale

Zifio

Blainville’s Beaked Whale

Departures from

Puerto

Colón

Costa Adeje

 

Departures from

Puerto de Los Gigantes

Santiago del Teide

Departures from

Puerto de Playa San Juan

Guía de Isora