Collaboration Agreement for the conservation and research of cetacean populations to avoid accidental stranding.

The Canary Islands house one of the most outstanding samples of biodiversity. Equally, the strategic situation of this Atlantic archipelago, the distance from peninsular territory, the number of islands, the strong dependence on tourism, its proximity to the African Continent and the strong migratory pressure that receives, demand an understanding of all the interests at stake. In other words, there is a need to defend the Canary Islands and all its commercial activities on the one hand, and the preservation of the environment, marine fauna and the tourist image on the other.

On December 12, 2007 the General Technical Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Defense and the Department of Environmental Issues of the Canary Islands Reginal Government signed an agreement for the conservation and research of local cetacean populations to avoid accidental stranding. Some of the objectives of the agreement included the delimitation of the areas in which active antisubmarine sonars can be used in order to protect the whales, setting also the limits where sonars can be activated depending on the frequencies and transmission power that could cause harmful effects to the cetaceans.