This project aims to contribute to the conservation of endangered species of birds and marine mammals in the Canary Islands.

This project of the Cetacean Research Group (GIC) aims to contribute to the conservation of endangered species of birds and marine mammals in the Canary Islands. These are species protected by the Birds Directive and the Habitat Directive and continue with the work already started in a previous project.

This new edition insists on reducing the risk of collision between vessels and cetaceans in the Canary Islands, especially sperm whales, and on deepening the knowledge of the lesser shearwater, as well as implementing conservation measures to reduce its decline.

In the case of collisions, the Working Group on Collision Prevention between cetaceans and vessels in the Canary Islands continues and the number of participating entities is expanded. The aim is to advance in dialogue with ferries to apply mitigation measures in inter-island traffic.

In addition, a process of dialogue is initiated with the International Maritime Organization to promote an alert system for transit ships and a mandatory report to the captains of large ships that enter the Canary Islands area, in addition to evaluating the possibility of a change in the route of these ships through the archipelago. so that it does not coincide with areas of high concentration of sperm whales.

Another objective of the initiative is for sailors to receive information about collisions and how to avoid them. They will also be informed of the legal obligation to report them to the marine authorities.

In addition, the work of the Cetacean and Seabird Watching Network continues to identify the areas and times of greatest concentration of cetaceans.

With regard to shearwaters, new technologies will be used to increase the accuracy of sampling and knowledge of the distribution of the sea and its habits will be deepened. A pilot colony will be selected for management and monitoring through the installation of nest boxes and the use of sound calls.

Thus, it is expected to advance in inter-island mitigation measures, in the case of collisions, and to achieve a new population estimate on land, in the case of shearwaters. It is hoped that the censuses, combined with new technologies, will make it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the new systems and extrapolate the data more accurately to understand their behavior at sea. A new breeding colony of the species will also be established, easily monitored through the placement of nest boxes.

The censuses will be carried out acoustically (by means of recording systems) and visually (by thermographic camera). Markings will also be made with remote monitoring devices.