Arrecife Marina fishing museum proposed

The Cabildo has proposed to install a floating fishing museum at Arrecife’s Marina.

The museum will be situated on the Nueva Santa Teresa, a boat that was once an important element of the Lanzarote’s tuna fishing fleet, which was once one of the most important in Spain.

Boats would head for the Saharan banks off the coast of Africa to fish.  However, a failure to renew fishing agreements with Morocco in 1999 led to the loss of over 70% of the island’s fleet. There are currently around half a dozen boats still line fishing for tuna in Arrecife’s harbour. 

The Santa Teresa was donated to the Cabildo 20 years ago but is currently in dry dock at Puerto Naos after damage to its hull.  

Oswaldo Betancort, Cabildo president, said “The Santa Teresa is living memory of the old fishing industry on Lanzarote, and should be displayed so that younger generations learn about it.”