El Cachucho

To guarantee the conservation of ecosystems, habitats and elements of fauna and flora that underlie the declaration of the space as a SCI and MPA. El Cacucho, also known as Le Danois Bank, is an extensive offshore bank and seamount with great biological diversity located in the Cantabrian Sea.

Species of Concern: Razorbill (Alca torda); Cory's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea); Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta); Black tern (Chlidonias niger); Leach's storm petrel (Hydrobates leucorhous); European storm petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus); Little gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus); Herring gull (Larus argentatus); Lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus); Great black-backed gull (Larus marinus); Mediterranean gull (Larus melanocephalus); Black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus); Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus); Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus); Black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla); Common tern (Sterna hirundo); Arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea); Sandwich tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis); Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus); Common murre (Uria aalge)

Restrictions

The following activities are prohibited:
1. Fishing with trawling or gear in contact with the seabed, except for bottom longlines and hook lines in the buffer zone.
2. Recreational fishing targeting demersal species throughout the protected area.
3. Exploration or exploitation of mineral and hydrocarbon resources, including underground storage of hydrocarbons, radioactive material, and carbon dioxide.
4. Energy exploitation, including the installation of any type of energy generation and distribution devices.
5. Laying submarine cables and pipelines within the marine protected area, unless no alternative exists and the installation benefits the environment.
6. Deliberate disposal of objects within the protected area.
7. Use of air guns and active sonar systems within the protected area, except for justified scientific studies.
8. Emission of sounds and use of horns that disturb animal tranquility, except for safety or emergency.
9. Military maneuvers involving underwater explosions or anti-submarine sonars, except for national defense or security activities.
10. Unauthorized tourism or recreational activities, including cetacean observation and other wildlife activities without proper permits.

It is recommended to avoid maritime navigation in the protected area and its surroundings, and navigate in a state of maximum surveillance, particularly to avoid impacting seabed habitats and protected species like sea turtles and cetaceans.

Allowed

1. Fishing with bottom longlines and hook lines (pincho) in the buffer zone (south of the 44ºN parallel), with a special permit.
2. Fishing with surface gear, such as surface longlines, purse seines, and trolling, as long as they do not contact the seabed.
3. Demersal fisheries for scientific monitoring, authorized by the Secretary-General of Fisheries and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography, with an onboard observer.
4. Immediate and damage-free release of accidentally caught species, such as cetaceans, turtles, birds, and sharks.
5. Access to genetic resources, with prior authorization from the managing authority of the protected area.
6. Recreational, tourism, and cetacean observation activities, with the necessary administrative authorization.
7. Scientific research, with administrative authorization from the managing authority of the protected area.
8. Surveillance, inspection, and control, conducted by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and other competent bodies, to ensure the enforcement of the management plan measures.