Panic in Canaries as rare 'black alert' issued for island as tourists told to 'stay away'

A rare "black alert" has been issued to tourists heading to a Canary Island this summer. Graciosa Island, also known as La Graciosa, is a volcanic island in the Canaries, roughly 1.2 miles north of Lanzarote across the Strait of El Río. Two beaches on the island have been included in a Black Flag list by Ecologistas en Acción, an environmental organisation.

The group has been highlighting environmental mismanagement in Spain since 2005. Both the Playa de Caleta de Sebo, the “town beach” of La Graciosa’s capital, as well as the Playa de la Francesa, a little further along the coast, are named in the annual report. The report notes that the beach in Caleta de Sebo is in a “poor state of conservation”, with waste from boats, beach users and restaurants contributing to pollution.

The organisation also say that catamaran tours at the Playa de la Francesa are causing damage to the environment.

They claim that the tours "hold parties, meals, games, and contests with loud music and leaving waste behind on the sand and in the water.” The report authors allege that catamaran passengers throw chicken scraps to birds, mainly seagulls, which can hit the hulls of the boats while trying to catch them, as well as throwing leftover rice into the sea to feed the fish.

La Graciosa has been has been described as one of the last places in Europe with no asphalted roads. It is also said to be one of the least explored and the most peaceful of the Canary Islands.

The island is a volcanic massif that’s shaped by molten ash and lava, adding to its stunning topography.

Last year, Ecologistas en Acción awarded a black flag to the Playa Blanca town beach in Lanzarote after a number of sewage leaks.

The Canary Islands are a hugely popular tourist destination, attracting around 15 million visitors a year.

The islands are a particular favourite destination for Brits, with just over 6 million visiting the holiday hotspot last year.

However, the islands have been at the centre of huge protests against mass tourism, with tens of thousands of local residents taking to the streets to vent their anger.

The negative publicity generated by the ongoing demonstrations appears to be having an impact, with visitor numbers falling this summer.