La Herradura (marine reserve)
Marine-reserve site – diving only with a licensed centre under the reserve permit. A very short ride from La Restinga: the boat is moored at about 8 m by a drop-off that falls gently to 35 m, and the return leg runs through small canyons at around 12 m where black coral grows – rare around the other islands. Mantas and bonito are occasionally seen over the edge. The centre rates it medium-easy because of the current.
Facts
- Region: Canary Islands – West
- Area: El Hierro – La Restinga & Mar de las Calmas
- Depth: 8–35 m
- Level: intermediate
- Current: moderate
- Type: wall, reef
- Coordinates: 27.637, -17.984 (approximate)
- Highlights: black coral at 12 m, manta rays (occasional), schools of white and two-banded seabream, porcupinefish
- Permit: Marine reserve (Punta de la Restinga – Mar de las Calmas): recreational diving only with an authorisation. For outer waters the MAPA Directorate-General for Sustainable Fisheries grants it, per calendar year to dive centres and per month to individuals, up to a limited daily quota of dives and boats. Divers need a recognised certification and a valid medical certificate, boats may be at most 10 m long, and each mooring buoy takes one boat with at most 12 divers. In practice dive with a licensed local centre. Check current rules with the La Restinga visitor centre.
- Issuer / contact: Secretaría General de Pesca (MAPA) – Reserva Marina Punta de la Restinga–Mar de las Calmas
- Phone: +34 922 557 188
- Email: reservasmarinas@mapa.es
- Website: https://www.mapa.gob.es/es/pesca/temas/proteccion-recursos-pesqueros/reservas-marinas-de-espana/la-restinga/informacion-de-interes
- Tips: Boat dive; plan the shallow return through the canyons. Position approximate (reef west of the harbour).