Global International Waters Assessment: Canary Current, GIWA Regional Assessment 41

This report presents the GIWA assessment of the Canary Current region, which covers the Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem and the river systems draining into it. The region has several drainage systems of both national and international significance and are exploited for crop and livestock development, rural as well as urban domestic water needs and industrial development. The environmental impacts of stream flow modification and changes in the water table have led to serious socio-economic impacts that often have significant transboundary implications. Overexploitation of living resources in the marine waters is another major issue in the region and most of the coastal countries in the region have already taken steps in terms of regulating fisheries at national and international level. The root causes of freshwater shortage in the Senegal River and Souss-Massa River basins as well as for the overexploitation issues in the marine part of the region are identified and potential remedial policy options are presented.