San Andrés Residents Campaign to Save Historic Fishermen’s Guild from Decay

San Andrés is at a turning point for its local heritage. The El Pescador neighborhood association has officially asked the General Directorate of Coasts and the Santa Cruz de Tenerife City Council to save the old fishermen’s guild near Las Teresitas. They hope to restore the building and turn it into a museum celebrating the town’s fishing history.

The building is currently in poor condition, suffering from years of neglect and exposure to the sea. Once the heart of the local economy, the guild stopped operating after the regional government dissolved the organization in July 2025. This closure followed years of decline, including a lack of new workers, significant debts to tax and social security authorities, and the end of the site’s restaurant service.

However, the neighbors' plan faces a complicated legal challenge. During a meeting last December, the Anaga district council explained that the City Council’s management of the beach does not include this building. According to local officials, the property belongs to the Ministry for the Ecological Transition, as the site was reclassified after it stopped being used as a port.

While the local PSOE party has criticized the abandonment of the site, the city government says that although it does not have direct control over the building, it has contacted state and regional authorities to try to find a solution. The residents are now fighting to ensure that the town’s maritime legacy is not lost to bureaucracy and decay, as the 40-year-old building remains in a state of extreme disrepair.