Teide National Park Fines Soar 358% Amid Surveillance Boost

Fines for environmental rule-breaking in Teide National Park have soared by 358% in the last two years. They jumped from 81 in 2023 to 224 in 2024, and then to 371 in 2025.

Across all of Tenerife's protected natural areas – which cover 48% of the island and include Anaga and Teno rural parks – the total number of reports and fines rose by 110% over the same period. This means an increase from 657 to 1,382 by the end of the last financial year (2025). In 2024, there were 921.

Beyond Teide National Park and the specific issue of camping in La Caleta de Adeje, other areas also saw significant numbers of complaints. These include 167 in Corona Forestal, 115 in Anaga Rural Park, and 34 in Teno. Las Lagunetas Protected Landscape was another key area for monitoring, with 133 reports filed for various reasons. This 3,800-hectare area spans several municipalities (Candelaria, El Rosario, El Sauzal, La Matanza, La Victoria, Santa Úrsula, and Tacoronte) and forms the northeastern base of the Pedro Gil mountain range, a volcanic structure running northeast-southwest across Tenerife.

Blanca Pérez, a councilor, attributes these figures to "the collaboration and coordination of everyone working to keep our natural areas safe." She highlights that "surveillance has increased," noting that it has been "extended to weekends" and "strengthened in Teide National Park with rural guards and the Canarian Police."

Pérez stated that "this coordination will continue to be reinforced throughout 2026" and will be "extended to more natural areas," focusing particularly on Teide National Park, Corona Forestal, and the rural parks of Anaga and Teno. The goal is to ensure "every natural area receives the control and surveillance it deserves."

Complaints are filed by nine different administrations, including three police forces, as well as by seven citizens. Notably, the Teide National Park Surveillance Service filed 167 complaints, a significant jump from zero in 2024. The Canarian Police also saw a rise, with 239 complaints compared to 125 in 2024. Insular environmental agents filed 725 complaints, up from 464 the previous year.

Looking at the types of infractions, those related to hiking increased significantly from 55 in 2024 to 195. Construction-related fines saw a slight rise from 111 to 115. Reports for fires showed an exponential increase, jumping from 35 to 119. Interestingly, traffic fines went up from 93 to 145, but fines for inappropriate parking decreased from 204 to 147. Hunting was the only other category to see a decrease, falling from 69 to 53.

The Cabildo de Tenerife and the Government Subdelegation initially agreed to boost surveillance in protected areas during the May long weekend in 2024. This effort later expanded to include the Canarian Police and local police from towns like La Orotava, Santa Cruz, and La Laguna. What started as seasonal surveillance during Easter 2024 became a permanent fixture from 2025, including weekends. This ensures that Teide National Park and the rural parks of Teno and Anaga are consistently patrolled by the Civil Guard, Canarian Police, local police, Cabildo environmental agents, and rural guards from the Island's Hunting Management Federation. All these groups collaborate on operations, such as the recent "Operation Nevada," which focuses on key natural spots to ensure safety, maintain order, and prevent environmental damage.

Teide National Park is currently a major topic, especially since full management responsibilities were transferred from the Canary Islands Government to the Cabildo de Tenerife late last year. Additionally, a new Master Plan for its Use and Management (PRUG) has recently been implemented. Blanca Pérez, the Cabildo's Councilor for Natural Environment, Security, and Emergencies, noted that "over 86% of foreign visitors pay their fines promptly." This continues a trend that began in 2024.

A closer look at the fines reveals a surprising number related to camping: 177 complaints, making up 12.8% of the total. This is largely due to a major enforcement campaign throughout last year at Diego Hernández beach in La Caleta de Adeje, which alone accounted for 108 interventions (7.8% of all fines). Pedro Millán, the island's Director of Environment, explained that "there was a tendency, particularly among foreign visitors, to regularly camp in this natural area." This led to "continuous actions" over several months by environmental agents, the Canarian Police, the Civil Guard's Seprona unit, and local Adeje police to "maintain pressure," even during the Christmas holidays, resulting in the high number of complaints. Millán added that preventing illegal camping in these protected coastal areas is crucial, and these measures will continue "so that people understand these are not places for practically permanent camping."