The document gathers the priorities identified through a participatory process by attendees of the 4th International Forum on Marine Litter and Circular Economy.
More than 150 professionals and representatives from international organisations took part in three days focused on governance, circular economy, innovation and marine conservation.
Puerto de la Cruz closes an edition marked by cooperation between public administrations, the scientific community, businesses and civil society.
The 4th International Forum on Marine Litter and Circular Economy – MARLICE 2026 concluded today in Puerto de la Cruz (Tenerife) with the presentation of the “Canary Islands Manifesto”, a participatory document that outlines the main priorities and action lines identified by attendees in order to advance the prevention and reduction of marine litter.
The manifesto was developed through a participatory process carried out during the forum, in which participants were able to vote on the ten most relevant aspects among a set of seventeen strategic proposals related to the fight against marine litter, circular economy, public awareness, innovation and environmental governance.
The result of this collective process is the so-called “Canary Islands Manifesto”, conceived as a declaration of intent and a roadmap built through collaboration between sectors and territories, reinforcing MARLICE’s role as an international meeting point for sharing knowledge, experiences and solutions to one of today’s major global environmental challenges. The Manifesto includes the following key points to promote cleaner and more sustainable oceans:
Promote prevention in the generation of marine litter through a change in production and consumption models, encouraging reuse and avoiding the mixing of materials.
Promote products and sales models (reuse, repair or bulk sales) that prioritise the elimination of single-use products.
Improve the quality of discharges into rivers and oceans by enhancing the removal of micro and macro litter in wastewater treatment systems (WWTPs, sewage systems and overflow outlets).
Promote initiatives that involve citizens in understanding the problem of marine litter and possible solutions.
Establish harmonised indicators to assess the impact of marine litter on wildlife and ecosystems.
Promote a truly circular economy for marine litter (from eco-design of products to final recovery), encouraging appropriate management models while guaranteeing harmonised criteria, standards and global traceability.
Promote regulations that take into account the particular exposure of island environments to incoming foreign waste.
Identify and intervene in marine litter accumulation points in order to prevent its dispersion into the marine environment.
Promote the implementation of Deposit Return Systems (DRS), Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles and fishing gear, and the effective application of EPR for tobacco products with filters and wet wipes.
Encourage green public procurement by avoiding single-use plastics and promoting the inclusion of restrictions on single-use plastics in public tenders and permits.
Working sessions
During the three-day event held in Puerto de la Cruz, MARLICE 2026 brought together international experts, institutional representatives, the scientific community, businesses, ports, the fishing sector, environmental organisations and citizens, consolidating its role as a benchmark platform in the field of marine litter and circular economy.
The forum programme addressed issues related to governance, research and innovation, marine conservation, eco-design, material circularity, prevention strategies and awareness-raising, while also incorporating networking and participation spaces among the different stakeholders involved.
At the same time, the MARLICE4PEOPLE programme brought the issue of marine litter closer to citizens through educational, cultural and awareness activities, including exhibitions, competitions, beach clean-up actions and public outreach events open to the general public.
With the presentation of the “Canary Islands Manifesto”, MARLICE 2026 closes a new edition by reaffirming the need to promote coordinated, innovative and participatory responses in order to protect the oceans and move towards more sustainable and circular models.
Among the main conclusions of MARLICE 2026, participants highlighted the need for scientific data, technological innovation and technical knowledge to support decision-making, promoting ambitious and coordinated policies aligned with current environmental challenges.
The International Forum MARLICE 2026 is coordinated by the Spanish Marine Litter Association (AEBAM), promoted by the Regional Ministry for Ecological Transition and Energy of the Government of the Canary Islands, co-financed through the CircularOcean project, and supported by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge; the City Council of Puerto de la Cruz; Ecoembes; as well as collaborations from Proyecto Libera (SEO/BirdLife – Ecoembes), Proyecto IMPLAMAC, the Marine Technology Centre (CETMAR), pt-PROTECMA, the Plastic Technology Institute (AIMPLAS), Asociación Hombre y Territorio (HyT), Asociación Vertidos Cero, AZTI, Fundación Canarias Recicla and Plastics Europe.
The Forum also featured the participation of organisations such as UNEP/MAP-Barcelona Convention, OSPAR Convention, HELCOM – Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission, Black Sea Commission and MedWaves.
The CIRCULAROCEAN project, code 1/MAC/2/2.6/0023, was approved under the first call of the INTERREG VI-D MAC Territorial Cooperation Programme (Madeira-Azores-Canary Islands) 2021–2027 and is co-financed by the ERDF Fund.
