Tagoro, the Youngest Submarine Volcano in the Spanish Geoheritage Inventory: Scientific Value, Geoconservation and Opportunities for Geotourism

The submarine eruption of La Restinga, now known under the name of Tagoro volcano, began in early October 2011 offshore the southern coast of El Hierro island and ended in early March 2012. This eruption produced a volcanic cone, hornitos, a thick pyroclastic apron that prograded towards the base of the volcanic edifice and volcanic products that emerged from the sea floor over sea level, such as lava balloons and low-density vesicular pyroclasts (xeno-pumices/restingolitas) that popped up in the sea surface. All these submarine volcanic elements and processes, which have been monitored and studied by direct and indirect scientific techniques, have made it possible to gain scientific knowledge of the whole eruption, taking into consideration that no other submarine eruption had been studied before in Spain. Tagoro is the youngest Spanish submarine volcano included in the national geoheritage inventory (Spanish Inventory of Geological Sites of Interest), being representative and the best example of an underwater eruption, as well as one that has been studied and monitored by various research teams since the beginning of the magmatic unrest. It is essential that geoheritage inventories include submarine geosites as an essential part of geological knowledge of the planet. For this reason, a new methodology has been designed for assessment because most of the criteria used in terrestrial geosites are not applicable. This submarine volcano, despite its inaccessibility, is a geotouristic resource for the El Hierro UNESCO Global Geopark (UGGp), which uses new technologies for its interpretation, through virtual reality presentation so that the visitors can access it at the Interpretation Centre. It is necessary to promote educational and tourist use by means of new technologies such as augmented reality, an e-library and a specialized section on its website that can be easily accessed with QR codes located in La Restinga port and in the UGGp network of hotels and rural houses to connect with the audience. Its protection is guaranteed as it lies within the ‘Punta de La Restinga-Mar de Las Calmas’ Marine Reserve, but the geological values of Tagoro should be specifically included in the regulations as one of the natural resources that contribute to this protected marine area.