Don Pedro Project.

The Don Pedro was a merchant ship, built in 1982, which sank off the coast of Ibiza in July 2007 after it hit the small island of Isla da Duas outside Ibiza port.

At 142m long, the wreck of the Don Pedro is the largest wreck in the Western Mediterranean. Lying between around 23-45m of water the wreck is at an ideal depth for recreational diving.
Over the year since it sunk, questions have been raised as to whether the ship should be left in place or removed from the seabed. However, as divers and non-divers alike know, wrecks can provide excellent locations for underwater life to congregate as is seen on numerous wrecks around the world. An excellent example of this is the scuttled HMS Scylla in Whitsand Bay in Cornwall. Since its sinking in 2004, the wreck has become home to numerous fish species and the outer hull is now encrusted with anemones and sea squirts.

We are planning on running surveys at least once a year on this new wreck, looking at how life develops on her over the next few years. In carrying out these surveys, we will be able to monitor how life develops on and around the wreck and any effects this has on the surrounding environment. If life was shown to be developing sufficiently, this wreck like the Scylla could be made a voluntary no take zone, allowing life to thrive, providing a safe haven for many organisms. The data collected over the years may also be useful in future when new wrecks occur and questions arise as to whether they should be left in place or not.