Ons Island continues to be one of the main tourist attractions of the Pontevedra estuary. Between January and July 2026, it received 72,913 visitors, more than one thousand above the figure recorded during the same period last year. Visitor numbers remain within the National Park's regulated access model, with a maximum of 1,300 visitors per day to prevent overcrowding.
The greatest activity is concentrated in the summer months, when Ons combines the appeal of its beaches and landscapes with guided tours and gastronomy. This volume of people also makes it necessary to insist on respecting the rules of the protected area, especially with regard to cleanliness and noise.
But tourist pressure is not the only challenge. Climate change is causing transformations in the marine environment and may alter the presence and distribution of different species. One of the ongoing projects focuses on the recovery of kelp forests, habitats that are fundamental for the wildlife of the Rías Baixas.
In the terrestrial environment, seabirds also provide mixed signals. The colonies of Phalacrocorax aristotelis remain stable, although without recovering the expected growth, while the population of Larus michahellis is showing a somewhat more positive trend on Ons. The species has moved beyond part of the sharp decline it suffered in recent years, but it remains in a delicate situation.
The conservation of Ons therefore faces several challenges simultaneously: managing the growing human presence and protecting an ecosystem that must also adapt to the consequences of climate change.
