Tabarca in terms of marine ecology. Therefore, waters around Tabarca were declared a Marine reserve in 1986, the first of its kind in Spain. This status was mainly granted due to its submarine posidonia prairie, which is the largest in the Spanish Mediterranean and has an extraordinary ecological value in terms of marine fauna and flora. In order to both enhance the marine biodiversity and protect it from fishing, an artificial reef was laid near the island by the Marine Reserve authorities. Tabarca Tabarca (, ) also known in Valencian as "Nova Tabarca" and "Illa Plana", and in Spanish as "Nueva
La Gomera have farmed the lower levels by channelling runoff water to irrigate their vineyards, orchards and banana groves. The official natural symbols associated with La Gomera are "Columba junoniae" (Paloma rabiche) and "Persea indica" (Viñátigo). The local wine is distinctive and often accompanied with a "tapa" (snack) of local cheese, roasted pork, or goat meat. Other culinary specialities include almogrote, a cheese spread, miel de palma, a syrup extracted from palm trees, and "escaldón", a porridge made with gofio flour. The inhabitants of La Gomera have an ancient way of communicating across deep ravines by means of a whistled speech called