*2.3. Geographical Boundaries and Current Uses*

Within its geographic margins, La Carbonera lagoon has no human settlements or infrastructure around it, although it is located between two towns, to the west, Sisal, and to the east, Chuburna. The current anthropic activities in the lagoon are local fishing, smallscale tourism promoted in the surrounding localities, and scientific research by various local and national institutions.

In the scientific literature, some characteristics are mentioned which imply that monitoring is necessary before and after the implementation of SGE exploitation: a very marked saline structure (a horizontal gradient, in this case), low tidal amplitude, and substantial

control of hydrodynamics with atmospheric forcings [16]. More specific biophysical details of La Carbonera are presented in the following sections.
