Portugal will create a new marine reserve in Madeira, bringing the country to a goal of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2026, four years ahead of schedule. The preparatory work for Madeira-Tore and Banco de Gorringe Marine Nature Reserve is expected to be completed in December.
The reserve will stretch for 200,000 square kilometers, covering the entire complex of seamounts and abyssal plains located between Cape St. Vincent, in Sagres, in the Algarve, and the Madeira archipelago.
Once the 30% target has been achieved, the Government plans to look towards the goal of 10% of areas being fully protected.
“At the moment, we still have a low target – around 2% or 3% – because it takes longer to identify (the fully protected areas), but that will be our ambition after the 30%,” said Maria da Graça Carvalho, Minister for the Environment and Energy, in a statement to reporters.
A year ago, the Azores announced that it was creating the largest Marine Protected Area in the North Atlantic.
“It is extremely useful for the environment, for nature, for biodiversity, but also for the sustainability of fishing, because these are true fish nurseries,” said the da Graça Carvalho.
“This will also have other added value in terms of recreational boating and diving, all of which contribute to our marine economy. We have a marine economy that represents 5% of our gross domestic product, but with this kind of investment, we can increase that figure significantly,” said Salvador Malheiro, Secretary of State for Fisheries and the Sea.
