The Azores Islands, part of Portugal, have approved the creation of the largest marine protected area (MPA) in the North Atlantic, covering nearly 287,000 square kilometres.
The network, called the Azores Marine Protected Area (RAMPA), designates 15% of Azorean waters as fully protected and another 15% as highly protected, restricting or banning fishing and other extractive activities. This initiative, driven by the regional government through a participatory process, aims to safeguard deep-sea corals, whales, dolphins, sharks, and hydrothermal vent ecosystems. José Manuel Bolieiro, President of the Azores, called the decision a model for other regions worldwide, ahead of the 2030 global biodiversity target of protecting 30% of land and sea.
The Azores is an autonomous region that lies approximately 932 miles west of Portugal’s mainland. “We are more sea than land and have influence in the maritime dimension that we are in the decision-making of our country, the European Union and the world,” said Bolieiro.
Balancing Conservation and Sustainable Fishing
Bernardo Brito e Abreu, adviser to the Azorean government on maritime affairs told Reuters, “We have acted in advance of the international conservation goals for 2030 with the creation of the largest marine park in the North Atlantic, with fully protected areas and highly protected areas”. He emphasised that the MPA network not only protects vulnerable marine ecosystems but also balances sustainable fishing in highly protected areas.
Photo by Ferdinand Stöhr
The project comes as part of the global effort to meet United Nations’ conservation goals, including the 30×30 target set in 2022. The Azores’ proactive conservation efforts, supported by scientific expeditions from organizations like National Geographic’s Pristine Seas, underscore the region’s ecological and cultural significance.
Alan Friedlander, chief scientist of Pristine Seas, said: “The unique geographical location of the archipelago, combined with its complex underwater topography, includes seamounts, hydrothermal vents, and deep-sea habitats that support unique and diverse biological communities of high conservation value.”
A Model for Global Conservation Efforts
This new MPA network is a critical step towards achieving the global 30×30 conservation goal. With less than 3% of oceans currently fully protected, the Azores’ initiative is now a model for future ocean conservation efforts globally.
Pristine Seas conducts research at the request of governments who are looking to fulfil their commitments to ocean protection. The team of international and local scientists and filmmakers study the health of the ocean, create documentaries, and share their personal connections to the ocean. Establishment of this new MPA network in the Azores marks the 29th protected area in which Pristine Seas’ science has played a role.