The Autonomous Region of the Azores, an archipelago roughly 1,000 miles west of Portugal, has passed legislation designating the largest marine protected area (MPA) network in the North Atlantic Ocean.
The MPA will cover 287,000 square kilometers, half of which will be fully protected where no extraction of natural resources can occur. The other half will be under high protection status, where only light extractive activities with low total impact are allowed and all other abatable impacts minimized.
The decision by the Azores came just before the latest UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP16), which took place recently in Cali, Colombia, and designated protection for 30 percent of the sea surrounding the archipelago, which is in line with the 30X30 initiative central to COP16 discussions.
“Our decision through a science-based and participatory process leading to the protection of 30 percent of our seas serves as an example that other regions must follow now to ensure the future health of the planet." President of the Regional Government of the Azores José Manuel Bolieiro said.
A total of 196 countries have agreed to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for protecting 30 percent of the world's lands and oceans by 2030 – comprising the 30X30 target.
"The Azores has long been known for its unique ocean nature, and with this decision, we are driving the way forward to a productive, vibrant ocean,” Bolieiro said. “The sea is an integral part of our collective identity, being vital socially, culturally, and economically. We are committed to protect and recover our ocean to support a healthy blue economy.”
The Azorean sea, an area of approximately 1 million square kilometers around the nine-island archipelago, represents 55 percent of Portuguese waters and includes many environments that are unique or scarce in the North Atlantic. The network of MPAs popping up around Greece aim to serve as a sanctuary for sharks, fish, whales, deep-sea coral, and unique hydrothermal vent ecosystems, which are all part of the blue economy that many Azorean communities depend upon.
