“It is extremely beneficial for the environment, for nature, for biodiversity, but also for the sustainability of fishing, because these are true fish nurseries,” emphasised the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, in statements to journalists.
With an area of approximately 200,000 km², encompassing the entire complex of seamounts and abyssal plains located between Cape St. Vincent in Sagres and the Madeira archipelago, the new reserve will allow Portugal to reach 30% of its marine protected area by next year.
For now, a joint order from the Ministries of Environment and Energy and Agriculture and the Sea was published on 27 October, which determines, together with the Regional Government of Madeira, the initiation of the technical and legal procedures necessary for classification, which should be completed by December 10th.
A public consultation period will follow, and the Government expects the creation of the new marine protected area to be consolidated by 2026.
“This will also have other benefits, in terms of recreational boating and diving, all of which contribute to our maritime economy. Our maritime economy represents 5% of our gross domestic product, but with this kind of investment, we can significantly increase that value,” also highlighted the Secretary of State for Fisheries and the Sea, Salvador Malheiro.
Once the 30% target is reached, the Government plans to then aim for the goal of 10% of fully protected areas.
“Right now, we still have a low target—around 2% or 3%—because they take longer to identify (fully protected areas), but that will be our ambition, after 30%,” stated Maria da Graça Carvalho
When asked about how these marine protected areas are being managed, the minister recalled the work being done for the Pedra do Valado Marine Natural Park in the Algarve and for the Azores Marine Protected Areas Network, which is awaiting the signing of the agreement with the Environmental Fund.
“There are also a series of obligations on the State and the autonomous regions to monitor and maintain this area. For our part, we will comply with all the rules, but we also must pay attention to what happens with foreign vessels, and therefore, there is a level of surveillance here that requires even greater care when it comes to a protected area,” she added.
Before the presentation of the Madeira-Tore Marine Nature Reserve and Gorringe Bank, the minister met with the Executive Vice-President of the European Commission responsible for a Clean, Fair, and Competitive Transition.
At the end of the meeting, Maria da Graça Carvalho and Teresa Rivera highlighted the commitment made on Thursday by European Union (EU) leaders to climate ambitions by 2040, as an intermediate step towards carbon neutrality by 2050, with a “pragmatic and flexible” strategy.
“It’s a balanced proposal,” Teresa Rivera argued, referring to the European Commission’s proposal that calls for a 90% reduction in net greenhouse gas emissions (compared to 1990 levels) as an intermediate step towards climate neutrality by 2050.
On the Portuguese side, the Minister of Environment and Energy also mentioned the possibility of meeting part of the target through international carbon credits between 2036 and 2040, up to a limit of 3% of the EU’s net emissions in 1990. She emphasized that Portugal advocates for credits to begin counting earlier, in 2031, and up to a limit of 5%.
“For us, timing is more important, because we have several investments in third countries, such as debt conversion in Cape Verde, and we will also sign with São Tomé and Príncipe, and we would very much like it to begin counting from 2031,” she explained.
