Researchers defend that Portugal should lead the conservation of the Oceans
In an appeal published in the scientific journal Marine Policy, three specialists in defense of the Portuguese navy defend the defense of the zones in the preservation of the oceans, three organizations specialized in the conservation of the oceans, three specialists in the area of the protected navy and public participation.
Specialists in the preservation of the oceans say that it is “necessary to change the paradigm”, towards an effectiveness in favor of the protection of the ocean. They recall that it is necessary to take the charm revealed at the Ocean Conference and that Portugal must lead an agenda for the preservation of marine protected areas.
“Posting that the ocean is a very protected thing explains that the ocean is a very important thing”, explains that the ocean is a very protected thing, explaining that the ocean is a very important thing, explaining that the ocean is an important thing. Bárbara Horta e Costa, researcher at the Center for Marine Sciences of the Algarve (CCMAR-Algarve) and at the University of the Algarve (UAlg).
The researcher, who wrote the appeal together with Jorge Gonçalves and Emanuel Gonçalves, refers to being included more strictly to ensure the preservation of protected areas. “What exists is that there are protected areas, but the term is often vague and protection is residual. We know for sure what happens there”, he adds.
Bárbara Horta e Costa adds that the success of this initiative depends on the inclusion of local populations, informing them about the importance of the areas and giving them specific characteristics for the country, as a whole, to implement its network of marine protected areas. “We don’t have the resources to be present in these areas 24 weeks.
The endorsement of the Ministry of the Environment
Emanuel Gonçalves, scientific officer and administrator of the Oceano Azul Foundation, researcher at MARE and Professor at ISPA, points out that the Ocean Conference marked three turning points for Portugal, as new marine protected areas were announced.
Announces the creation of the largest fully protected area in the Selvagens Islands, by the President of the Regional Government of Madeira, an implementation of a network of protected maritime areas in 30% of the sea in the Azores 2023, by the President of the Regional Government of the Azores, and the approval of the Park Marinho of Recife do Algarve, by the Minister of Environment and Climate Action.
Bárbara Horta e Costa explains that before making this appeal, they sent the Ministry of the Environment a dossier on the participatory process in relation to protected areas. This document was sent to meetings with the entities and, according to the researcher, the Ministry of the Environment has already evaluated the project and said that it would be approved at the Ocean Conference.
“What we want to guarantee, with an initiative like this, is that the status of these protected areas is guaranteed and they are at a good level. It is important to mention that these resource areas are important to the populations. That’s why he concludes.