As the world prepares for the UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP16), the Autonomous Region of the Azores has passed groundbreaking legislation designating the largest marine protected area network in the North Atlantic.
This historic decision safeguards 30% of the sea surrounding the Azores archipelago, covering 287,000 km², half of which is fully protected, where no extraction of natural resources takes place. The other half of the network is highly protected. This marks a significant milestone in global marine conservation and sets a powerful precedent for the upcoming biodiversity negotiations.
The Azores' decision comes at a crucial time as nations worldwide work to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework where 196 countries agreed that protecting 30% of the world's lands and oceans by 2030 (30x30 target) is critical to the future health of the planet. The legislation leads the way for the European Union's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and advances global ocean protection goals.
Marine protected areas are widely recognized as the most effective tool in the global effort to reverse biodiversity loss and build ocean resilience against climate change. The Azores leadership is inspiring, given that less than 3% of the world's oceans are fully or highly protected.
"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. 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. Our decision through a science-based and participatory process leading to the protection of 30% of our seas serves as an example that other regions must follow now to ensure the future health of the planet." José Manuel Bolieiro, President of the Regional Government of the Azores.
The Azores is a Portuguese archipelago of nine volcanic islands in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. The Azorean sea, an area of approximately 1,000,000 km², represents 55% of the Portuguese waters and around 15% of the European waters. It contains some of the most important, unique and fragile island, open sea, and deep-sea environments in the North Atlantic. The now approved network of marine protected areas creates a sanctuary for nature, such as sharks, fish, whales, deep-sea corals and unique hydrothermal vent ecosystems, resulting in a healthy ocean, which the blue economy and Azorean communities depend upon.
The creation of this marine protected area network was successful due to an extensive participatory process. In total, the Government led more than 40 meetings with representatives from various sectors, including from the fishing sector, maritime transport, maritime-tourism operators, and environmental non-governmental organizations. The result was the collaborative design of a network of marine protected areas that benefits people, nature, and the economy, based on the best available science in the region.
A marine protected area (MPA) is an area in the ocean aimed at nature conservation where limits are placed limits on human activity. Science shows that fully and highly protected MPAs derive the most benefits, both for nature and for people. According to the MPA Guide different types of protection are defined as follows:
Full Protection: No extractive or destructive activities are allowed; all abatable impacts are minimized.
High Protection: Only light extractive activities with low total impact are allowed, with all other abatable impacts minimized.
Light Protection: Some protection of biodiversity exists, but moderate to significant extraction and other impacts are allowed.
Minimal Protection: Extensive extraction and other impacts are allowed, but the site still provides some conservation benefits in the area.
Marine Protected Areas have been proven to:
Restore fish populations and enhance biodiversity, benefiting local fishing communities through spillover effects
Protect critical habitats for endangered species
Increase ecosystem resilience to climate change and pollution
Boost sustainable ecotourism opportunities
Support sustainable livelihoods in coastal communities
Focused on the conservation and sustainable use of the Azores Sea, based on the best scientific knowledge, and with the participation of the community, the Blue Azores Program aims to contribute to the protection, promotion and enhancement of the archipelago's marine natural capital, creating new avenues for the sustainable economic development of the region. It thus promotes the conservation of the ocean, the enhancement of nature and the activities that depend on it, and the promotion of a sustainable blue economy. It was born from a partnership between the Regional Government of the Azores, the Oceano Azul Foundation and the Waitt Institute, and in collaboration with the University of the Azores.