Information: Region must reiterate its powers in the environmental management of its maritime territory, says Filipe Porteiro
The Regional Director for Sea Affairs stated in Lisbon that "the Azores stand out in the national and international scene due to their scientific knowledge on their maritime territory." "Nowadays, scientific and technological research is the basis for a sustainable economy", Filipe Porteiro said, adding that "it is necessary to maintain sustainability in the marine territory of the Azores, which ... more >>

Information: Azores Sea is one of most interesting areas for mineral exploration, says Filipe Porteiro
The Regional Director for Sea Affairs stated in Ponta Delgada the Azores "have mineral resources in the deep sea that can be exploited," including deposits of polymetallic sulphides, cobalt, platinum, iron, nickel crusts and manganese nodules. Filipe Porteiro spoke at the Mini Forum held by CYTED (Ibero-American Programme of Science and Technology for Development), during the presentation of the ... more >>

Information: "Azores Between Seas 2015" campaign removed a tonne of waste from the sea and coastal areas
The Regional Director for Sea Affairs revealed in Horta that this year's edition of the "Azores Between Seas" campaign, held under the theme "Zero Waste in the Azores Sea," allowed the removal of about one tonne of marine litter. The 2015 campaign featured nearly a hundred activities throughout the archipelago, coordinated by Island Natural Parks. According to Filipe Porteiro, the goal of this in... more >>

Information: Marine Strategy Framework Directive is crucial to ensuring sustainability of maritime activities, says Filipe Porteiro
The Regional Director for Sea Affairs stated in Lisbon that the Azores "have started the implementation" of monitoring projects under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). The Region "will implement this process before other marine regions in the country." Filipe Porteiro spoke on the sidelines of the meeting held by the Monitoring Commission last Thursday to "assess the implementation ... more >>

Information: Bathing waters of the Azores under public consultation until January 31
The list containing the bathing waters to be identified in the Autonomous Region of the Azores in 2015 is under public consultation until January 31. This public consultation arises under the regional legislation and aims to provide citizens with the opportunity to express their opinions, suggestions, complaints and comments on this matter."The quality of bathing waters is important not just in t... more >>

Information: Filipe Porteiro highlights "unusual" year of baleen whales sightings in the Azores Sea
The Regional Director for Sea Affairs stressed the unusual number of marine species recorded this year in the Azores. In this regard, he considered that the whale watching activities promoted under the "Açores Entre-Mares" (Azores Between Seas) to spot baleen whales have been a success. "This is an unusual year as we are being visited by a large number of baleen whales. During the long spri... more >>

Information: Government of the Azores defends coordination between Networks for Washed up Cetaceans of Macaronesia
The Regional Government is committed to join efforts in the operation of the networks for washed up cetaceans of Macaronesia. This theme is currently under debate at the Conference on the Macaronesia Cetacean Health Network taking place at Puerto de la Cruz in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. "This meeting is intended to strengthen the joint operation of the networks for washed up cetaceans of Mac... more >>

Information: Azores to coordinate national working group on marine protected areas
From now on, the Autonomous Region of the Azores will coordinate the national working group on protected marine areas. This group will convey the positions taken by the Portuguese delegation at the Intersessional Correspondence Group on Marine Protected Areas (ICG-MPA) of the OSPAR Convention. The decision was taken at the meeting of ICG-MPA of the OSPAR Convention that was held in the city of Vi... more >>

Information: Regional Government defends promotion of the "good ecological status" of the sea as differentiation factor
The Government of the Azores defended that the promotion of the "good ecological status" of the Azores Sea and the sustainability of existing and emerging maritime activities are a differentiation factor. This idea was defended at the Atlantic Conference 2013 - Atlantic's Blue Growth that ends today in Lisbon. "As a differentiation factor, the Azores have reiterated their mission to promote and ma... more >>

Information: Azores defend regional implementation of maritime spatial plan during meeting organised by the European Commission
The Government of the Azores defended the need to respect local idiosyncrasies and the work developed by European Outermost Regions during the first of several workshops organised by the European Commission to assess the benefits and challenges of Maritime Spatial Planning. During the meeting held in Ireland on Friday, the Regional Director for Sea Affairs, Frederico Cardigos, stated that in the c... more >>