The President of the Government of the Azores, José Manuel Boleiro, today presided over the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding for the Blue Azores Program at a ceremony held at the João José da Graça Public Library and Regional Archive on the island of Faial. This commitment reinforces the Azores’ environmental policy, which aims to protect and sustain marine resources.

“With this award, we are making another important contribution to the sustainability of human, animal and plant life on our planet,” he said.

The initiative is based on the best available science, which recommends protecting at least 30% of the marine environment to mitigate the oceans’ threats.

“The establishment of marine protected areas is an essential part of the global strategy for the conservation and management of the marine environment, adopted by the United Nations and the European Union,” said José Manuel Bolieiro.

With the approval of the new marine park, the Azores will play an essential role in Portugal meeting the international targets for the decade, increasing national marine protection from 4.5% to 19.1%.

Over the past six years, the Blue Azores program has brought together scientists and various stakeholders in an unprecedented co-creation process to balance the conservation of marine ecosystems with local economic activity.

In October 2023, the Azores created the largest network of marine protected areas in the North Atlantic, with 287,000 square kilometers under full or high protection. This measure contributes to the recovery of marine biodiversity, strengthens fisheries’ sustainability, and promotes a resilient blue economy.

The Blue Azores partners have decided to strengthen their commitment to protecting, promoting, and enhancing the Azores Sea through this new Memorandum of Understanding, which “is not just a renewal of the old one” but a decisive step towards its effective implementation.

The Memorandum of Understanding sets out the following main objectives: the effective implementation of the Azores Marine Protected Areas Network (RAMPA), with strategies and management plans defined by law; the restructuring of the fisheries sector to ensure sustainable exploitation of marine resources and socio-economic and environmental balance; the review and implementation of the network of coastal marine protected areas; and the creation of a mechanism to ensure the long-term financial sustainability of the Azores Marine Park.

The Blue Azores program will receive at least 10.4 million dollars to implement over the next five years, including five million dollars from the Waitt Foundation, 2.7 million euros from the Oceano Azul Foundation, and 2.7 million dollars from the Blue Nature Alliance.

In addition, the Minister for the Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, announced that the Environmental Fund is available to compensate fishermen for any losses incurred due to the implementation of RAMPA. This support is part of a broader plan to restructure the fishing sector in the Azores, ensuring a balance between environmental protection and economic viability.

The partners of the Blue Azores Program have played an essential role in achieving this strategic vision, contributing scientific knowledge, funding, and technical support for the effective implementation of marine protected areas.

The commitment of entities such as the Waitt Foundation, the Oceano Azul Foundation, and the Blue Nature Alliance demonstrates the importance of international collaboration in ocean conservation, ensuring that the defined goals are sustainable and balanced.

With this initiative, the Azores are taking on a global leadership role in ocean protection, standing out as a benchmark in creating marine protected areas and implementing innovative conservation policies.

By committing to protecting 30% of its waters and establishing the largest network of protected areas in the North Atlantic, the archipelago is at the forefront of European and international environmental strategies.

The Azores’ commitment to the best available science, combined with a participatory and inclusive approach, confirms them as a model of sustainability. It demonstrates that it is possible to reconcile the preservation of biodiversity with economic development.

“The Region demonstrates its ability to lead by example, investing in the future of the Azores and future generations,” concluded José Manuel Bolieiro, highlighting the commitment to the strategy and objectives set.

Also present were the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco, the Representative of the Republic for the Autonomous Region of the Azores, Ambassador Pedro Catarino, the President of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, Luís Garcia, the Minister for the Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, the President and Founder of the Waitt Foundation, Ted Waitt and the President of the Oceano Azul Foundation, José Soares dos Santos.

Adopted from Press Release

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno, PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.