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Secretaria Regional do Mar e das Pescas
Azores see approval of new marine litter bioindicator with Cory's shearwaters playing key role
Azores see approval of new marine litter bioindicator with Cory's shearwaters playing key role
Secretaria Regional do Mar e das Pescas
Azorean fishers and shipowners allowed to catch additional 425 tonnes of bigeye tuna this year
Azorean fishers and shipowners allowed to catch additional 425 tonnes of bigeye tuna this year
Secretaria Regional do Mar e das Pescas
Regional Government launches new clean-up campaign to tackle growing marine litter threat
Regional Government launches new clean-up campaign to tackle growing marine litter threat
June 30, 2025
Azores see approval of new marine litter bioindicator with Cory's shearwaters playing key role
June 18, 2025
Azorean fishers and shipowners allowed to catch additional 425 tonnes of bigeye tuna this year
May 9, 2025
Regional Government launches new clean-up campaign to tackle growing marine litter threat
News
Nota de Imprensa
June 30, 2025
Azores see approval of new marine litter bioindicator with Cory's shearwaters playing key role
Portugal's proposal to adopt Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) as a common bioindicator of floating plastic pollution in Region V (Wider Atlantic) was officially approved ar the ministerial meeting of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR), held in Vigo last week. The proposal, led by the Azorean Government, through the Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries - Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies, is supported by scientific research carried out by Yasmina Rodríguez and Christopher Pham, researchers at the OKEANOS - Institute for Marine Science Research (University of the Azores). It stems from a monitoring programme launched in 2015, based on an internationally recognised citizen science campaign — “SOS Cagarro.” This new indicator assesses the quantity, composition and trends of plastic ingested by juvenile shearwater specimens found dead during the nesting period. It, thus, complements existing OSPAR mechanisms for marine litter, especially in a region where the species Fulmar glacialis, used in other areas as a bioindicator, does not occur. Additionally, an environmental assessment threshold was proposed and approved: at most, 20% of the juvenile specimens analysed should contain more than 4 plastic particles in their stomachs, based on a minimum sample of 200 birds over five consecutive years. It is now expected that the ministerial meeting will reiterate the political commitment to implementing this new indicator, strengthening regional collaboration and contributing to the targets of the North-East Atlantic Environmental Strategy 2030 (NEAES 2030). OSPAR is the main instrument for regional cooperation on ocean conservation in this vast area. The 2025 ministerial meeting, under the theme of assessment and ambition, was a strategic moment where countries reiterated their commitment to NEAES 2030 and defined specific actions to address climate and biodiversity challenges. In this context, the approval of Cory's shearwaters as a common bioindicator is not just a scientific and technical achievement. It also represents a tangible contribution to a cooperative governance model, through which the Azores can join forces with other areas of Macaronesia, namely Madeira and the Canary Islands, to effectively monitor plastic pollution in one of the most biodiverse regions of the Atlantic. The approval of this bioindicator by OSPAR represents a clear recognition of the Azores' role at the forefront of Atlantic protection, highlighting the Region's commitment to tackling marine litter pollution and promoting innovative scientific solutions with international impact.
June 30, 2025
Azores see approval of new marine litter bioindicator with Cory's shearwaters playing key role
Portugal's proposal to adopt Cory's shearwaters (Calonectris borealis) as a common bioindicator of floating plastic pollution in Region V (Wider Atlantic) was officially approved ar the ministerial meeting of the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR), held in Vigo last week. The proposal, led by the Azorean Government, through the Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries - Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies, is supported by scientific research carried out by Yasmina Rodríguez and Christopher Pham, researchers at the OKEANOS - Institute for Marine Science Research (University of the Azores). It stems from a monitoring programme launched in 2015, based on an internationally recognised citizen science campaign — “SOS Cagarro.” This new indicator assesses the quantity, composition and trends of plastic ingested by juvenile shearwater specimens found dead during the nesting period. It, thus, complements existing OSPAR mechanisms for marine litter, especially in a region where the species Fulmar glacialis, used in other areas as a bioindicator, does not occur. Additionally, an environmental assessment threshold was proposed and approved: at most, 20% of the juvenile specimens analysed should contain more than 4 plastic particles in their stomachs, based on a minimum sample of 200 birds over five consecutive years. It is now expected that the ministerial meeting will reiterate the political commitment to implementing this new indicator, strengthening regional collaboration and contributing to the targets of the North-East Atlantic Environmental Strategy 2030 (NEAES 2030). OSPAR is the main instrument for regional cooperation on ocean conservation in this vast area. The 2025 ministerial meeting, under the theme of assessment and ambition, was a strategic moment where countries reiterated their commitment to NEAES 2030 and defined specific actions to address climate and biodiversity challenges. In this context, the approval of Cory's shearwaters as a common bioindicator is not just a scientific and technical achievement. It also represents a tangible contribution to a cooperative governance model, through which the Azores can join forces with other areas of Macaronesia, namely Madeira and the Canary Islands, to effectively monitor plastic pollution in one of the most biodiverse regions of the Atlantic. The approval of this bioindicator by OSPAR represents a clear recognition of the Azores' role at the forefront of Atlantic protection, highlighting the Region's commitment to tackling marine litter pollution and promoting innovative scientific solutions with international impact.
Nota de Imprensa
June 18, 2025
Azorean fishers and shipowners allowed to catch additional 425 tonnes of bigeye tuna this year
The Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries, through the Regional Directorate for Fisheries, has secured an additional 425 tonnes of bigeye tuna from the National Government, which will be added to the 2,500 tonnes made available for 2025. This is the result of joint efforts undertaken by the governments of the two autonomous regions, following weeks of negotiations, culminating in this excellent news for professionals in the Azorean fishing sector engaged in tuna fishing using the pole-and-line method. This year, for the first time, a memorandum of understanding between the two autonomous regions entered into force on January 1, with the primary goal of promoting sustainability in the sector. The same operating rules were adopted by the tuna fleets of the Azores and Madeira, further extending the fishing season. This management led to an increase in the average price in the Azores at the first auction sale of about €0.48 this year. The Regional Government continues to work with professionals in the sector to ensure that the first auction sale price of this species continues to grow in the future.
June 18, 2025
Azorean fishers and shipowners allowed to catch additional 425 tonnes of bigeye tuna this year
The Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries, through the Regional Directorate for Fisheries, has secured an additional 425 tonnes of bigeye tuna from the National Government, which will be added to the 2,500 tonnes made available for 2025. This is the result of joint efforts undertaken by the governments of the two autonomous regions, following weeks of negotiations, culminating in this excellent news for professionals in the Azorean fishing sector engaged in tuna fishing using the pole-and-line method. This year, for the first time, a memorandum of understanding between the two autonomous regions entered into force on January 1, with the primary goal of promoting sustainability in the sector. The same operating rules were adopted by the tuna fleets of the Azores and Madeira, further extending the fishing season. This management led to an increase in the average price in the Azores at the first auction sale of about €0.48 this year. The Regional Government continues to work with professionals in the sector to ensure that the first auction sale price of this species continues to grow in the future.