"Zero Litter in Azores Sea" contest kicks off on June 8 - Communication

Direção Regional de Políticas Marítimas

"Zero Litter in Azores Sea," an event aimed at the collection of marine litter by commercial fishing vessels, begins on June 8 in partnership with regional fishing associations.

This initiative stems from the winning proposal of the Participatory Budget of the Autonomous Region of the Azores in the "Sea and Fisheries" category in 2021. It is supervised by the Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries, through the Regional Directorate for Maritime Policies and the Regional Directorate for Fisheries.  

The contest, which involves 24 fishing vessels, aims to mobilise and raise awareness among Azorean fishers for the importance of collecting marine litter during the periods of their fishing activity, with special emphasis on lost or abandoned fishing gear. 

This initiative counts on the collaboration of various fishing associations from different islands of the archipelago, the Azores Fisheries Federation, Lotaçor and the Azores Sea Observatory. 

The initiative will run from June 8 (World Oceans Day) to September 31, 2023. The results will be presented on November 16 (National Day of the Sea). 

For more information, the rules are available on the portal of the Regional Secretariat for the Sea and Fisheries - Regional Government Portal (azores.gov.pt).