AZORES MARINE PARK
THE AZORES MARINE PARK PROTECTS 30% OF THE ARCHIPELAGO'S SEA
The Azores Marine Park currently encompasses Offshore Marine Protected Areas, between 6 and 200 nautical miles from the coast, where seamounts, deep-sea ecosystems, and habitats essential for migratory species are found.
Coastal Marine Protected Areas, up to 6 nautical miles from the coast, will be reviewed and integrated into the Azores Marine Park by the end of 2028. This process will involve scientific assessment and public participation across all islands. Until then, these areas will remain under the current legal framework of the Island Natural Parks.
Currently, the Azores Marine Park is composed of Marine Protected Areas with two levels of protection:
FULL PROTECTION
This level corresponds to marine nature reserves, where extractive activities are not permitted due to the high vulnerability and ecological importance of the ecosystems found there or that depend on them.
HIGH PROTECTION
This level corresponds to marine areas for the management of habitats and species, where less destructive extractive activities, such as low-impact fishing gear, are compatible with conservation objectives.
The definition of each area and its respective level of protection was based on scientific, participatory, and sustainable management criteria, taking into account biodiversity, ecological importance, and the natural values to be preserved, such as species, habitats, and ecological processes.
In line with the international guidelines of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and The MPA Guide, grounded in solid scientific evidence and shaped through an extensive participatory co-creation process, and grounded in robust scientific evidence and a long participatory process of co-creating solutions, the Azores Marine Park ensures that its networked structure follows global best practices in conservation, promoting ecosystem recovery and the sustainable use of marine resources.
USES & ACTIVITIES
ALLOWED ACTIVITIES
Under conditions/authorization
Throughout the Park
Non-extractive recreational, tourism and sport activities
Floating infrastructure and equipment
Scientific research and bioprospecting
Anchoring
In Highly Protected MPAs
Spearfishing
Surface longlining
Handlining, trolling, squid jigging, and rod fishing
Pole-and-line fishing targeting tuna species
Purse seine and lift nets for live bait
NOT ALLOWED ACTIVITIES
Throughout the Park
Aquaculture
Sinking
Subsea energy systems and infrastructure
Prospecting and extraction of mineral and fossil resources
Geological carbon storage
Transport of hazardous materials
Dumping of dredged material
Bottom-set and drifting longlines targeting black scabbardfish
Gillnets
Fishing traps
Bottom trawling
Purse seine and liftnet fishing, except for live bait
In Fully Protected MPAs
Commercial fishing, recreational fishing, and fishing tourism
FULLY PROTECTED SEAMOUNTS
The Azores Marine Park fully protects important seamounts, including Princess Alice, D. João de Castro, as Formigas and Condor.
Princess Alice Bank is part of an extensive oceanic plateau located 40 nautical miles south of Faial Island. Its waters are known for the frequent passage of large pelagic species, such as mobulas and sharks, and for the presence of schools of amberjacks, barracudas and tunas.
The summit of the seamount, at a depth of about 30 metres, makes this area vulnerable to accidental bycatch of corals and other benthic species, as recognised by local fishers. For this reason, its status of full protection is extremely important.
The bank also hosts a community typically associated with coastal environments, occurring here in the open ocean — a phenomenon unique in the Azores.
© Norberto Diver
© Octopus Diving Center
Terceira Island (João Bruges)
D. João de Castro is a volcanic seamount located between the islands of Terceira and São Miguel, formed during a volcanic eruption in 1720 that created a small, short-lived island approximately 150 metres high.
The summit of this active underwater volcano, now only 13 metres deep, displays intense hydrothermal activity and contains the shallowest hydrothermal vents in the Azores. Gas release from the fumaroles is visible as bubbles rising from the seabed.
The seamount is colonised by dense coral gardens and aggregations of sponges which, due to the shallow depth, are extremely vulnerable to accidental bycatch. Being the only known seamount in the world with a shallow hydrothermal vent accessible to diving makes this area essential for conservation and of e scientific value.
At the same time, it is an important area for both resident and migratory species, functioning as a hotspot for benthic and pelagic fauna. Encounters with mobulas, turtles and schools of pelagic fish such as amberjacks and tunas are common.
The Formigas Islets named after their appearance when seen from afar, resembling small “ants” emerging from the vast Atlantic are located about 34 nautical miles southeast of São Miguel and consist of a group of small islets resting on a large submarine bank.
Their isolated location creates a typical open-ocean environment where pelagic life is particularly abundant and diverse. Large schools of species such as barracudas and amberjacks are commonly observed, as well as large migratory pelagic species including sharks and tunas. Associated with rocky reefs, groupers, a threatened species, are also an emblematic presence in this area.
© Octopus Diving Center
Terceira Island (João Bruges)
The bank rises from abyssal depths to just a few metres below the surface (from ~1,800 m to ~10 m), supporting a wide range of habitats. Deeper flat and sedimentary areas, where sea urchins and octocorals occur, contrast with shallower rocky zones of higher biodiversity, characterised by extensive coral gardens and aggregations of sponges.
At mid-depth (~900 m), there is a rare crinoid community often described as a “living fossil community”, meaning it is made up of modern organisms that closely resemble species known from the fossil record over millions of years. At shallower depths, the presence of a millennia-old black coral species listed under CITES is also noteworthy.
The complexity and integrity of these habitats, together with the high benthic and pelagic diversity concentrated on this seamount, make it a Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem (VME) and an important area used by several threatened species for both residency and passage.
Condor Bank is located approximately 17 km southwest of Faial and rises from depths greater than 2,000 metres to a flat summit at around 185 metres. Its oceanographic conditions differ from the surrounding environment, with a closed circulation around the seamount.
The seamount hosts sponge aggregations and coral gardens that include at least one endemic coral species, as well as unique reefs in this region of the Atlantic formed by another coral species listed under CITES and considered a potential geological relict. The relatively shallow depth at which these vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) occur makes them particularly susceptible to bycatch.
The bank is therefore recognised not only for its importance in preserving VMEs, but also for its exceptional abundance of demersal fish of high commercial value, particularly wreckfish and blackspot seabream.
Condor Seamount has been closed to fishing since 2010, following a conservation decision that emerged from a participatory process involving scientists, local fishers, maritime tourism operators, and the Azores Regional Government. The results speak for themselves: in just ten years, the abundance of blackspot seabream increased by around 400%, demonstrating that co-created, science-based measures accelerate species recovery and strengthen fisheries sustainability.
