In a landmark achievement for marine conservation, the work done by the Azores Deep Sea Research group (ADSR) from the Institute of Marine Sciences - Okeanos at the University of the Azores has been instrumental in the establishment of the largest network of marine protected areas in the North Atlantic.
The group's investigation and exploration efforts were crucial in generating scientific knowledge and documenting the deep sea’s natural heritage in support to the identification of priority areas for conservation. These endeavours culminated with the approval of this historic decision, in October 2024, by the Azorean Parliament, showcasing the significant impact that tailored deep-sea scientific research can have on political decision-making.
Through participation in EU-funded projects like ATLAS, iAtlantic, EUROFLEETS+, and MarinePlan, collaborations with national (Portuguese Hydrographic Institute, EMEPC, FRN) and international partners (NIOZ, IEO, OCEANX, Rolex Perpetual Planet), collaborative work and strategic funding from the Azores Government, as well as the development of the innovative Azor drift-cam, Portugal is now positioned at the forefront of global deep-sea research.
This work provided data-driven scientific support for the expansion of the Azores Marine Park and achieving the 30% conservation target set by the EU 2030 Biodiversity Strategy and the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
