“the sea of the azores” by filipe mora porteiro, ph.d. regional director of marine affairs,...
DESCRIPTION
A talk about the main issues related to marine science and politics in the Azores. Presented on September 5th, 2013 at the New Bedford Whaling Museum as part of the 7th Annual International Whaleboat Regatta.TRANSCRIPT
The Sea of the Azores
Filipe Mora Porteiro
Regional Director of Marine Affairs
Government of the Azores
Remoteness
Geography • Archipelago of 9 islands clustered in three groups • Spread over 600 km • Population ~250.000
Geography
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Geology - Azores Triple Junction
• Triple junction: American, Eurasian and African tectonic plates • Oldest island : 8-10 My; Youngest island: 250 000 y
Geomorphology of the Azores plateau
-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40
0
20
40
60
North Atlantic Circulation
Oceanography: Productivity
Satellite imagery (year average)
Oligotrophic oceanic waters Localised enrichment by upwelling (seamounts, island).
Biogeography: Central North-East Atlantic
The most oceanic, isolated and young among other Macaronesia archipelagos (AZ, MAD, CAN).
An Atlantic Crossroad
Coastal and open ocean biological assemblages related to Macaronesia Different for other depths and biologic groups
Canaries
Azores
Madeira
G. Meteor
Gorringe
Cabo-Verde
Marine biodiversity
• Impoverished comparing to surrounding areas; • Low numbers of coastal species; • Certain level of genetic isolation; • Certain groups particularly diverse; mainly deep-sea.
1883 marine species belonging to 16 groups are listed. Except for fishes (543 sp.), birds and marine mammals, all the
other are coastal (most diverse groups: mollusks [353 sp.]; algae [327 sp.]; arthropods [291 sp.].
Portal da Biodiversidade dos Açores; www.azoresbioportal.angra.uac.pt/
Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
~1 million km2
319.500 km2
411.000 km2
European Union: 3.000.000 km2
Area: 957 292 Km2 (55% Portugal EEZ; 16.3% EU EEZ) Average depth: ~3000m
Bottoms < 600 m: 7 715 Km2 (0.8%) Bottoms between 600 - 1500 m: 64 730 Km2 (6.8%)
Total fishable bottoms (to 1500m): 72.000 km2 (7.6%).
Depth <600m Depth 600m-1500m
EEZ Azores sub-area
Small territory, a huge SEA (land/sea=410)
Extension of Portuguese Continental Platform Proposal submitted to UN (under UNCLOS)
Valuing the Azores Sea increasing its usefulness, keeping its magnificence and ensuring their
environmental sustainability
The DRAM mission
• Marine spatial planning (MSF) based on robust scientific criteria;
• Recover and promote the environmental quality of the sea
• New opportunities for the blue growth / economy;
• Promote active informed citizenship.
Strategy
Best available
knowledge Planning Results Action
Improvements
for better sustainable development
Opportunities
Coastal habitats
Sheltered bays; cliffs; coastal lagoons
Tide pools
Submerged or partially caves
Rocky reefs
Sandy beaches and bottoms
Volcanic islets
Madalena, Pico
Vila Franca do Campo, S. Miguel
Topo islet, S. Jorge Carapacho, Graciosa
Formigas Islets & Dollabarat reef Marine Protected Area
BANCO D. JOÃO DE CASTRO
Shallow-water hydrothermal vents
DOM JOÃO DE CASTRO BANK
Sheltered bays Mid-passage reefs
Exposed coasts
Caves
Strong currents
Sandy areas
Various rocky habitats
Depth range: 0-200m
Volcanic islets
Faial-Pico Channel High diversity of habitats and species
Black coral Worms
Mollusks Jellies and anemones
Crustaceans Equinoderms
Sea birds (roseate and common terns; shearwaters) that breed in the Azores (mainly in islets and remote cliffs).
The blue surface waters
Physeter macrocephalus sperm whale cachalote
David Shale / MAR-ECO
Diving to the deep
High diverse fauna. Small forms. Often with bioluminescence. Highly adapted to the environment, especilally light.
David Shale / MAR-ECO
David Shale / MAR-ECO
David Shale / MAR-ECO
MAR-ECO
The deep seaflor habitats
Azores Deep-Sea bottom Environments
Island shelves (to 180m)
Island slopes
Shallow seamount summits (45-130m)
Seamount slopes
Deep-sea hydro- thermal vents Abyssal plains
Mid-depth seamount summits
Deep seamount summits
Geomorphology of the Capelo peninsula (Faial island)
Island shelves and slopes
F. Tempera © ImagDOP
Azores seamount catalogue
• Density (total): 3.3 peaks /1000 km2
• Large (h>1000m): 63 • Between 200 ≤ h ≤1000m: 398 • Area covered: ~37% of Azores EEZ
Topographic parameters: depth; elevation
Morato, T., M. Machete, A. Kitchingman, F. Tempera, S. Lai, G. Menezes, R.S. Santos & T.J. Pitcher. 2008. Abundance and distribution of seamounts in the Azores. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 357: 17-21
• Aggregations in the water column above the bottom.
• Supported by the enhanced flux of prey organisms
L. Gallagher - ImagDOP
Seamount aggregating fish
Seamount visitor species
• Some sharks and tunas; Sea turtle; Seabirds; Some cetacean
ImagDOP
Spatial Analysis: base on telemetry data and POPA data
longer-lived species; slow growth; late maturation; low natural mortality
Hoplostethus atlanticus Collett, 1889
Experimental fishery for orange roughy in the Azores seamounts
Fishing deeper means fishing for increasingly longer-lived species Intrinsic vulnerability increases with depth
Life
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Cold Water Corals
Coral gardens and coral reefs On island and seamounts bottoms
Ecological importance: Habitat builders and deep-sea
biodiversity hot spots for invertebrates and fishes
http://www.eol.org/pages/200056
http://www.eol.org/pages/200056
Historical and new data revealed a total of 161 coral species so far in the Azores.
High regional biodiversity
Mapping: where they occur?
Catalogue of Cold Water Corals communities (to 3000m): ca. 20 types of coral gardens + 2 types of reefs
Climate change / Mining / Cables / Litter / Scientific activities
Threats to corals and sponges
Fishing: trawls, lines and traps by-catch
Habitat destruction
L. Gallagher - ImagDOP
Condor temporary fishing closure
Hydrothermal fields Azores Triple Junction
Deep-sea hydrothermal vents
Mapping hydrothermal vent fields
Methane and sulfide allow maintaining live mussels Bathymodiolus azoricus and their symbiotic bacteria during several months.
Pressurized chambers (IPOCAMP) and chemical regulation systems (SYRENE)
10º
Rank of the University of the Azores on deep sea hydrothermal vent research
(no. of papers 2006-2010)
Deep sea ecosystems: 17º
MoMAR: Monitoring Mid-Atlantic-Ridge
Biotechnology (extremozymes, detoxication, ADN repair mechanisms…);
Exploration of mineral deposits
Better understanding of the genesis of ore deposits on land
Windows on the evolution of life
Attract widespread public interest
Hydrothermal ecosystems: Major focus of
Marine Science and Technology efforts
Blue Growth
David Shale / MAR-ECO
Uses of the sea: fisheries
Azores hand-line and long-line bottom fisheries at islands and seamounts
Ban of deep water trawling in polygons within the Azorean EEZ sub-area (as well as in Madeira and Canary Islands) 57% of the Azores seamounts and significant elevations fall in the scope of these regulation
European Commission Council Regulation No. 1568/2005
The top quality of the Azores fish
• Total caught (2012): 8,8% total Portugal; 13,4% total values
• Total: 13,266 ton; 37,613,000 €
Managed by European (CFP), national and regional legislation
quotas; fishing effort; gear specifications; minimum size; spatial regulations;
seasonal closures;
Recreational fishing
Tourism and leisure activities Whale Watching; SCUBA diving; underwater photo; nautical sports; etc.
Whale Watching
WHALE WATCHING – DIRECT USE VALUE
Total gross revenue 2010 1.451.450€ (Pico& Faial)
78768€
27648€
1584€
5184€
2016€
17280€
11520€
3799€
4899€
1150€
2061€
3626€
36343€ Canal
61424€ Monte Guia
16199€
9457€
12327€ Pico west coast
6480€ Pico aroundisland
880.000€
93.280€
233.200€
209.880€
1.650€
33.440€
Azorean Whale Watching Code of Conduct
Big Game Fishing
BIG GAME FISHING – DIRECT USE VALUE
Total gross revenue 2010 144000€ (Pico& Faial)
78768€
27648€
1584€
5184€
2016€
17280€
11520€
Ju
stin H
art
- C
W A
zore
s
Voluntary code of conduct Partners: Enterprises; Universidade dos Açores; DRT; DRAM
78768€
27648€
1584€
5184€
2016€
17280€
11520€
3799€
4899€
1150€
2061€
3626€
36343€ Canal
61424€ Monte Guia
16199€
9457€
12327€ Pico west coast
6480€ Pico aroundisland
Increased + 600% between 2010-2013
Shark diving
UW Archeology
Sand exploitation
Regulated
commercial
activity
based on the
independent
scientific
surveys;
In: S
teve S
cott
– U
niv
ers
ity o
f Toro
nto
Deep Sea Mining
Bens a proteger
Nautilus technology
Biotechnology: Searching for active products for phamarcological and biochemistry industries
Bacillus - lectin
Hydrothermal fauna; deep-water corals and sponges; algae
• 3 Biosphere reserves – UNESCO;
• 2 marine Ramsar areas;
• 40 EU - Natura 2000 sites;
• 12 OSPAR MPA;
• 52 MPA
Comprehensive network of Marine Protected Areas (MPA)
Marine Park of the Azores
Thank you for your attention
Acknowledgements:
• DRAM Team
• DOP- Uaç team