Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is one of the world’s largest and most ecologically significant bodies of water, stretching over 106 million square kilometers. It separates the continents of Africa, Europe, North America, and South America. Its vastness and diverse geography contribute to its immense ecological importance. The influence of the Atlantic Ocean extends far beyond its shores, impacting global climate patterns and supporting a wide range of marine life. The Atlantic Ocean contains several biodiversity hotspots, including the Sargasso Sea and the Azores. Moreover, it supports successful fisheries, globally providing a source of livelihood and sustenance for millions of people.
Portugal
Ghost Diving Portugal recently started their activities and just launched their cooperation with Healthy Seas. Portugal has an extensive coastline along the Atlantic Ocean and has a rich maritime heritage. Portugal’s coastal waters are ecologically diverse, with various marine ecosystems, such as coral reefs, seagrass meadows, and rocky shores. These ecosystems support a wide range of species, including many commercially important fish.
The regional Ghost Diving chapter is mostly active withing the Luiz Saldanha Marine Park (PMLS) that was created in 1998 and is included in the list of Natura 2000 sites. This park was one of the first marine protected areas to be created in mainland Portugal. Located 60km in the south of Lisbon, this MPA is under pressure due to the high demand from different sectors related to the sea, either for recreational activities or for fishing. The port of Sesimbra is one of the most important fishing ports in Portugal.
The PMLS has very important habitats for invertebrates and vertebrates, this is why it’s crucial to have proper conservation measures implemented.
The geographical position of the Marine Park Professor Luiz Saldanha provides exceptional characteristics to this place:\
- proximity with an estuary that has high productivity
- protection from the north-northwest winds
- areas of abyssal canyons
- vertical calcareous cliffs that with fragmentation result in rocky bottoms
The PMLS was home to extensive seagrass beds until recently, but they have disappeared and now are absent.
The variety of habitats that can be observed makes it a biodiversity hotspot and more than 1400 species of both flora and fauna have been recorded in the area. This high biodiversity is unique in Portugal and throughout Europe. A lot of species that are observed in the area develop essential parts of their life cycle here, which makes them vulnerable.
For a long time, this area has been experiencing human pressure that led to a deterioration of its general condition. The growth of boating, recreational fishing, and the disproportionate exploitation of biological resources as well as other problems made a high impact on numerous vulnerable species and habitats. That is why the MPA is one of the most famous places for scuba diving in Portugal. The volunteer divers that Healthy Seas collaborates with are contributing to the restauration and upkeep of ecological health within the area through cleanups of ghost gear and other marine litter.