The dredging of the Ria Formosa is to begin in 2013, confirmed Minister for the Environment Assunção Cristas in Parliament last week.
The minister was responding to questions by the PCP MP Paulo Sá regarding the much-needed excavation of the estuary bed, which he said had been promised by the government a long time ago but has been continuously postponed. Sediment build-up in the estuary is a “grave problem”, said the MP.
Paulo Sá also presented a series of measures to support shellfish gatherers in the Ria Formosa, such as subsidies when they are unable to work due to interdictions imposed by the authorities.
