Fishing at the marine reserve is prohibited
The Portuguese Navy announced on Tuesday that it found and removed 59 cage traps from the Algarve Marine Natural Park – Pedra do Valado, where the use of this kind of fishing gear is prohibited.
The Navy said in a statement that the fishing gear was detected on Monday during a maritime patrol and surveillance operation in the recently created marine reserve off the coast of Albufeira, Lagoa, and Silves.
As fishing is prohibited in the marine reserve, the Navy collected the cage traps at the behest of Portimão’s port captain.
In its statement, the Navy stressed that using this type of fishing gear can be detrimental to the “development of corals on the rocky bottom, as it significantly affects the conservation of biodiversity” in an area which is meant to be protected.
The Algarve Marine Natural Park – Pedra do Valado was created in January this year to protect biodiversity and promote the sustainable management of resources.
The reserve is one of the richest areas in terms of biodiversity in Portugal and is also the largest coastal reef in the Algarve and one of the largest in Portugal, with natural values considered unrivalled along the national coast.
The Natural Park comprises the area between the Alfanzina Lighthouse, in the municipality of Lagoa, and the Albufeira marina, totalling an area of approximately 156 square kilometres.
At Pedra do Valado, 889 of the 1,294 species of fauna and flora found on the Algarve coast were identified, 24 of which have protected status, with the discovery of 45 new species for Portugal and 12 new species for science that are not known elsewhere, according to the website of the Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR).
All human activities, including fishing and recreational boating, are prohibited on the site.
Source: LUSA
