In October 2024 the regional government of the Azores Archipelago announced the largest network of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the North-East Atlantic.
The designation comes after detailed scientific surveys and a lengthy stakeholder engagement process. The MPA network focuses on fully protected or highly protected areas, which limit human activity and are proven to have the highest impact for nature recovery and the highest benefits for adjacent fisheries.
This MPA network will safeguard 30% of the ocean surrounding the Azores Archipelago, covering 287,000 square kilometres.
Azores vs. Ireland
Ireland’s recent designation of the Seas Off Wexford Special Protection Area (SPA) highlights a notable gap in stakeholder engagement. Without consultation prior to designation, Ireland missed an opportunity to involve local communities and industries active within the new SPA.
In contrast, the Azores demonstrate a strong commitment to collaborative marine protection. Between 2021 and 2023, the Blue Azores program held 43 meetings across a wide range of stakeholder groups, including maritime tourism operators, fishing associations, NGOs, and government bodies.
Specific efforts included 9 general meetings with 17 representatives from various sectors, 30 interim meetings, and 4 focused meetings with fisheries stakeholders to ensure a balanced approach to conservation.
This extensive engagement fostered a participatory design process for Azores’ MPA network, ensuring that conservation goals align with local economic interests, particularly in fisheries. Ireland can look to the Azores’ stakeholder model as a framework to achieve both ecological and community goals for future MPAs.
Stakeholder contributions have influenced nearly two-thirds of the MPA network’s design, protecting essential fishing areas while reaching conservation goals.
You can read the full 2023 Facts & Figures report from Blue Azores here.
An Ocean Conservation Partnership
The Blue Azores program is made up of experts from various fields including fisheries, geography, marine ecology and more and was initiated in 2019. Their aim, to protect 30% of Azorean waters through an interconnected MPA network, balancing conservation and sustainable use. This program is the result of a partnership between the Azorean government, Oceano Azul Foundation, and Waitt Institute.
Scientific Research and Conservation
The Blue Azores program conducted expeditions in 2016 and 2018, studying vital ecosystems across the Azores. Key discoveries, including the “Luso” hydrothermal vent, informed priority areas for the MPA network, focusing on seamounts and rare marine ecosystems to support biodiversity.
Fisheries
As mentioned previously, 4 specific meetings on fishing took place. These meetings had representatives from the Regional Directorate of Fisheries, the Fishing Federation and Fishing Associations in order to identify the measures necessary for restructuring the sector to balance economic activity and the recovery of biodiversity. In total 27 meetings were attended by members of the fishing sector and two-thirds of the area within the new MPA network came from the proposals of the fishing sector.
The Azores already had a good example of how managing fishing activity has improved a valuable commercial stock. The condor seamount was designated an MPA in 2016 and bottom fishing has been prohibited in the area since 2010. Blackspot seabream, considered one of the most commercially important species in the Azores have seen a 400% increase in abundance and increase in size thanks to these management measures and monitoring.
Education and Blue Economy Support
The initiative emphasises ocean literacy with programs like “Educating a Blue Generation,” which has trained over 400 teachers and engaged 6,500 students. Blue Azores hosted events to foster marine biotechnology projects, boosting the Azorean blue economy. There was also a specific literacy program for fishermen and women that shared information about sustainable fishing, MPAs and valuing the marine resources of the Azores.
Policy and Protection Goals: Comprehensive Marine Management
Aligned with IUCN standards, Blue Azores MPAs include Full Protection zones (prohibiting extractive activities) and High Protection zones (limiting environmental impact). These protections reflect a strategic vision, with the Azores becoming a leader in marine management by preserving its unique ocean assets while promoting co-creation and sustainable use for local communities.
Why are the levels of MPA protection so important?
No two MPAs are made equal. In Ireland our current network of marine Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are protected ‘on paper’ only. This means that the areas were created by the government without stakeholder consultation and no management plans exist to restrict activities in the area that are causing harm to the species and habitats being protected.
However, this lack of management hasn’t gone unnoticed, the Irish government has been brought before the EU Court of Justice by the European Commission for their failure to designate and create management plans for Irish protected sites. The EU Commission stated that Ireland makes general and persistent infringements of their obligations and so merely remedying the specific breaches is not enough and a general change in practice across the board is needed.
In the new Azores MPA network the sites are predominantly ‘Fully Protected’ or ‘Highly Protected’.
Full Protection: extractive or destructive activities are excluded, with the aim of minimising all the pressures on the ecosystem. According to IUCN classification (Category I), these MPAs are designated as natural marine reserves.
High Protection: only extractive activities of low environmental impact are permitted and the other impacts are minimised. According to IUCN classification (Category IV), these MPAs are for the management of habitats or species.
To date, the only protected area in Irish waters that would fall under High Protection is Lough Hyne Marine Reserve, which is a small saltwater lake in West Cork. While fishing is not permitted, many local groups and researchers have continually highlighted the declining health of the lough due to lack of management for the area.
Conclusion
Ireland has a lot to learn when it comes to managing areas for nature and safeguarding the essential services they freely provide to society. A severe change in direction is also needed when it comes to the Irish government’s processes for designating sites, a change which must factor in a detailed level of stakeholder engagement.
2030 is fast approaching and if Ireland is to meet its target of protecting 30% of land and sea then a steep learning curve and major general change in practice is required.
Last but not least
Ultimately Ireland might be working right up to the eleventh hour to meet its 30×30 commitments. This might not necessarily be a bad thing. As the rest of the world designates and creates management plans for their waters, Ireland will have a wealth of experiences to learn from. Ireland may be an Island but we are part of one global ocean with an innate connection to the international community. So if the task of 30×30 is meaningfully adopted by the Irish government, then Ireland has the chance to become a true leader in marine conservation.
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