The 16th of November of each year has been celebrated since 1998 the National Day of the Sea.
On that same day, in 1994, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea entered into force, which established a new legal framework for the law of the sea.
It was following it, and after, in 1997, Portugal having assumed responsibilities in one of the most extensive marine areas in Europe and the largest in the European Union (with a dimension 18 times larger than the national territory), that this day was institutionalized by Resolution of the Council of Ministers.
It was, in this way, officially and publicly considered that the sea, in its various aspects and values, assumed an unavoidable importance for the country. Since then, this day has been regularly celebrated through events and initiatives organized by the most diverse institutions, from museums to colleges.
Every November 16, everyone involved intends to alert and make society aware of the importance and preservation of the marine ecosystem, as well as bringing together the various agents that work in and for the sea.
And November 16, 2012 will be no exception. With activities taking place all over the country, awards, book launches, exhibition openings and a panoply of lectures and workshops on the most diverse topics are available to everyone.
In Lisbon, the activities of the Portuguese Society of Geography about the ocean, literacy and citizenship, as well as the school of sea dedicated to the sea, history, research and economics.
Further north is worth a visit to the Maritime Museum of Ílhavo, where the greater work in the seas of Newfoundland and Greenland and the agro-maritime work of the Ria de Aveiro are the patronage references.
To the south, the Algarve Sea Science Center it opens its doors to visitors, making known the research produced in the laboratories and presents a cycle of lectures dedicated to the sea, different habitats and species.
And on the islands, a visit to the Madeira Whale Museum, in which the name lives up to the available content, or the Centro do Mar do Faial, part of the current Azores Sea Observatory and also former whale factory.
Whether on the mainland coast or in one of the archipelagos, this is an excellent opportunity to enjoy and meet people and institutions related to the marine environment, who have their arms and doors open to welcome us all.
So, being in museums, colleges or beaches, being with scientists, educators or fishermen, we have a lot to know about the historical connection of Portugal to the sea as well as the countless future perspectives for this sector and for the knowledge and conservation of the marine habitat.
Cristina Brito
Science in the Regional Press – Ciência Viva
Photography by Vera Jordão
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