The Ria Formosa seahorses have gained two refuge areas, established by notices published on Tuesday, March 3, by the captaincies of Faro and Olhão.
The notices decree "the temporary suspension of the circulation of all vessels" in two zones "identified by the Ria Formosa Natural Park as having a great intensity of seahorses", one in each of the municipalities, in order to create refuge areas that to "safeguard this endangered species", he revealed to the Sul Informação Rocha Pacheco, commander of the Southern Maritime Zone and captain of the Port of Faro.
Em Olhão, navigation is prohibited in Recovo da Culatra, located to the east of the fishing village that gives its name to this barrier island.
Em Faro, the restriction refers to a creek located in the Geada zone, north of Cabeça do Morgado, next to the navigation channel between the commercial wharf of Faro and the exit of the bar Faro-Olhao.
This restriction "was requested by the PNRF" and decreed by the captaincies, the entities with authority to restrict navigation in the estuary.
«The zones are already defined and can be consulted in the annexes to the notices, both of Faro as in Olhão. Now, the PNRF will proceed with the maritime marking of the protection zones”, he added.
Anyone who does not comply with the restrictions, "will be fined" and fines "can range from 400 to 2500 euros," added commander Rocha Pacheco.
The restrictions that are already in place result from the vulnerability of this protected species, whose population has been declining in recent years in the Ria Formosa, where there is the largest seahorse community in the world.
Contributing to the drastic decrease in the number of seahorses in the Ria Formosa are several factors, including illegal fishing, but also the disappearance of seagrass meadows and disturbances to the habitat of this species.
See the maps with the delimited areas in Olhão and Faro
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