Duarte Cordeiro visited the seahorse sanctuary in Culatra

The visit was part of the “Government + Next” initiative

Duarte Cordeiro, Minister of the Environment, visited this Thursday, March 2, the refuge area for seahorses in Culatra, which is already marked with buoys. 

According to the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF), «these works constitute an essential step for users of the estuary to recognize the areas of refuge where navigation is not allowed, thus guaranteeing the most effective and continuous preservation of seahorses and the its natural habitat in the Ria Formosa».

The signage of seahorse refuge areas resulted from a joint effort between the Regional Directorate for Nature Conservation and Forests of the Algarve of the Institute for Nature and Forestry Conservation, the Center for Marine Sciences of the Algarve (CCMAR) and Almancil International Rotary Club.

During the last decade, seahorse populations in the Ria Formosa have suffered a large decrease due to several factors arising from human activity in the ria. One of these factors was illegal fishing, motivated by the demand for these species for sale in the Asian market as a highly appreciated and valued product for traditional Chinese medicine.

This impact began to be detected between 2013 and 2015 and led to a sudden decrease in populations, which due to their biology and ecology are fully exposed to the fishing gear used.

In addition, illegal fishing (practiced by trawling) also has an indirect impact on the bottom of the Ria Formosa.

Underwater noise pollution and natural siltation phenomena (accumulation of debris) in areas close to the bars were also identified as problems for the conservation of these species.

After the drastic reduction in seahorse populations between 2018 and 2019 was identified and confirmed, the Group for the Safeguarding and Conservation of Seahorse Populations of Ria Formosa (GSCPCMRF) was created. This group includes all the local and national institutions that, as a decisive power and in a joint act, could help to contribute to the mitigation of the damage already imposed and propose and implement conservation measures for the reestablishment of the populations of seahorses in the Ria Formosa.

One of the first measures created by this group was the implementation of refuge areas also known as sanctuary zones for seahorses.

In a partnership between this group and local fishermen's associations, two marine areas of refuge were created, one in the Culatra area (adjacent to the Olhão Canal) and another in the Geada estuary (adjacent to the Faro).

The monitoring of seahorse populations in the Ria Formosa, as well as refuge areas, was carried out through the HIPPOSAVE project (funding MAR2020) of the University of Algarve.

During 2020 and 2022, monitoring campaigns were carried out to assess the status of the populations of the two species of seahorses. It was concluded that between the years 2020 and 2021, the values ​​recorded were quite low in agreement with the values ​​observed in previous years.

“However, in 2022 there was a significant increase in the population of these species (six times higher compared to the 2020 and 2021 campaigns). Although it was verified that in some of the 25 sites monitored, seahorses were still absent or present in reduced numbers, in other sites a significant increase was observed. This allowed accounting for a significant global increase in the abundance of seahorses now observed in Ria Formosa», says the ICNF.

«The monitoring of Refuge Areas also provided relevant data, with an increase in the number of seahorses in these areas. After the implementation of these areas in 2020 through public notices by the Captaincies (POPNRF prerogative), and in a pre-signalling phase, in 2021 the abundance of seahorses within the area was already as high (six times greater) as it came to be later observed in 2022 in the Ria, a value that has remained stable until today», he adds.

«In one of the Refuge Areas, a pilot intervention for environmental rehabilitation was carried out (also operated under the HIPPOSAVE project) using artificial structures. In this area there was a greater abundance of seahorses which, reaching their peak of occurrence, had an abundance 100% higher than that of the surrounding area. This fact led to the conclusion that the implementation of these areas is in itself beneficial for these species, but becomes even more relevant when combined with the existence of an adequate habitat», he concludes.

 

 



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