Portugal Creates Vast New Atlantic Marine Reserve

Portugal has significantly expanded its marine protection efforts with the approval of a new 173,000-square-kilometer marine reserve in the Atlantic Ocean. This substantial area is dedicated to safeguarding unique deep-sea habitats, such as cold-water corals and sponges, along with threatened species within these vulnerable ecosystems.

The newly established reserve covers the Madeira-Tore seamount complex and the Gorringe Ridge, an area noted for Western Europe's tallest underwater mountain. This initiative is a major stride towards Portugal's ambitious goal of protecting 30% of its maritime territory by 2028, aligning with global biodiversity targets.

This expansion brings Portugal's protected waters to 25% from the previous 19%. The government emphasizes that the reserve aims to balance biodiversity conservation with sustainable traditional fishing practices, ensuring coexistence. This follows Portugal's creation of the North Atlantic's largest marine protected area network around the Azores archipelago in 2024.