The Minister of National Defense, Helena Carreiras, said this Thursday that the Government wants to “replicate” the project to expand the Wild Islands nature reserve in other national marine areas, stressing that the State already has “a considerable presence” in that area. Madeiran. sub-archipelago.
“We are aware of the potential that this area of the Selvagens nature reserve represents, of the importance of the natural resources existing in the sea, as well as the need to preserve its rich and diversified natural heritage,” he said.
The minister was speaking at the end of the conference “Ilhas Selvagens – A catalyst for the national Sustainable Blue Economy”, which took place in Funchal, within the framework of the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the creation of that reserve, a sub-archipelago located about 300 kilometers south of Madeira.
In March 2022, Selvagens became the largest Marine Protected Area in the North Atlantic, after the Madeira executive (PSD/CDS-PP) decreed its expansion, now covering 2,677 square kilometers in an area of 12 nautical miles around of the islands, where all existing species are fully protected from extractive activities, such as fishing or the exploitation of inert materials.
“We want to replicate this experience for other national marine areas,” declared Helena Carreiras, stressing that the intention is “in line with the United Nations sustainable development goals.”
The Minister of National Defense indicated several data on investments and activities in that reserve and clarified that “the State already has a considerable presence in the Wild”, with the permanent presence since 2017 of two agents of the Maritime Police and one of the Police. Maritime. Authority.
“The intrinsic relationship between National Defense and the Autonomous Region of Madeira stands out even more clearly when considering the geographical space that is being discussed this Thursday, namely the 2,677 square kilometers that make up the largest Protected Air Force in Europe and in all the world. North Atlantic,” he said.
Helena Carreiras, who is traveling to the Savage Islands this Friday, stressed that her ministry “is and will continue to be a fundamental partner of the autonomous communities”, making a “very important contribution to their security and development” hand in hand with regional organizations. .
“In fact, its archipelagic nature forces us to have a different presence, but no less relevant, through an even closer support to the populations and an even more regular exercise of sovereignty,” he said, reinforcing: “This exercise turns out to be constant and necessary, but also adaptable in the face of the evolving challenges and threats that endanger such missions.”
Source: Observadora
