Madeira marine protection studied by 200 scientists

Nearly 200 scientists are taking part in a month-long expedition around Portugal's Madeira archipelago to study marine life, measure the effects of protection and examine how ecosystems can better withstand climate change.

Researchers aboard about 15 vessels are working around Madeira and the nearby Desertas Islands. Their methods include underwater cameras, environmental DNA sampling and temperature sensors placed on rocks exposed at low tide.

Juan Mayorga, an environmental engineer with the National Geographic Society's Pristine Seas initiative, is analysing underwater footage recorded at depths of 40 to 50 metres. He is comparing waters south of the Desertas Islands, where fishing is completely prohibited, with waters to the north, where some fishing is still allowed.

The expedition is also studying how warming could change marine biodiversity. Rui Seabra, a researcher from the University of Porto, is placing sensors to examine how crustaceans and sponges fare in sunny and shaded areas.

Expedition leader Emanuel Goncalves, chief scientist at Portugal's Oceano Azul Foundation, said fieldwork was needed because the urgency to act did not allow scientists to wait for international decisions that can take decades.

Madeira has a long record of marine protection. A reserve around the Selvagens Islands was established in 1971 and expanded in 2022 to cover about 2,600 square kilometres. A reserve around the Desertas Islands, established in the early 1990s, has helped a colony of Mediterranean monk seals grow from eight animals to 31.