Published  Diário de Notícias

The vessel 'Noruega', of the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), will sail off the port of Funchal towards Lisbon between this Friday and Saturday at the scope of a new oceanographic research campaign, informed today the institution yesterday.

The IPMA's researcher Antonina dos Santos explained, in a press conference on board of 'Noruega', that the initiative is inserted in the project BIOMETORE, which gathers all the national institutions involved in marine investigation in mainland Portugal, Madeira and Azores.

"The project aims to study the seamounts [mountains that rise from the sea bottom without reaching surface] that are found between the three regions and will perform eight oceanographic campaigns", highlighting that the budget is 2.5 million euros, supported by the European program EEA Grants financed by Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

The survey from Madeira to Lisbon will be lead by the director of the Oceanic Observatory of Madeira, Rui Caldeira, and will last 20 days, focussing on the study of the pelagic environment (organisms that live in the water column) of the Madeira-Tore complex seamounts.

The campaign, will go through 1.000 nautical miles and, involves 13 scientists from four nationalities (Portugal, Spain, Italy and Germany).

Antonina dos Santos reminded that the country has ambitions to extended its continental shelf, in a process that is pending in the United Nations, and that this extension will allow the connection of the three Exclusive Economical Areas of Portugal mainland, Madeira and Azores, becoming one of the biggest areas in Europe regarding sea.

"Portugal also has ambitions regarding the implementation of protected marine areas in these spaces", pointed out, highlighting the importance of scientific research to go along with the country's goals.