Berlenga Island, Silver Coast protects its jewels

The Natural Reserve of the Berlenga Island, off the coast of Peniche – Silver Coast of Portugal, has new marine inhabitants, revealed Julio Coelho, chairman of the Technology University of the Sea-ESTM, at the end of the ceremony of a protocol signing by the local municipality with Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Biodiversity - ICNB, Institute for Environment and Development - IDAD - University of Aveiro, and the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria - ESTM, aimed at drawing up the dossier of the candidacy of Berlenga Biosphere Reserve under UNESCO.

"There are species that have appeared here, in our seabed, which supposedly was not anticipated being there for these latitudes," said Julio Coelho. This is a specificity that "already identified and will be released, through a sub-aquatic photo investigation" which will be published shortly. "These are species of algae, which are set in stone, that it was not supposed to be there, and a species of fish that was not supposed to go there, as was identified," he explained.

These new species might be able to adapt to the climate change that the planet has suffered in recent years with increase in temperature, the teacher admitted. "It will have to do with marine currents, with temperatures of water, and micro-environmental conditions that meanwhile were installed, round the Berlengas, which provided the setting of species that were not supposed to exist here," he said.

Compiling programmes of environmental management

The preparation of the application file is now in charge of Professor Henrique Queiroga, of the University of Aveiro for whom it is necessary to ensure that there is "compatibility with the Human Nature" in the archipelago of Berlengas. "We will make the compilation of information that the UNESCO requires as essential, to decide on the programmes of environmental management that are under way and show that we will articulate the political, economic, social, tourist and conservationist, to preserve the environment "of the Natural Reserve of the Berlengas, explained.

According to the mayor of Peniche, Jose Antonio Correia, the municipality intends to promote sustainable development and preservation of important natural heritage, demonstrating in practice, "attitudes of social responsibility that morally assist this." The recognition which is to be expected from the UNESCO "will also disclose to the world the full potential and unique heritage that has Berlenga Island, and that is important to unveil and value," stressed.