To mark European Maritime Day today, the Regional Directorate for the Sea, in partnership with SANAS, Ardi / Mare Madeira and the Clube Naval do Funchal, have organised several beach cleaning initiatives in Funchal, Santa Cruz (Reis Magos) and Ribeira Brava.
Taking part in this initiative are four blue flag schools: Basic School of 1st Cycle and PE of Nazaré, Basic and Secondary School Dr. Ângelo Augusto da Silva, EB2 / 3 of Caniço and EB and Sec. Padre Manuel Álvares) and three diving centres and their staff (Scorpio Madeira / CMF, Calheta Dive, Mero Diving).
The coastal beach and underwater cleaning event took place this morning and aimed to raise student awareness on the serious environmental impact marine litter has on our oceans and beaches, and of the need to protect the world’s oceans and coastal environments.
This project is 85% co-financed by the European Interreg MAC 2014-2020 Programme, which aims to create an observatory that generates quantitative and qualitative data on the impact of microplastics and different pollutants on the beaches of the archipelagos of the Canaries, Cape Verde, Madeira and the Azores. A programme designed to monitor microplastics and different pollutants in the sands and waters of the beaches of the four archipelagos will be developed, which will show the degree of existing contamination and its evolution. The project also aims to contribute to the improvement of the public’s knowledge regarding plastic contamination and its impact on the environment.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
