The Regional Directorate for Sea Affairs (DRAM), partner of the LIFE IP AZORES NATURA project, marks on May 22nd, the European Day of the Sea, with the opening of Azores Entre-Mares campaign and the beginning of coastal and underwater cleaning campaigns for marine litter in the archipelago, in the scope of the actions “C10.1: Minimizing the impact of marine litter on coastal marine habitats” and “C10.2: Coastal habitat management – coastal reefs” of the Life IP Azores Natura Project and the objectives of the OceanLit Project, with the launch of the “OceanLit Ambassadors” initiative.

Thus, we hereby invite all people and/or organizations/institutions to organize coastal and/or underwater clean-ups. All cleaning actions organized throughout this year will be part of the above-mentioned projects, so we kindly request that the organization of coastal/underwater cleaning actions to be done in coordination with DRAM, for better compatibility of initiatives in space and time. As such, we ask that you contact us by e-mail at lixomarinho@azores.gov.pt, sending us all the information about the event (date, place and organizer of the cleaning). DRAM will provide a poster in an editable format alluding to the theme and provide the necessary indications and support.

The actions developed will be widely disseminated in the local press, on the Facebook page of DRAM and the LIFE IP Azores Natura Project, and on the websites https://portal.azores.gov.pt/web/acores-entre-mares and www.lixomarinho.azores.gov.pt.

So far, the following cleanings are already scheduled:

– May 21^st – Coastal cleaning in Lajes; Organization: Câmara Municipal das Lajes do Pico – Pico island

– May 22^nd – Coastal cleaning in S. Mateus; Organization: Marine Waste on Terceira Island – Terceira island

– May 22^nd – Coastal cleaning in Lagoa; Organization: Futurismo Azores Whale Watching – São Miguel island

– May 22^nd – Coastal cleaning in Vila; Organization: Eco-Escola do Corvo – Corvo Island

– May 22^nd – Coastal cleaning in Madalena; Organization: Pico Nature CleanUp – Pico island

– May 22^nd – Coastal cleaning in Vila da Praia; Organization: António Domingues, Embaixador OCEANLIT – Ilha Graciosa  – Graciosa island

– May 22^nd – Subaquatic cleaning in Velas; Organization: Câmara Municipal das Velas – S. Jorge island

– May 22^nd – Coastal cleaning in Fajã Grande; Organization: Gustavo Alves, Embaixador OCEANLIT  – Flores island

– May 22^nd – Coastal cleaning in Praia do Norte; Organization: Andrew Gaunt, Embaixador OCEANLIT – Faial island

– May 22^nd – Coastal cleaning in Praia Vinha da Areia; Organization: Terra Azul Animação Turística Lda.  – S. Miguel island

– May 22^nd – Coastal cleaning in Praia do Morro, Povoação; Organization: Clube Naval da Povoação/SPEA – S. Miguel island

– May 23^nd – Coastal and subaquatic cleaning in Praia da Vitória; Organization: Câmara municipal da Praia da Vitória – Terceira Island

– May 29 ^th – Coastal cleaning in Vigia da Baleia – Organization: Junta de Freguesia da Ribeirinha – S. Miguel island

– June 4^th – Coastal cleaning in Pesqueiro da Algarvia, Nordeste; Organization: Junta de Freguesia da Algarvia – S. Miguel island

– June 4^th – Coastal cleaning in Porto de recreio das Lajes; Organization: Câmara Municipal das Lajes do Pico – Pico island

– June 5^th – Subaquatic cleaning in Porto de recreio das Lajes; Organization: Câmara Municipal das Lajes do Pico – Pico island