Madeira steps up its efforts to tackle marine litter

The Regional Directorate for the Environment and the Sea (DRAM) attended the coordination meeting for the European Free Litter_AT project, which took place at the King Carlos I Maritime Museum, bringing together partners from Portugal, Spain, France and Ireland. The Region was represented by experts Pedro Sepúlveda and Nicola Pestana, who collaborated on planning the next phases of this project, already recognized by the European Commission as an example of excellence in combating marine litter.

The project, which began in 2022 and is due to be completed in 2026, secures funding of around 220,000 euros for the DRAM, co-financed by the Atlantic Area Programme, with actions focusing on enhancing knowledge of the geographical origin of debris, particularly in remote areas and sensitive locations such as Selvagem Pequena, as well as ensuring alignment with the OSPAR Convention for coordinated strategies at an international level.

Eduardo Jesus, Regional Secretary, emphasizes Madeira’s firm commitment to protecting the ocean through the combination of science and on-the-ground action, noting that European recognition bolsters the credibility of regional work and enables the sharing of knowledge and best practices to tackle one of today’s greatest environmental challenges: the monitoring and reduction of marine litter and microplastics.