Zoomarine are promoting a local underwater and coastal cleaning project in Silves and Albufeira, on May 19th, to remove debris and abandoned fishing gear that jeopardises the survival of various habitats and marine species in the area.
The initiative will take place on the beaches of Armação de Pêra, in Silves and Salgados, in Albufeira, and interested parties are welcome to participate, helping to clean the beach.
The action aims to contribute to the removal of rubbish from the beach and the sea, raising awareness among participants and the Algarve population about combating pollution and protecting the oceans.
Thus, Operation Praia Limpa is divided into two major operations: underwater cleaning and beach cleaning.
For the underwater cleanup, with the support of DiveSpot and BioReefAP, 3 vessels and approximately 15 divers and marine biologists will be used to collect abandoned fishing gear and debris of human origin, along various points of the coast and the crest of the natural reef of the Algarve, over a distance of almost 7 miles in length.
To clean the beach, Zoomarine challenges all Algarve residents and tourists to contribute by signing up through the event's official webpage.
Hugo Brites, Marketing and Communications Director at Zoomarine Algarve says, “we work daily towards the preservation of species and ecosystems, which is why we maintain our commitment to this initiative and invite everyone to participate. We hope to be able to raise awareness among the community about protecting the environment and the oceans, demonstrating the direct impact that human behaviour has, with the removal of debris present in the sea, which directly impacts marine species and habitats.”
In 8 years, Operation Praia Limpa has already contributed to the removal of more than 8 tons of marine litter from Algarve beaches. This year, the objective is to reach at least 10 tons.
Inspired by the “Together We protect” philosophy, Operation Praia Limpa was created in 2017 with the purpose of raising awareness among citizens about the preservation of the coastline, taking into account the purpose of promoting environmental education and animal welfare by the Zoomarine.
The initiative has the support of several local partners: Silves City Council, Albufeira City Council, ALGAR - Recovery and Treatment of Solid Waste, APAL – Albufeira Promotion Agency, BioReefAP, CCDR – Europe Direct Algarve, DiveSpot, Geoparque Algarvensis, ICNF - Institute for Nature and Forest Conservation, IPDJ - Portuguese Institute for Sports and Youth and UAlg V+.
More information about Operação Praia Limpa and registration here.
