Page 72 - Fishery_Regimes_2005

EMPAFISH Booklet nº 2 Fishery regimes in Atlanto-Mediterranean European MPAs

MPA: Monte da Guia

Location: 38° 31'N 28° 37'W
Country: Portugal, Azores
Coastal/Island: Island (mixed inshore – offshore)
Total size: 443 ha
Integral size: 10 ha
Year of establishment: Integral part and buffer zone since
1980, the SCI is part of Natura 2000
(2002)
Depth range: 0-125 m
Protection objectives: Conservation, scientific research,
tourism
Type of MPA: Partial
Habitats: Rocky reefs, caves, sandy substrates,
shallow inlets and bays
Socio-economic activities: Fishing, diving, tourism

Activities Integral Reserve (IR) Buffer Zone SIC
Forbidden Fishing, boating, Fishing, spear
swimming, scuba fishing, angling
diving, spear fishing,
angling, anchoring
Restricted Scientific survey Scientific survey Fishing, scientific
survey, spear
fishing
Allowed Boating, Scuba diving,
swimming, swimming,
scuba diving, angling, boating,
anchoring anchoring

Description of the fisheries in and around the MPA:

The main objective of the Monte da Guia marine reserve is to manage
the marine environment in a way that safeguards its nature
conservation importance at the same time as benefiting the local
community.
Within the integral reserve and the buffer zone all fishing activities are
forbidden. In the rest of the area, general regulations for the entire
archipelago apply: no boats longer than 12 m are allowed to operate
within 6 NM of the coast and netting is banned except for use in
fisheries to catch live bait (when hand nets or small purse seines are
used) or under a special permit for gill netting. Traditionally, the area
between the islands of Faial and Pico (the ‘channel’), where the Monte
da Guia is located, is a fishing ground for the artisanal open-deck fleet
that operate from both islands. This fleet comprises a multi-specific
fishery targeting different species: hand line for bottom fishes, shore

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