Portugal marks first International Marine Protected Areas Day with events in Algarve

On 1 August 2026 Portugal will celebrate International Marine Protected Areas Day for the first time. The observance is organized by the Associação para a Investigação do Meio Marinho (AIMM) with support from the Fundação Oceano Azul and will take place across the three municipalities that host the Parque Natural Marinho do Recife do Algarve – Pedra do Valado: Albufeira, Lagoa and Silves.

In Albufeira a public exhibition on the reef park will open at 11:00, accompanied by a brief presentation on the importance of marine protection. In Silves, at the Praia dos Pescadores in Armação de Pêra, a peddy‑paper with games and a demonstration of traditional fishing techniques will run from 09:30 to 11:00. In Lagoa, researchers will join visitors kayaking at Benagil beach to provide briefings about the park’s biodiversity. Local tourism companies are displaying the MPA Day flag on their vessels and distributing information.

The programme aims to raise awareness of the park’s 156 km² of biodiverse reef habitat and to promote its conservation among residents and visitors.