Within the framework of the MISTIC SEAS project, the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and the Environment, together with the General Directorate of Sustainability of the Coast and the Sea, have participated together with 35 experts from various governmental, technical and scientific entities from Spain and Portugal, in a meeting in Madrid to work on the development of an Action Plan for this project. The resulting document will set the course for both countries to prioritise the implementation of the Marine Strategies Framework Directive in the short, medium and long term and to meet the established deadlines. At this meeting, the DVD of the project was also presented, which represents the common effort between both countries to highlight the importance of Macaronesia and its biodiversity in the European context.

The MISTIC SEAS project aims to design a common methodology for the monitoring of marine biodiversity in the Macaronesia region, one of the most biodiverse areas in Europe, focusing on the populations of cetacean, turtle and seabird species and to establish a common roadmap to improve coordination in the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive in Spain and Portugal (Azores, Madeira and the Canary Islands).

The project, co-financed by the European Commission and running from December 2015 to February 2017, is coordinated by the Regional Fund for Science and Technology (Regional Government of the Azores) and has as partners the Regional Directorate for Marine Affairs (Regional Government of the Azores), the Regional Secretariat for Environment and Natural Resources (Regional Government of Madeira), the General Directorate of Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services of the Government of Portugal, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment of Spain through the General Directorate of Sustainability of the Coast and the Sea, the Biodiversity Foundation, and the Spanish Institute of Oceanography.

Within the framework of the project, joint actions have been carried out between experts from both countries to achieve a review of the initial assessments, knowledge gaps, definition of Good Environmental Status and the environmental objectives established for the three initial reports of the Macaronesian Archipelagos. In addition, a Common Monitoring Strategy for marine mammals, turtles and seabirds in Macaronesia has been developed and work is currently underway on a common infrastructure in data management and sharing. An awareness-raising action is also being developed that includes the preparation of a technical publication, an informative publication and networking and awareness-raising tasks.