300 kilometers off the coast of Portugal are Gorrige, seamounts that have just been declared a Marine Protected Area in the Atlantic.

It is an area of which Oceana has been filming, since 2005, images that reflect the great biological diversity of the area, thanks to its bathymetric distribution. Specifically, on the two peaks that almost reach the surface, Gettysburg and Ormonde, you can observe several algae communities, such as kelp forests. On the slopes, there are aggregations of sponges, corals and detrital bottoms, a biodiversity that is completed with the species that are part of the waters that surround this area, such as whales, seabirds or sharks.

In view of this recognition, Oceana’s director of research in Europe, Ricardo Aguilar, pointed out that “the nomination of Gorringe as a protected area in the Atlantic brings hope in the recovery of the oceans”.

In this regard, the Portuguese government has launched a major project that aims to make it the EU member with the largest marine area. It is more than 1.7 million square kilometers of waters under the Exclusive Economic Zone, and around 4 million km2 claimed as expansion of the continental shelf.

In October 2012, Oceana carried out an expedition to Gorringe, where species never before observed in these mountains were found, such as zapata sharks or black corals.