NRP Portugal

MeasureDescriptionCurrentStatus: inprogress/CompletedLast year’s results Next Steps NotesExtension of thePortuguesecontinentalplatform, inaddition to morethan 200 nauticalmiles (proposal)Extension of Portuguesenational jurisdiction andsovereignty rights overexisting resources in thecontiguous marine depths(an increase of around30%)In progressHydrographical exploratory studies were carried out in the Continental Portuguese region andaround the Madeira Archipelago, with around 95% of the same survey being carried out aroundthe Azores archipelago region. Exploratory seismic surveys are being conducted around theBanco de Galiza, SW of Madeira region and also around the SE region of the AzoresArchipelagos. This collection of data, whose coverage area surpasses 1.2 million squarekilometres, allows formal documentation to be prepared which thereby constitutes an extensionto the Portuguese Continental Platform proposal; documentation that will be delivered to theCommission of the Continental Platform Exterior Limit (COPLA), created under the sphere ofthe United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), for May 2009. Twohydrographical complementary verification surveys will also go ahead, those specifically relativeto the definition of the entire 2500 metre bathymetric extension and additional areas of saturationin already selected areas, with complementary magnetism and gravimetric surveys also beingcarried out simultaneously.Implementation ofa new “seagovernance” modelCreation of a permanentstructure for topicsrelating to the sea;Maximise the utilisationof shipping routes.In progressAfter the adoption of the National Maritime Strategy (ENM) in November 2006 (RCM163/2006), the CIAM - Inter-ministerial Commission for Maritime Affairs (RCM 40/2007) wasthus created, with the objective of coordinating, accompanying and evaluating theimplementation of the ENM, thereby guaranteeing its union with other strategies, planning toolsand programs of markedly transversal scope.CIAM created a network of focal points for each permanent member, with the objective of, incollaboration with the Portuguese Task Group for Sea Affairs, preparing specific plans of actionthat are outlined in the National Maritime Strategy, as well as other points that are alsoconsidered relevant.38