Our Projects
Past and Future actions
October 2022 to present
This project is an individual application made by Paula in October 2022, she got some help from Melanie representing Ocean Devotion Madeira through the application process.
In October 2023 Madeira was finally awarded the status of Whale Heritage Area by the World Cetacean Alliance and the World Animal Protection. This status recognizes the Madeira region as an outstanding whale watching destination with great conservation effort to provide a balance between tourism, conservation and coexistence of cetaceans.
Paula acts as chair of the Steering Committee and Melanie as representative of Ocean Devotion Madeira in the Madeira Whale Heritage Area steering committee. In this committee are also represented Arte.M, MARE, the Whale Museum (Museu da Baleia), Lobosonda, Greener Act, the IFCN and the Direcao Regional do Mar.
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A website is being created to explain the initiative but for now you can get in contact with the whale heritage area committee through : info@whsmadeira.com
Madeira as a Whale Heritage Area
Stop Deep Sea Mining Campaign
October 2022 to present
Led by Ana, Annalisa and Melanie, Ocean Devotion Madeira appeal to the Regional Government of Madeira to advocate a moratorium (meaning a precautionary pause) on Deep Sea Mining activities in the national and international scale.. This moratorium should be maintained until the environmental and socio-economic risks of this activity are clearly understood, and it can be demonstrated, with comprehensive independent scientific evidence, that it would not cause substantial loss of biodiversity, irreversible damage to the flora and fauna of the marine environment, degradation of the resilience of marine ecosystems and ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, or compromise the ecological integrity of marine ecosystems.
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In February 2023 we launched our regional petition for Madeira with an event in Barreirinha Bar Café in Funchal mixing arts and performances. And as of 2024 we are still fighting through various actions for the Portuguese government to defend a moratorium.
October 2023 to present
Led by Annalisa and Melanie, SOA Ocean Devotion Madeira is launching OceanAware Madeira: Empowering Conservation Through Education and Engagement to raise awareness about ocean sustainability on the remote Portuguese island of Madeira. The initiative aims to strengthen conservation efforts through education and foster broader community involvement, while promoting sustainable eco-friendly products and the adoption of long-term environmental-friendly practices. Additionally, we will be holding a beach clean-up event and an art exhibit on marine litter to provide education and raise awareness about ocean conservation issues.
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Want to help us by letting us know what are your habits ? Please answer this google form (it only takes 5 minutes) !
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Ocean Aware Madeira
Monk seal affinity
January 2022 to March 2023
Led by Ana, this project was designed to raise awareness for the protection of the Mediterranean Monk seal (monachus monachus).
Ana reached the maritime professionals in Madeira (whale watching, aquaculture, recreational fishing and scuba diving), promoting the use of the Rede SOS Lobo-Marinho from IFCN IP-RAM to record sightings of this animal. It also aimed to create an environment where ideas, experiences and concerns could be exchanged with the goal of facilitating communication and understand possible conflicts between Madeirans and the species, directing the information gathered to the relevant authorities.
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This project would not have been possible without the support and willingness of maritime workers, whose support is crucial to the conservation of the world's most endangered seal species.
January 2021 to October 2021
For this project led by Filipa we obtained in 2021 a grant from the SOA Foundation called SOA Microgrant.
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This project focused on the conservation of sea turtle species in the waters of the Madeira archipelago. We therefore intended to raise awareness of the fishing community in this region, providing equipment so that they could act towards nature conservation. The equipment given to the fishermen were landing nets, which contributed not only to reducing the suffering of turtles accidentally captured alive on black scabbardfish fishing hooks, but also to reducing marine litter, thus functioning as two in one.
This project only worked with the availability and contribution of the fishermen, to whom we are very grateful.
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Mitigation of sea turtle bycatch
No more disposable cups
April 2020 to present
For this project led by Annalisa and Mélanie we obtained in 2020 a grant from the SOA Foundation called SOA Microgrant.
With this project we aim to promote the use of reusable cups instead of disposable ones for events in Madeira as well as in the general use in bars around the island.
The designs on the cup were chosen through an artistic contest open to the public and artsists of Madeira. Priscila Reis, with her design of a Mediterranean Monk Seal, and Marcela Lirio Campo with her design of a sperm whale won this contest and got to be featured on both sides of our cups.
Our 50cL reusable cup, ordered through Ecofestes, have both designs on it and are made of recycled plastics. There is a graduation on the side of the cup corresponding to the most famous drinks on the island "balao", "fino" and "poncha".
We are now disponibilizing our reusable cups for Events!
If you want to rent them out feel free to send us a message !
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April 2020 to present
Since our creation in 2020 we are listed as part of the Portuguese Escola Azul Project.
In 2022 /2023 our leaders Paula, Mélanie and Ana are working in the creation of a renewed educative program to propose to schools through this project for the year 2024.
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We believe that change comes from education so we are working on creating an educative program with classes and workshops to raise awareness about the ocean, climate change and sustainability.
We will disponibilize these classes to schools in Madeira through the Escola Azul project, but also to entities such as bars / general public / whoever would be interested in it.
Feel free to get in touch to know more about we propose !
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Education program on the marine environment
