The Formigas Bank - Potential Marine Protected Area

Although the Formigas Bank has the status of a Nature Reserve since 1988 and a small part of it is a European Site of Community Importance (SCI), it further qualifies as an OSPAR MPA as it is representative of the wealth of biodiversity associated with the open ocean hard substrate environment. Moreover, the Formigas Bank is a good example of the remarkable ecological importance of seamounts in OSPAR Region V, the Wider Atlantic in terms of feeding grounds, spawning and nursery areas for many marine species. The Formigas Bank example highlights the necessity to weave a network of protected areas for the North-East Atlantic.