Implementing the Atlantic Observatory Infrastructure

Under the EEA grants, The PDP2- Atlantic Observatory aims to reinforce the Atlantic infrastructures, particularly in the Portuguese EEZ. It is based on the creation and operation of an integrated, efficient, low-cost and scalable marine observation system focused on the Atlantic Basin, based on ongoing global or regional initiatives, promoting networking between stakeholders, and acting as a single point of contact access data, information and services associated with the Atlantic. Furthermore, the Atlantic Observatory will be a cornerstone for the management of marine protected areas, the design of marine planning, the assessment of anthropogenic pressures and the support of the blue Atlantic economy. Therefore, the Atlantic Observatory focuses on creating a digital infrastructure for data collection, as well with the aggregation and brokerage of entities operating in Portuguese, continental and autonomous regions (including the integration of information made available by relevant data sets produced by international or regional initiatives pertinent to the Atlantic environment); and the strengthening of the existing means of ocean monitoring in the Portuguese marine research community. FRCT is involved in implementing the project in the Azorean region. Within the project's scope, the FRCT leads the Atlantic Summer Scholl initiative, in which bachelor-level students will be trained using the tools and data available in the Atlantic Observatory platform.