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Cetáceos Madeira II

In 2007 the application of the CetaceosMadeira II Project (LIFE07 NAT/P/000646, 2009-2013) was designed and prepared for the purpose of carrying on the work for the study and conservation of cetaceans in the Archipelago of Madeira, which began with the CetaceosMadeira Project (LIFE99 NAT/P/006432), which ran from 2000 to 2004. That project raised some questions related to the conservation of cetaceans in the archipelago that needed to be addressed at a later time, and these were incorporated in the goals of the CetaceosMadeira II Project. These include the following:

- The confirmation of the scientific data gathered during the CetaceosMadeira Project that point to the existence of areas/habitats preferred by the bottlenose dolphin in the coastal waters of the Archipelago of Madeira, and which should be subject to management and protection measures to safeguard these habitats and the species in question (the bottlenose dolphin is included in Annex II of the Habitats Directive);

- The definition of the areas for the operation of commercial whale-watching boats and the limits on this operation, in the face of the foreseeable growth of this activity. The purpose of this measure would be to minimise the impact on the cetaceans resulting from increased activity and contribute to its reasonable and sustainable growth;

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