The Ria Formosa lagoon once was home to the largest community of seahorses in the world but the creatures now are in danger of extinction after a recent survey showed their numbers have declined below the level from which they can recover.
The reason for the decline in numbers is the illegal netting of the timid creatures, for drying out and sale into the Chinese medicine market.
The mayor of Albufeira has signed a commitment to spend €301,000 on the Council's Sports Development Programme.
In total, 17 contracts will benefit 3,063 athletes involved in 27 types of sport, including basketball, gymnastics, acrobatic gymnastics, karate, soccer, futsal, athletics, jiu-jitsu, muay thai, cycling, squash, judo, ballroom dancing, fishing, fencing, hip hop, ballet, yoga, boxing, volleyball, martial arts, self defence, dancing, swimming and figure skating.
The takeover of 12 buildings in the villages of Farol and Hangars on Culatra Island in the Ria Formosa, which was to take place today, was postponed after Loulé Court accepted petitions for injunctions, filed by the owners.
The president of the Lighthouse Island Association said that the owners of the houses received the notification from the Administrative and Fiscal Court of Loulé on Monday. Polis Litoral Ria Formosa now has ten days to respond.
Olhão Council will mark the National Day of the Sea, on November 16, with a seminar entitled, ‘The Sea Sector in Olhão and the Algarve - Threats and Opportunities.’
The initiative, which takes place in the Council's municipal auditorium from 14:30 hours, is arranged by the Council’s Gabinete de Apoio ao Empresário (Office of Support to the Entrepreneur).
Lagoa is holding its 3rd Wine Tourism Conference on November 9th and 10th.
"We want the Algarve, a destination offering mainly sun, sea and golf tourism, to offer a structured offer in the area of wine tourism," said the mayor of Lagoa, Francisco Martins.
Lagos Council intends to impose the tourist tax next year, to the dismay and annoyance of the municipality’s hotels and Alojamento Local establishments which will have the task of adding the tax to their customers’ bills and explaining why the supplement exists.
The Council president, Joaquina Matos, says that, “it will be good for the region to have a reinforcement of revenues," that helps the local authorities in, "the efforts they make to ensure good conditions for all residents and tourists."
Docapesca has authorised the dredging to begin in parts of the Gilão river in Tavira to enable fishing boats to continue to use the river to unload their catches.
The investment of €281,650 will enable to removal of up to 43,000 m³ and take an estimated 45 days.
The long-promised olfactory amelioration for those within the sewage sniff zone between Faro and Olhão, is close to fruition with the inauguration of the new Wastewater Treatment Plant scheduled within the next ten days.
The mains sewage pipes from the two cities and from São Brás de Alportel, all now are discharging into the new Águas do Algarve facility as testing under full flow conditions continue.
