Candidatura Reserva da Biosfera - Santana Madeira Biosfera

with subsistence agriculture, motivated for the variety of cultivars grown, in a production
model that is beneficial for maintaining soil and water quality, as well as biological
diversity.
The classification of the area proposed as Biosphere Reserve will be a decisive
impulse to the maintenance and conservation of ancestral farming techniques still in use
as are the associations between several crops and crop rotations, as well as an increase
of more sustainable agricultural methods, such as organic farming, promoting the return
to remote farming techniques and indigenous varieties that were traditionally used by the
ancient inhabitants of the county, now abandoned in favor of modern varieties and most
profitable methods, using mono-cultural practices and pesticides, which have a profound
impact on biodiversity, soil and water.
The marine area will promote the conservation of marine resources, especially
species of commercial interest which are explored by local inhabitants, given the
importance that these species have in the increase of their income and in their life
quality. The maintenance of the populations of limpets (Patella piperata, Patella aspera
and Patella candei), toothed winkles (Monodonta atrata and Gibbula spp.) and some
species of fish such as the Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus), Island grouper
(Mycteroperca fusca) and the Red Hogfish (Pseudolepidaplous scrofa) and other coastal
species such as White bream (Diplodus sargus), the Zebra bream (Diplodus cervinus),
Parrotfish (Sparissoma cretensis), Turkish wrasses (Thalassoma pavo) and Bluefin
damselfish (Abudefduf luridus) and Azores chromis (Chromis limbata) in the marine area
of the proposed Biosphere Reserve, will maintain a flow of these species to adjacent
marine areas, providing local populations, sustainable marine resources.
The fishing methods which are commonly used are the fishing rod or the fishing
line, either from shore or small boats, fishing techniques that can be reconciled with the
preservation of the actual stocks of exploited species.
24 Application of Santana, Madeira to Biosphere Reserve – UNESCO - MAB