Okeanos - Instituto de Investigação em Ciências do Mar

27/10/2026

𝗗𝗮 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗮 𝗱𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗹𝗮 𝗮𝗼 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗼𝗿 (𝘁𝗼𝗼): 𝘂𝗺𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗮𝗰̧𝗮̃𝗼 𝗮𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗼

Na segunda-feira, cerca de 50 alunos da Escola Secundária Manuel de Arriaga, na Horta, viajaram virtualmente até ao navio de investigação R/V Falkor (too), através de uma transmissão em direto com o investigador Telmo Morato, da equipa Azores Deep-Sea Research do OKEANOS.

🚢 A iniciativa Ship to Shore, realizada no âmbito da expedição científica The Gap, do Schmidt Ocean Institute, permitiu aos alunos conhecer o dia a dia de uma missão científica no mar profundo, descobrir alguns dos organismos mais surpreendentes das profundezas oceânicas e explorar a sala de controlo e o funcionamento de um veículo operado remotamente (ROV).

Uma oportunidade para aproximar os mais jovens da investigação marinha, despertar a curiosidade sobre o oceano e dar a conhecer as possibilidades de uma carreira ligada às ciências do mar.

23/10/2026

𝗢𝗸𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮: 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿!

Last week, on 16 October, Okeanos Conecta – Student Community brought together new and returning students from the Horta Campus of the University of the Azores for an evening of games, food, karaoke and good company!

🤝 Through informal monthly gatherings, the initiative promotes student integration, well-being and a stronger sense of belonging, creating opportunities to share experiences and build connections beyond the classroom.

Funded by the Universidade dos Açores - UAc, Okeanos Conecta is helping build a more connected, inclusive and supportive student community.

Here’s some of the moments! ✨

23/10/2026

𝗔𝗻𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗰̧𝗼 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲d 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗧𝗲́𝗰𝟰𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹

On 19 October, Ana Colaço, participated in the Digital Ocean panel at Deep Téc4Ocean, held at the Técnico Innovation Center (TIC) in Lisbon.

brings together stakeholders from research, engineering, industry and innovation to discuss challenges and opportunities shaping the future of the ocean sector.

The Digital Ocean panel focused on the role of digital technologies in transforming our relationship with the ocean, bringing together perspectives from scientific research, engineering, ocean observation, project development and technological innovation.

22/10/2026

𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 '𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐒𝐲𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐮𝐦 𝐨𝐧 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 (𝐀𝐭𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔)' 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐲𝐤𝐣𝐚𝐯í𝐤, 𝐈𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝!

👉Yesterday, Chris presented our research on Cory’s shearwaters as bioindicators of plastic pollution in the marine environment to a large audience.

👉Today, Lena presented her master's thesis work on microplastic exposure in filter-feeding mobulas.

Overall, our group is co-authoring eight presentations across the conference programme, covering topics from deep-sea to pelagic environments, megafauna, and coastal monitoring. These contributions reflect the breadth of our research and our commitment to advancing knowledge of plastic pollution and its impacts on marine ecosystems!

Check the conference website ➡ https://arcticplastics.is/2026-symposium

21/10/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗵𝗮 𝗦𝗢𝗦 𝗖𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼: 𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗲𝘀 𝗼 𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝘇𝗲𝗿 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘀 𝘂𝗺 𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗼? 🪶

Entre outubro e novembro, muitos cagarros juvenis ficam desorientados pelas luzes artificiais e acabam por aterrar em estradas e zonas habitadas.

📦 Se encontrares um cagarro:
• Aproxima-te calmamente e, de preferência, usa luvas.
• Cobre-o com um pano ou uma toalha.
• Coloca-o numa caixa de cartão ventilada.
• Entrega-o num ponto de recolha da campanha.

📝 Regista a ocorrência: https://servicos-sraa.azores.gov.pt/doit/mdls/fill.asp?id_modelo=1407

🦺 Queres ajudar? Inscreve-te nas brigadas SOS Cagarro na Horta! - https://forms.gle/ZvPRTBNSwDQAzkPY8

📞 Linha SOS Ambiente: +351 800 292 800 (24h)

Guarda e partilha esta publicação para ajudar a proteger os cagarros!

16/10/2026

𝗪𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗶𝗿𝗼𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝗹𝘃𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗶𝘂 𝗼 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗺 𝗖𝗶𝗲̂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗿, 𝗻𝗮 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝘀 𝗔𝗰̧𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀.

A sua tese, intitulada “Comprehensive stock assessment of small scale fishery to provide management advice in the Azores”, contribui para aprofundar o conhecimento sobre os recursos pesqueiros associados à pesca de pequena escala nos Açores, fornecendo informação científica para apoiar a gestão sustentável das pescarias na região.

Após a apresentação e discussão da tese perante o júri, Wendell foi aprovado com 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰̧𝗮̃𝗼 𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘃𝗼𝗿, a mais elevada distinção académica, concluindo assim o seu percurso de doutoramento.

Parabéns ao novo Doutor por esta conquista e a toda a equipa envolvida neste percurso!
Desejamos-lhe os maiores sucessos para o seu futuro científico e profissional!

14/10/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘅 𝗭. 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗠𝗦𝗔 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗲

This week, our PhD student Fran Felix Z. attended the EMSA Workshop on Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) in Lisbon, bringing together experts from science, policy and industry to discuss solutions to underwater noise pollution caused by shipping.

From quieter propulsion systems and speed optimisation to route planning and marine spatial management, the workshop explored practical ways to reduce vessel noise and protect marine ecosystems. For island systems like the Azores, this challenge is particularly relevant. Seasonal ferry traffic, sensitive marine habitats and limited routing flexibility highlight the importance of balancing maritime transport with ocean conservation.

🌊Understanding and reducing underwater noise is an important step towards quieter seas and healthier marine ecosystems.

13/10/2026

08/10/2026

Diretamente da lagoa da Fajã de Santo Cristo para o nosso laboratório: os primeiros exemplares de 𝘙𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘦𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 já chegaram ao AquaLab!

No âmbito do projeto ACUICONECTA, e com o apoio da APAS – Associação de Produtores de Amêijoa da Fajã de Santo Cristo, em São Jorge, os primeiros ensaios estão agora focados na aclimatação e alimentação desta espécie de ameijoas em condições controladas.

👩‍🔬Estes trabalhos integram também a dissertação de mestrado da aluna Beatriz Silva, com o objetivo de compreender como estes animais se adaptam ao cultivo e de forma a explorar o seu potencial para a aquacultura nos Açores.

06/10/2026

𝗢𝗞𝗘𝗔𝗡𝗢𝗦 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗘𝗹 𝗡𝗶𝗻̃𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗮́𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗼𝘀

When OKEANOS researchers Jorge Fontes and Bruno Macena returned for the third time to the Galápagos Islands to join Dr. Pelayo Salinas-de-León the Fundación Charles Darwin, they anticipated challenging field conditions. However, what they encountered underwater was a sharp contrast to their previous expeditions in 2019 and 2020.

The Archipelago is currently at the epicenter of an extreme El Niño event. Warm water anomalies have disrupted the vital cold, nutrient-rich upwellings that normally sustain the region's extraordinary concentration of pelagic life.
The ocean is now quiet where they remember large schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks (𝘚𝘱𝘩𝘺𝘳𝘯𝘢 𝘭𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘪) during past expeditions. Shark sightings have dropped dramatically as warm waters compress their habitat and force them deeper into thermal refuges.
This absence of sharks directly threatens the primary goal of the mission: deploying the new ECOLOG low-light camera tag prototype (Ocean Blue Tree) to film the nighttime foraging behavior and deep-diving dynamics of critically endangered hammerheads.

The extreme conditions observed in the field align with recent findings published in Science ("Climate change is strengthening El Niño, coral records suggest"). Analyzing century-long chemical records in Galápagos corals, researchers found that modern El Niño events are significantly more intense than historical norms, amplified by underlying global warming and thermal stratification.

Understanding how endangered predators adapt or struggle to adapt during severe climate anomalies provides essential insight into the future of ocean ecosystems and the urgent need for adaptive marine conservation.