Olhão CEAM

This lagoon landscape stretches along the Eastern Algarve coast from Faro to the village of Cacela Velha near Tavira. Created in 1755 by the last great oceanic earthquake, its sand dunes, islands and bars to the open sea are continously shaped by tidal changes. Many archeological sites show the remains of Roman and Pre-Roman settlements.

Since the mid-eighties, the Ria Formosa has been a nature reserve, where sea water birds find protected breeding places and many fish species of the Northern Atlantic as well as other marine organisms reproduce.

Besides salt harvesting, productive activities in this protected area are shellfish farming and small-scale fishing. The excellent water quality, without detectable contamination by industrial effluents, sewage dumping, agricultural and radioactive pollutants, favours the traditional gathering of seasalt.

Copyright Edition Marisol