From a biodiversity perspective, the Brazilian continental shelf thrives with life.
There are records of rhodolith beds consisting of a diversity of living organisms in
both steep and shallow areas of the shelf.
84 Furthermore, recent scientific discoveries
of corals off the Amazon coast, in 2016,
85 and extremely biodiverse seamounts off
the coast of the Martim Vaz and Trindade islands, in 2017,
86 have dragged attention
to the biodiversity potential of the Brazilian continental shelf and the risks ran in case
such marine life rest unregulated and unprotected.
Still, of the vast amount of seafloor constituting the Brazilian continental shelf—
approximately 4.5 mi km
2 , little has been explored, a conclusion reached by the IX
PSRM, both in terms of biodiversity and non-living resources’ potential. Given that
marine scientific research has only to a limited extent impregnated the Brazilian
political and scientific agenda, it is difficult to list the species of deep-water marine
life populating the Brazilian outer continental shelf and where precisely those
ensembles of marine fauna and flora ought to be found. Despite such restrictions,
progress has been made in mapping out the seafloor, both in terms of economic
resources and overall fauna and flora, with a significant role played by the Action
REMPLAC and the independent Plan LEPLAC, to map out the Brazilian shelf and
ground the submission for outer limits, conjointly implemented by the Brazilian
Navy and the Petrobras.
9.2.1 The Brazilian Continental Shelf Survey Plan: LEPLAC
As early as 1978, Brazil had evidences that its continental margin would exceed the
200 nm limit at some points. The country produced at the time more than half of its
petroleum offshore and understood the strategic value of having an extended continental shelf. In 1986, the Brazilian Government initiated a project to survey the outer
limits of the Brazilian continental shelf beyond 200 nm, based on Art. 76 UNCLOS,
which produced the first results a year later,
87 at a moment when UNCLOS was not
84 Rhodoliths are colorful, unattached, branching, crustose benthic marine red algae. The surface
morphology of rhodoliths presents variations regulated by depth, hydrodynamic bioerosive processes and taxonomy. For more, see Horta et al. (2016), p. 117.
85 The Amazon coral reefs are tacked away on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, at a depth which
varies from 70 to 200 m. Worryingly, the corals are located in an area that could at any time be
released for oil exploration. The discovery was made by Brazilian researchers aboard the ship
Esperanza, donated by Greenpeace to the scientific mission.
86 The seamounts around the Islands of Trindade and Martin Vaz hold one of the highest rates of
biodiversity among all Atlantic islands. In addition, there is a high diversity of open sea and deepsea species, including those of commercial importance, all found around the seamounts and the
oceanic islands of the Chain. The area where the seamounts have been registered has been declared
an MPA in March 2018. Federal Decree no. 9.312/2018, MMA, 2018.
87 In June 1987, the oceanographic ship Almirante Câmara, of the National Hydrographic Directorate, of the Brazilian Navy (DHN) held the first survey mission of the Brazilian continental shelf.
Information available at LEPLAC page of the Brazilian Navy’s website.
9.2 The Brazilian Extended Continental Shelf: A Larger Blue Amazon
271
There are records of rhodolith beds consisting of a diversity of living organisms in
both steep and shallow areas of the shelf.
84 Furthermore, recent scientific discoveries
of corals off the Amazon coast, in 2016,
85 and extremely biodiverse seamounts off
the coast of the Martim Vaz and Trindade islands, in 2017,
86 have dragged attention
to the biodiversity potential of the Brazilian continental shelf and the risks ran in case
such marine life rest unregulated and unprotected.
Still, of the vast amount of seafloor constituting the Brazilian continental shelf—
approximately 4.5 mi km
2 , little has been explored, a conclusion reached by the IX
PSRM, both in terms of biodiversity and non-living resources’ potential. Given that
marine scientific research has only to a limited extent impregnated the Brazilian
political and scientific agenda, it is difficult to list the species of deep-water marine
life populating the Brazilian outer continental shelf and where precisely those
ensembles of marine fauna and flora ought to be found. Despite such restrictions,
progress has been made in mapping out the seafloor, both in terms of economic
resources and overall fauna and flora, with a significant role played by the Action
REMPLAC and the independent Plan LEPLAC, to map out the Brazilian shelf and
ground the submission for outer limits, conjointly implemented by the Brazilian
Navy and the Petrobras.
9.2.1 The Brazilian Continental Shelf Survey Plan: LEPLAC
As early as 1978, Brazil had evidences that its continental margin would exceed the
200 nm limit at some points. The country produced at the time more than half of its
petroleum offshore and understood the strategic value of having an extended continental shelf. In 1986, the Brazilian Government initiated a project to survey the outer
limits of the Brazilian continental shelf beyond 200 nm, based on Art. 76 UNCLOS,
which produced the first results a year later,
87 at a moment when UNCLOS was not
84 Rhodoliths are colorful, unattached, branching, crustose benthic marine red algae. The surface
morphology of rhodoliths presents variations regulated by depth, hydrodynamic bioerosive processes and taxonomy. For more, see Horta et al. (2016), p. 117.
85 The Amazon coral reefs are tacked away on the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, at a depth which
varies from 70 to 200 m. Worryingly, the corals are located in an area that could at any time be
released for oil exploration. The discovery was made by Brazilian researchers aboard the ship
Esperanza, donated by Greenpeace to the scientific mission.
86 The seamounts around the Islands of Trindade and Martin Vaz hold one of the highest rates of
biodiversity among all Atlantic islands. In addition, there is a high diversity of open sea and deepsea species, including those of commercial importance, all found around the seamounts and the
oceanic islands of the Chain. The area where the seamounts have been registered has been declared
an MPA in March 2018. Federal Decree no. 9.312/2018, MMA, 2018.
87 In June 1987, the oceanographic ship Almirante Câmara, of the National Hydrographic Directorate, of the Brazilian Navy (DHN) held the first survey mission of the Brazilian continental shelf.
Information available at LEPLAC page of the Brazilian Navy’s website.
9.2 The Brazilian Extended Continental Shelf: A Larger Blue Amazon
271