limited, with sparse ground vegetation. Common sense would certainly doubt
whether these should be considered islands pursuant to the UNCLOS regime and
call into question their entitlement to an EEZ and continental shelf.
Hence, Brazilian authorities acted to confirm the island-status of its natural land
formations surrounded by water, in particular the São Pedro and São Paulo islands.
19
Those features have been on the radar of Brazilian national interests for some time,
as already in the 1930s the Brazilian Navy installed a lighthouse on the Archipelago’s main island, Belmonte.
20 In 1996, CIRM initiated a scientific program in the
Archipelago, aimed at permanently keeping at least four researchers in a research
station on the Belmonte Island—the PROARQUIPÉLAGO. Between 2007 and
2008, a new and improved scientific station was built as part of logistic efforts
undertaken by the Brazilian Navy to promote marine research in geology, geophysics, biology, fishery resources, oceanography, meteorology and seismology.
21
The Brazilian Navy elucidates that the main objective of PROARQUIPÉLAGO is
“to guarantee the permanent habitability of the remote region of ASPSP, which
allows the country to establish an Exclusive Economic Zone of 450,000 km
2
”.
22 The
main purpose of such a gigantic area is allegedly to grant Brazil exclusive economic
and scientific rights in the region. When addressing the strategic interests advanced
by the Program, the Brazilian Navy specifically refers to Article 121 (3) of
UNCLOS, thus concluding that, by guaranteeing the continuous habitability of the
region, Brazil has recognized the 450,000 km
2 , approximately 6% of the country’s
colossal land territory. In Brazil’s view, the requirement of continuous habitability is
fulfilled in the case of ASPSP by scientists and researchers.
Allegedly, the PROARQUIPÉLAGO is part of a myriad of actions taken to
promote national security, socioeconomic development and the geopolitical influence of the country pursuant to the new Law of the Sea.
23 Proof of this is contained
in publications of the Secretariat of CIRM (SECIRM, in Portuguese) which point out
some of the positive repercussions of the Program upon its tenth anniversary,
namely: (i) increased Brazilian persuasive power before international organizations
that regulate migratory fisheries with high commercial value, such as the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT); (ii) concrete
possibility of preservation of several endemic species, which enables the country a
vanguard in protective efforts in the international sphere; (iii) enhanced scientific
data production with significant results and direct impacts on the sustainable
19 The Archipelago is composed of ten small rocky formations located approximately 1010 km off
the coast of Natal and may be considered a unique place in terms of biodiversity, natural landscape,
scientific potential, among others.
20 Longo (2014), p. 74.
21 CIRM Newsletter, Brasília, Dec. 2014.
22 Brazilian
Navy,
online.
Available
at:
23 The relevance of the archipelago and its scientific station to the CIRM can be equally perceived in
the launching of commemorative postage stamps in 2014, alluding to ASPSP. CIRM Newsletter,
Dec. 2014.
270
V. Alencar Mayer Feitosa Ventura and E. Cavalcanti Mello Filho
whether these should be considered islands pursuant to the UNCLOS regime and
call into question their entitlement to an EEZ and continental shelf.
Hence, Brazilian authorities acted to confirm the island-status of its natural land
formations surrounded by water, in particular the São Pedro and São Paulo islands.
19
Those features have been on the radar of Brazilian national interests for some time,
as already in the 1930s the Brazilian Navy installed a lighthouse on the Archipelago’s main island, Belmonte.
20 In 1996, CIRM initiated a scientific program in the
Archipelago, aimed at permanently keeping at least four researchers in a research
station on the Belmonte Island—the PROARQUIPÉLAGO. Between 2007 and
2008, a new and improved scientific station was built as part of logistic efforts
undertaken by the Brazilian Navy to promote marine research in geology, geophysics, biology, fishery resources, oceanography, meteorology and seismology.
21
The Brazilian Navy elucidates that the main objective of PROARQUIPÉLAGO is
“to guarantee the permanent habitability of the remote region of ASPSP, which
allows the country to establish an Exclusive Economic Zone of 450,000 km
2
”.
22 The
main purpose of such a gigantic area is allegedly to grant Brazil exclusive economic
and scientific rights in the region. When addressing the strategic interests advanced
by the Program, the Brazilian Navy specifically refers to Article 121 (3) of
UNCLOS, thus concluding that, by guaranteeing the continuous habitability of the
region, Brazil has recognized the 450,000 km
2 , approximately 6% of the country’s
colossal land territory. In Brazil’s view, the requirement of continuous habitability is
fulfilled in the case of ASPSP by scientists and researchers.
Allegedly, the PROARQUIPÉLAGO is part of a myriad of actions taken to
promote national security, socioeconomic development and the geopolitical influence of the country pursuant to the new Law of the Sea.
23 Proof of this is contained
in publications of the Secretariat of CIRM (SECIRM, in Portuguese) which point out
some of the positive repercussions of the Program upon its tenth anniversary,
namely: (i) increased Brazilian persuasive power before international organizations
that regulate migratory fisheries with high commercial value, such as the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT); (ii) concrete
possibility of preservation of several endemic species, which enables the country a
vanguard in protective efforts in the international sphere; (iii) enhanced scientific
data production with significant results and direct impacts on the sustainable
19 The Archipelago is composed of ten small rocky formations located approximately 1010 km off
the coast of Natal and may be considered a unique place in terms of biodiversity, natural landscape,
scientific potential, among others.
20 Longo (2014), p. 74.
21 CIRM Newsletter, Brasília, Dec. 2014.
22 Brazilian
Navy,
online.
Available
at:
23 The relevance of the archipelago and its scientific station to the CIRM can be equally perceived in
the launching of commemorative postage stamps in 2014, alluding to ASPSP. CIRM Newsletter,
Dec. 2014.
270
V. Alencar Mayer Feitosa Ventura and E. Cavalcanti Mello Filho