Monte Brasil

Located south of the island of Terceira, this protected area has about 48 hectares and encompasses the largest submarine volcanic set of the Azores.

Resulting of a surtseyan eruption, a tuff cone originated at sea and was later connected to land by the accumulation of its ashes, having formed a peninsula with 25 hectares.

The seabed of this coastal marine area, formed by basaltic lava flows covered by solidified and compact pyroclastic flows, present semi-submerged caves , boulders and pebbles deposits, sand and rocky reefs.

This area includes important habitat associated with high marine life biodiversity. Stand out the presence of European Fan Worm (Sabella spallanzanii), the Mediterranean Slipper Lobster (Scyllarides latus), damselfish (Chromis limbata and Abudefduf luridus), Blacktail Comber (Serranus atricauda), Parrotfish (Sparisoma cretense) and White Seabream (Diplodus sargus), as well as pelagic fish, such as Yellowmouth Barracuda (Sphyraena viridensis) and Longfin Yellowtail (Seriola rivoliana).

Annex to this protected area is the Underwater Archaeological Park of the Bay of Angra do Heroísmo.