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Quatro Ribeiras
Protected Area of Resources Management
With about 357 hectares, this coastal marine area is on the north coast of the island and presents a remarkable diversity of protected natural habitats.
This area stands out for its high marine life biodiversity and is composed of inlets and sheltered shallow bays, shoals and reefs, submerged or semi-submerged caves and wide fissures.
Of the existing species of marine flora, stand out the Asparagopsis armata, the Padina pavonica and the Ulva rigida.
Regarding marine fauna stand out the sea cucumber Holothuria forskali, the Sphaerechinus granularis, the star-fish (Marthasterias glacialis), the crab Percnon gibbesi and the Azorean Barnacle (Megabalanus azoricus). Regarding the fish group stand out the presence of Guinean Puffer (Sphoeroides marmoratus), Striped Red Mullet (Mullus surmuletus), Morey Eel (Muraena augusti), Forkbeard (Phycis phycis), Mediterranean Rainbow Wrasse (Coris julis), Ornate Wrasse (Thalassoma pavo), White Trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex), Yellowmouth Barracuda (Sphyraena viridensis) and Sardina Pilchardus (Sardina pilchardus).
This area integrates the Costa das Quatro Ribeiras Special Area of Conservation (SAC) within the Natura 2000 network and constitutes an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) from the BirdLife International organization.