For Special Protection Areas (SPA),
Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI),
Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and
for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• 1. SITE IDENTIFICATION
• 2. SITE LOCATION
• 3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION
• 4. SITE DESCRIPTION
• 5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS
• 6. SITE MANAGEMENT
• 7. MAP OF THE SITE

1. SITE IDENTIFICATION

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1.1 Type

B

1.2 Site code

PTCON0062

1.3 Site name

Banco Gorringe

1.4 First Compilation date

2015-06

1.5 Update date

No information provided

1.6 Respondent:

Name/Organisation:	Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, I.P.
Address:
Email:	icnf@icnf.pt

1.7 Site indication and designation / classification dates

Date site proposed as SCI:	2015-11
Date site confirmed as SCI:	No information provided
Date site designated as SAC:	No information provided
National legal reference of SAC designation:	No information provided

2. SITE LOCATION

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2.1 Site-centre location [decimal degrees]:

Longitude:	-11.345324
Latitude:	36.578708

2.2 Area [ha]

2292778.4800

2.3 Marine area [%]

100.0000

2.4 Sitelength [km] (optional):

No information provided

2.5 Administrative region code and name

No information provided

2.6 Biogeographical Region(s)

Marine Atlantic

(100.00 %)

3. ECOLOGICAL INFORMATION

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3.1 Habitat types present on the site and assessment for them

Annex I Habitat types						Site assessment
Code	PF	NP	Cover [ha]	Cave [number]	Data quality	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Representativity	Relative Surface	Conservation	Global
1110			21458	0.00	P	C	C	B	B
1170			2.26732e+006	0.00	M	A	B	B	A

• PF: for the habitat types that can have a non-priority as well as a priority form (6210, 7130, 9430) enter "X" in the column PF to indicate the priority form.
• NP: in case that a habitat type no longer exists in the site enter: x (optional)
• Cover: decimal values can be entered
• Caves: for habitat types 8310, 8330 (caves) enter the number of caves if estimated surface is not available.
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation)

3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them

Species					Population in the site						Site assessment
G	Code	Scientific Name	S	NP	T	Size		Unit	Cat.	D.qual.	A|B|C|D	A|B|C
						Min	Max				Pop.	Con.	Iso.	Glo.
R	1224	Caretta caretta							P	DD
M	1349	Tursiops truncatus			c	342	355	i	C	G	B	A	C	A

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Type: p = permanent, r = reproducing, c = concentration, w = wintering (for plant and non-migratory species use permanent)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the Standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting (see reference portal)
• Abundance categories (Cat.): C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present - to fill if data are deficient (DD) or in addition to population size information
• Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation); VP = 'Very poor' (use this category only, if not even a rough estimation of the population size can be made, in this case the fields for population size can remain empty, but the field "Abundance categories" has to be filled in)

3.3 Other important species of flora and fauna (optional)

Species					Population in the site				Motivation
Group	CODE	Scientific Name	S	NP	Size		Unit	Cat.	Species Annex		Other categories
					Min	Max		C|R|V|P	IV	V	A	B	C	D
M	2618	Balaenoptera acutorostrata						P	X
M	2621	Balaenoptera physalus						P	X
M	1350	Delphinus delphis						P	X
R	1223	Dermochelys coriacea							X
M	2627	Globicephala macrorhynchus						P	X
M	2029	Globicephala melas						P	X
M	2030	Grampus griseus						P	X
F	5672	Hoplostethus atlanticus											X
M	2622	Kogia breviceps						P	X
P	1376	Lithothamnium coralloides								X			X
M	2038	Mesoplodon bidens						P	X
M	2625	Mesoplodon densirostris						P	X
M	5034	Mesoplodon europaeus						P	X
M	2037	Mesoplodon mirus						P	X
M	2624	Physeter macrocephalus						P	X
I	1090	Scyllarides latus
M	2034	Stenella coeruleoalba						P	X
M	2628	Stenella frontalis						P	X
M	2035	Ziphius cavirostris						P	X

• Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, Fu = Fungi, I = Invertebrates, L = Lichens, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
• CODE: for Birds, Annex IV and V species the code as provided in the reference portal should be used in addition to the scientific name
• S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
• NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
• Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting, (see reference portal)
• Cat.: Abundance categories: C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present
• Motivation categories: IV, V: Annex Species (Habitats Directive), A: National Red List data; B: Endemics; C: International Conventions; D: other reasons

4. SITE DESCRIPTION

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4.1 General site character

Habitat class	% Cover
N01	100.00
Total Habitat Cover	100

Other Site Characteristics

O Banco Gorringe é um monte submarino de grandes dimensões que se eleva da zona abissal (de 5000 m de profundidade) à zona eufótica (até 25 m), possibilitando a ocorrência de uma vasta gama de habitats e espécies, desde as fotossintéticas às abissais, que vivem em plena escuridão (OCEANA, 2014; Correia, 2013). Os seus picos encontram-se próximo da superfície (ca. de 25 m), onde ocorrem comunidades ricas de algas e cnidários com zooxanthellae fazendo com que, de entre os montes submarinos estudados até à data, o Banco Gorringe seja dos que apresenta maior biodiversidade e número de habitats (OCEANA, 2005). A par da presença de luz, as camadas superficiais também beneficiam de fenómenos de afloramentode massas de água ricas em nutrientes, favorecendo uma elevada produtividade biológica. Localiza-se a sudoeste do cabo de S. Vicente, a cerca de 200km do território português continental, na Zona Económica Exclusiva (ZEE) de Portugal. Integra a cadeia de montes submarinos da Ferradura desenvolvendo-se essencialmente no sentido nordeste-sudoeste num alinhamento morfológico que se prolonga desde o Arquipélago da Madeira ao sudoeste de Portugal (MAMAOT, 2012). Situa-se na zona de convergência das placas africana e euro-asiática, no extremo este da zona de fractura conhecida como Açores - Gibraltar. No Banco Gorringe ocorre uma diversificada fauna séssil, característica de substratos duros, composta por filtradores como hidróides, gorgónias e corais. Nas encostas mais profundas ocorrem agregações de esponjas, jardins de corais e fundos marinhos com detritos biogénicos que dão origem a ecossistemas altamente complexos (Correia, 2013). Os sedimentosdas camadas superiores são dominados por vermes serpulídeos, cirrípedes, moluscos e foraminíferos bentónicos. Com o aumento da profundidade as comunidades vão-se alterando, sendo frequentes os jardins de corais, agregações de esponjas ecampos de ofiurídeos nas zonas mais profundas (OCEANA, 2005; MAMAOT, 2012). O Banco Gorringe constitui uma barreira topográfica às massas de água que fluem no oceano, nomeadamente às correntes provenientes do Mediterrâneo (MAMAOT, 2012; Correia, 2013). Deste facto resultam vários tipos de fenómenos, tais como oaumento da velocidade das correntes oceânicas, afloramento, turbulência, e/ou formação de eddies associados à ascensãode nutrientes provenientes de massas de água profundas, favorecendo o incremento da produção primária (MAMAOT, 2012).

4.2 Quality and importance

O Banco Gorringe possui uma grande diversidade de habitats e para além dos habitats 1110 e 1170, outros habitats identificados noutras listagens como as estabelecidas pela Convenção OSPAR ou pela organização ICES estão ali representados. O Banco Gorringe ocupa uma área marinha (leito marinho, coluna de água e superfície) considerada como razoavelmente bem conservada apesar das actividades humanas que lá ocorrem (Correia, 2013). A coluna de água é caracterizada pela presença de grandes cardumes de peixes pelágicos de grandes dimensões, cetáceos, tubarões e acima da coluna de água por aves marinhas, algumas protegidas, que utilizam esta zona para alimentação (Correia, 2013). São frequentemente avistados nas águas do Gorringe mamíferos marinhos como Tursiops truncatus, Delphinus delphis, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, B. physalus, Grampus griseus, Stenella coeruleoalba e S. frontalis. No que se refere a avistamentos de tartarugas estes são essencialmente Caretta caretta e Dermochelys coriacea (Oliveira et al., 2005; Dellinger, 2010).

4.3 Threats, pressures and activities with impacts on the site

The most important impacts and activities with high effect on the site

4.4 Ownership (optional)

No information provided

4.5 Documentation (optional)

1. Abecasis, D., Cardigos, F., Almada, F., Gonçalves, J.M.S., 2009. New records on the ichthyofauna of the Gorringe seamount (Northeastern Atlantic). Marine Biology Research 5, 605-611. 2. Ávila, S.P., Malaquias, M.A.E., 2003. Biogeographical relationships of the molluscan fauna of the Ormonde seamount(Gorringe bank, Northeast Atlantic Ocean). J Mollus Stud 69, 145-150. 3. Boury-Esnault, N., Vacelet, J., Reiswig, H.M., Fourt, M., Aguilar, R., Chevaldonnée, P. 2014. Mediterranean hexactinellid sponges, with the description of a new Sympagella species (Porifera, Hexactinellida). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, pg. 1-22. 4. CBD Secretariat, 2009. Scientific Criteria for Identifying Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas inNeed of Protection in Open-Ocean Waters and Deep-Sea Habitats. 5. Correia, M. 2013. Avaliação da importância, potencial e constrangimentos da designação do Banco Gorringe como Sítiode Interesse Comunitário. Dissertação de Mestrado em Ecologia Marinha. Universidade de Lisboa. Faculdade de Ciências. Departamento de Biologia Animal. 6. Cristobo, J., Rios, P., Pomponi, S.A., Xavier, J. 2014. A new carnivorous sponge, Chondrocladia robertballardii sp.nov. (Porifera: Cladorhizidae) from two north-east Atlantic seamounts. Journal of the Marine Biological Association ofthe United Kingdom (2014), pg. 1-8. 7. Dellinger, T. 2010. Tartarugas Marinhas. In: (Loureiro, A., Ferrand de Almeida, N., Carretero, M.A. & Paulo, O.S. eds). Atlas dos Anfíbios e Répteis de Portugal. Esfera do Caos Editores, Lisboa, pp. 188-205. 8. FAO, 2007. Draft International Guidelines for the Management of Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas. FAO TC:DSF/2008/2. 9. Gilg, O., Moe, B., Hanssen, S.A., Schmidt, N.M., Sittler, B., Hansen, J., Reneerkens, J., Sabard, B., Chastel, O., Moreau, J., Phillips, R.A., Oudman, T., Biersma, E.M., Fenstad, A.A., Lang, J. & Bollache, L. (2013). Trans-EquatorialMigration Routes, Staging Sites and Wintering Areas of a High-Arctic Avian Predator: The Long-tailed Skua (Stercorarius longicaudus). PLoS ONE 8(5): e64614. 10. Gjerde, K. M. and Breide, C. 2003. Towards a Strategy for High Seas Marine Protected Areas: Proceedings of the IUCN, WCPA and WWF Experts Workshop on High Seas Protected Areas. 15-17 January 2003, Malaga, Spain. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland. 11. Gonçalves, J.M.S., Bispo, J., Silva, J.A., 2004. Underwater survey of ichthyofauna of eastern Atlantic seamounts: Gettysburg and Ormond (Gorringe Bank). Archive of Fishery and Marine Research 51, 233-240. 12. MAMAOT, 2012. Estratégia Marinha para a Subdivisão do Continente. Diretiva Quadro Estratégia Marinha. Ministério da Agricultura, do Mar, do Ambiente e do Ordenamento do Território. 13. MarPro, 2015. Base de dados de ocorrência de mamíferos marinhos em águas continentais portuguesas. 14. Moura, C.J., 2015. The hydrozoan fauna (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) from the peaks of the Ormonde and Gettysburg seamounts(Gorringe Bank, NE Atlantic). 2015 3972, 33. 15. OCEANA, 2005. The Seamounts of the Gorringe Bank. Fondazione Ermenegildo Zegna. 16. OCEANA, 2014. The Seamounts of the Gorringe Bank. Foundation for the Third Millennium. 17. Oliveira, M.E., (coord.), Brito, J.C., Dellinger, T., Ferrand de Almeida, N., Loureiro, A., Martins, H.R., Pargana, J., Paulo, O.S., Rito, P. & Teixeira, J. 2005. Tartaruga-comum Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758). In: (Cabral, M.J., (coord.), Almeida, J., Almeida, P.R., Dellinger, T., Ferrand de Almeida, N., Oliveira, M.E., Palmeirim, J., Queiroz, A.I., Rogado, L. & Santos-Reis, M. eds). Livro Vermelho dos Vertebrados de Portugal. Instituto da Conservação da Natureza, Lisboa, pp. 123-124. 18. OSPAR Commission, 2008. OSPAR List of Threatened and/or Declining Species and Habitats. Reference Number: 2008-6. Pedrouzo, L., Carmen Cobo, M., García-Álvarez, O., Rueda, J.L., Gofas, S., Urgorri, V. 2014. Solenogastres (Mollusca) from expeditions off the South Iberian Peninsula, with the descriptions of a new species. Journal of Natural History (2014) vol. 48, Nos. 45-48, 2985-3006. 19. Ramírez, I., Paiva, V.H., Menezes, D., Silva, I., Phillips, R.A., Ramos, J.A. & Garthe, S. 2013. Year-round distribution and habitat preferences of the Bugio petrel. Marine Ecology Progress Series 476: 269–284. 20. Ramos, R., Sanz, V., Militão, T., Bried, J., Neves, V.C., Biscoito, M., Phillips, R.A., Zino, F. & González-Solís,J. 2015. Leapfrog migration and habitat preferences of a small oceanic seabird, Bulwer's petrel (Bulweria bulwerii). J. Biogeogr DOI: 10.1111/jbi.12541. 21. Rogers, A.D., Clark, M.R., Hall-Spencer, J.M. and Gjerde, K.M. 2008. The Science behind the Guidelines: A Scientific Guide to the FAO Draft International Guidelines (December 2007) for the Management of Deep-Sea Fisheries in the High Seas and Examples of How the Guidelines may be Practically Implemented. IUCN, Switzerland 2008. 22. Stenhouse, I., Egevang, C. & Phillips, R.A. (2011). Trans-equatorial migration, staging sites and wintering area of Sabine’s Gulls Larus sabini in the Atlantic Ocean. Ibis 154: 42–51. 23. Tittley, I., Álvaro, N.M.S.V., Neto, A.I.M.A. 2014. Preliminary observations on the benthic marine algae of the Gorringe seabank (northeast Atlantic Ocean). Helgol Mar. Res. (2014) 68, pgs. 307-312. 24. Vieira, R.P., Cunha, M. R. 2014. In situ observations of chimaerid species in the Gorringe Bank: new distribution records for the north-east Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Fish Biology (2014) 85, 927-932. 25. Vieira, R.P., Palma, I., Sobral, P., Gonçalves, J.M.S., Bell, K.C., Cunha, M.R. 2014. Lost fishing gear and litterin the Gorringe Bank (NE Atlantic). Journal of Sea Research. DOI: 10.1016/j.seares.2014.10.005. 26. Xavier, J., van Soest, R., 2007. Demosponge fauna of Ormonde and Gettysburg Seamounts (Gorringe Bank, north-east Atlantic): diversity and zoogeographical affinities. J. Mar. Biol. Assoc. U.K. 87, 1643-1653.

5. SITE PROTECTION STATUS

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5.1 Designation types at national and regional level (optional):

Code	Cover [%]
PT00	100.00

5.2 Relation of the described site with other sites (optional):

No information provided

5.3 Site designation (optional)

No information provided

6. SITE MANAGEMENT

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6.1 Body(ies) responsible for the site management:

Organisation:	Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, I.P. (ICNF, I.P.)
Address:
Email:	icnf@icnf.pt

6.2 Management Plan(s):

An actual management plan does exist:

	Yes
	No, but in preparation
X	No

6.3 Conservation measures (optional)

No information provided

 

7. MAP OF THE SITE

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INSPIRE ID:
Map delivered as PDF in electronic format (optional)
Yes X No

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SITE DISPLAY