It is located in Bairro dos Pescadores, Arquipélago das Berlengas, parish of São Pedro, municipality of Peniche, District of Leiria, Central Portugal
The center has a large space that functions as an exhibition center, with some flexibility in terms of use and which allows several people to visit and stay at the same time in an available area of 17.55 m2.
The simple construction methodology sought for the space to meet the requirements of durability and necessary maintenance, taking into account the adverse conditions of the location where it is located.
The new space is equipped with audiovisual media and information panels allowing visitors to the island to learn more about the Archipelago and the LIFE Berlengas project.
The center was opened on July 31, 2015, so Berlenga currently has a new flexible and dynamic exhibition space with a formal and minimalist image, in which informational and audiovisual content are the protagonists in terms of visual perception.
LIFE Berlengas will contribute to the sustainable management of the Berlengas Special Protection Zone (ZPE) with the aim of conserving its habitats, endemic plants and seabird populations.
The project aims to understand the main threats that affect the natural values of Berlengas on land and at sea, define strategies to minimize and eradicate them, promote the sustainable use of the Berlengas ZPE focusing on three key activities: fishing, recreational activities and tourism.
The fishing sector has had a profound impact on the municipality of Peniche, throughout centuries of history of a population that saw fishing as an important economic resource.
The yellow-legged gull frequents places: WWTPs, landfills, urban areas, coastal lagoons, reservoirs, flooded rice paddies and large rivers where it easily finds food.
The dusky-winged gull regularly nests on the island of Berlenga, although in very small numbers, the colony must have been established in the 1980s and has around 30 pairs, there are no relevant threats to its populations in our country, but it can be accidentally caught in fishing gear (nets and longlines).
Most seagulls feed mainly at sea, resting on beaches, fishing ports or estuarine areas.
The common dolphin is small, with a slender body with a prominent beak and a high, sickle-shaped dorsal fin. Individuals of this species have a black color on the back, forming an inverted beak at the level of the dorsal fin.
The belly is white and when adults, males are slightly larger than females, measuring up to 2.3 m in length and weighing more than 100 kg.
The common dolphin is the most abundant cetacean along the Portuguese coast and can be found very close to the coast in more oceanic waters, but is more common in places with depths of around 100 m.
The waters off Peniche and Nazaré and around Berlengas are privileged places to observe the common dolphin. This is related to the high abundance of sardines in these waters, which are their favorite prey.
In these waters there are records of common dolphins in large groups of adult males and females and calves involving observations of all activities in their life cycles such as searching for food, social interaction between group members, movements between feeding areas and even mating.
Common dolphins often accompany boats and have frequent aerial behavior, which makes for fantastic observations.
In Berlengas there are several species of snapper and these are also one of the most sought after fish by sport fishermen who fish throughout the year in the Reserve.
The sea bream frequents rocky and sandy bottoms, from the coast to around 250 meters deep, with its frequent presence up to 100 meters and feeds on shellfish as well as other fish.
In Berlengas you can find several species of limpets that populate the prohibited rocky areas, such as the common limpet Patella vulgata or the false limpet Siphonaria pectinata.
Sea caves are habitats of great ecological and geological interest and value because they are very specific environments in terms of marine production, constituting valuable refuges for several species of fish that use them as nurseries (the conger eel) and for many marine invertebrates.
In the Berlengas archipelago there are several sea caves that are very interesting for marine biodiversity, in these caves the light is reduced, with few algae and plants but these caves are authentic fauna refuges with many species of invertebrates (gorgonians) and tunicates covering their walls.
The unique beauty of these caves, such as the Baía da Cova-do-sono cave on the island of Berlenga, the cauda-de-asno cave in Farilhos, are two diving hot spots that are very popular with divers.
The simple construction methodology sought for the space to meet the requirements of durability and necessary maintenance, taking into account the adverse conditions of the location where it is located.
The new space is equipped with audiovisual media and information panels allowing visitors to the island to learn more about the Archipelago and the LIFE Berlengas project.
The center was opened on July 31, 2015, so Berlenga currently has a new flexible and dynamic exhibition space with a formal and minimalist image, in which informational and audiovisual content are the protagonists in terms of visual perception.
LIFE Berlengas will contribute to the sustainable management of the Berlengas Special Protection Zone (ZPE) with the aim of conserving its habitats, endemic plants and seabird populations.
The project aims to understand the main threats that affect the natural values of Berlengas on land and at sea, define strategies to minimize and eradicate them, promote the sustainable use of the Berlengas ZPE focusing on three key activities: fishing, recreational activities and tourism.
The fishing sector has had a profound impact on the municipality of Peniche, throughout centuries of history of a population that saw fishing as an important economic resource.
The yellow-legged gull frequents places: WWTPs, landfills, urban areas, coastal lagoons, reservoirs, flooded rice paddies and large rivers where it easily finds food.
The dusky-winged gull regularly nests on the island of Berlenga, although in very small numbers, the colony must have been established in the 1980s and has around 30 pairs, there are no relevant threats to its populations in our country, but it can be accidentally caught in fishing gear (nets and longlines).
Most seagulls feed mainly at sea, resting on beaches, fishing ports or estuarine areas.
The common dolphin is small, with a slender body with a prominent beak and a high, sickle-shaped dorsal fin. Individuals of this species have a black color on the back, forming an inverted beak at the level of the dorsal fin.
The belly is white and when adults, males are slightly larger than females, measuring up to 2.3 m in length and weighing more than 100 kg.
The common dolphin is the most abundant cetacean along the Portuguese coast and can be found very close to the coast in more oceanic waters, but is more common in places with depths of around 100 m.
The waters off Peniche and Nazaré and around Berlengas are privileged places to observe the common dolphin. This is related to the high abundance of sardines in these waters, which are their favorite prey.
In these waters there are records of common dolphins in large groups of adult males and females and calves involving observations of all activities in their life cycles such as searching for food, social interaction between group members, movements between feeding areas and even mating.
Common dolphins often accompany boats and have frequent aerial behavior, which makes for fantastic observations.
In Berlengas there are several species of snapper and these are also one of the most sought after fish by sport fishermen who fish throughout the year in the Reserve.
The sea bream frequents rocky and sandy bottoms, from the coast to around 250 meters deep, with its frequent presence up to 100 meters and feeds on shellfish as well as other fish.
In Berlengas you can find several species of limpets that populate the prohibited rocky areas, such as the common limpet Patella vulgata or the false limpet Siphonaria pectinata.
Sea caves are habitats of great ecological and geological interest and value because they are very specific environments in terms of marine production, constituting valuable refuges for several species of fish that use them as nurseries (the conger eel) and for many marine invertebrates.
In the Berlengas archipelago there are several sea caves that are very interesting for marine biodiversity, in these caves the light is reduced, with few algae and plants but these caves are authentic fauna refuges with many species of invertebrates (gorgonians) and tunicates covering their walls.
The unique beauty of these caves, such as the Baía da Cova-do-sono cave on the island of Berlenga, the cauda-de-asno cave in Farilhos, are two diving hot spots that are very popular with divers.
