Portuguese Ocean
Biodiversity of our Ocean
There is so much more to discover beyond the surface. The Ocean that surrounds us is a world of extraordinary diversity.
Thousands of species live in Portuguese waters, in habitats as diverse as estuaries, seagrass meadows, reefs, rocky seabeds, submarine canyons and seamounts. From mainland Portugal to the Azores and Madeira, the Portuguese Sea holds a wealth of natural life that we are coming to know better, but which still has much to reveal.
The Portuguese Sea – Biodiversity of our Ocean Mar Português – Biodiversidade do nosso Oceano campaign invites you to discover some of these species through the eyes and creativity of students from a Blue School.
Because getting to know the Ocean also means building a closer relationship with the Sea, recognising its value and understanding the importance of protecting it.
DISCOVER THE SPECIES OF THE PORTUGUESE SEA
Explore the illustrations created by the students and discover some of the species that are part of Portugal’s marine biodiversity.
A BLUE SCHOOL PROJECT
The illustrations that bring this campaign to life were created by students from a Blue School, transforming scientific drawing into a way of discovering, communicating and valuing the biodiversity of the Portuguese Sea.
The initiative was born at the António Gedeão School Group, in Almada, as part of the Blue School programme, the Ocean Literacy programme coordinated and implemented by the Directorate-General for Maritime Policy (DGPM).
During the 2025/2026 school year, 9th-grade students from António Gedeão Basic and Secondary School created around 60 scientific illustrations representing diferent Portuguese marine species, including animals and algae.
This work forms the basis of a broader project: the creation of an Atlas of Portuguese Marine Species, which may grow through the participation of other Blue Schools and contribute to greater knowledge and appreciation of the biodiversity of our Ocean.
LEARNING ABOUT THE OCEAN IN MANY WAYS
To represent each species, the students researched and analysed their morphological characteristics, identifying species that represent Portugal’s marine biodiversity and diferent habitats.
They applied principles of proportion, scale, structure and symmetry, exploring scientific drawing techniques such as contour lines, stippling, chiaroscuro and the controlled use of colour. The result seeks to combine scientific accuracy with artistic expression. More than simply drawing the Ocean, the students learned to observe it more closely.
FROM SCHOOL TO THE COMMUNITY
The project brought together diferent subjects and students through a collaborative approach. The illustrations were created in Visual Education classes, while the species identification sheets were developed in Citizenship and Development, with support from Natural Sciences and in collaboration with the Segue a Tua Natureza Club.
This interdisciplinary approach reflects one of the essential dimensions of the Blue School programme: integrating the Ocean into the educational project in a continuous and interdisciplinary way, bringing together knowledge, values and skills.
Blue School is a national network that brings together schools, local authorities, public and private organisations connected to the sea, NGOs and other organisations around a common goal: bringing society closer to the Ocean.
This campaign is an example of this network dynamic. It brings together Blue School/DGPM, which coordinates the programme and provides the project with its framework; the António Gedeão School Group, whose students created the illustrations; and Delta Cafés, a partner responsible for producing and distributing the sugar packets, bringing the students’ work to a wider audience.
In this way, work created by students leaves the classroom, and an everyday gesture becomes an opportunity to discover a species, learn about our Ocean and appreciate its biodiversity.
Because when students discover the Ocean, they can help others discover it too.
Learning about the Ocean.
Know. Value. Care.
