Latest news and stories about coastal management in Portugal for expats and residents.
The Figueira da Foz City Council, on the coast of the Coimbra district, launched a campaign today denouncing the failure of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) to fulfill its responsibilities regarding the repair of a sea wall near Teimoso beach.
On Friday, 9 October, the Figueira da Foz City Council launched a campaign denouncing the failure of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) to fulfill its responsibilities regarding the repair of a wall near Teimoso beach. Two large billboards were erected with the message 'Work under the responsibility of the APA - Waiting a year for the APA'. Following storms earlier this year, a wall collapsed near the beach, a site where the council had already identified structural problems in 2024. Councilman Ricardo Silva stated that despite meetings and the APA accepting proposals in June, there has been a lack of action compared to other coastal areas, with promised geotechnical tests still pending as winter approaches. The council intends to clarify to the public that the responsibility for the repairs lies with the APA, not the municipality.
The Portuguese Environment Agency has one year to review the classification of beaches along a 220-kilometre stretch between Sesimbra and Odeceixe, due to increased demand, access issues, and environmental protection concerns.
There is an invasive algae on the beaches of Portugal and Spain that is affecting biodiversity.
The association regrets the lack of measures for sediment transport recovery, as well as the lack of investment. It also warns about the extraction of aggregates and the absence of Spain from the programme.
The period begins five days after publication in the Diário da República and lasts for 30 working days. The proposals had already been submitted for public participation in 2025.
Sea waters can be used in various areas essential for the development of a municipality.
Concerns were conveyed by members of the Portuguese Coast Fishermen and Population Commissions who met with the Secretary of State for Fisheries and the Sea, Salvador Malheiro, in Rogil.
The minister says the Government would move forward with a review of the Coastal Zone Plan to “resolve” the impasse observed regarding access to the Galé park, without explaining how.
The municipalities of Leiria and Marinha Grande signed a protocol today with the Government and the Casa da Arquitetura to implement a redevelopment project for the coastline of the beaches in those municipalities.
The Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, visited the start of the works, welcoming a demolition that had been “planned since 2015” but only moved forward now.
The Minister of Environment and Energy visited the start of the works, welcoming a demolition that had been “planned since 2015” but only moved forward now.
Cascais will test a system that predicts where and when Asian algae will reach the beaches, transforming coastal management with the help of orbital data.
Valuable biological resources are reaching the Portuguese shoreline, but current legislation prohibits them from being harvested or repurposed.
Once masters of the beach, the fishermen of Caparica, Almada, have less and less space to work, between the scarcity of sand, bar and restaurant concessions, surf schools, and other events they are not involved in.
Fishermen also point to a shortage of sand, bar and restaurant concessions, surf schools, and other events that they are not involved in.
Works should have finished before June 1st, but they are still ongoing. The group questioned the minister about the reasons for the delay.
Storms caused severe movement in the sand, leading the municipality to autonomously reorganise the coastal strip. The beaches of Suave Mar, Ofir, and Pedrinhas/Cedovém were the most affected.
José Carlos Ferreira, an environmental expert, explains the need for the country to “better manage coastal territories”.
The Minister points out that 'if there are no weather-related issues', the works could be completed by mid-May.
The Edifício Transparente in Porto will undergo partial demolition in a cost-sharing agreement between the City Council and the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) to 'renaturalise' the International Beach. Environment Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho stated the building, which dates back to Porto's time as European Capital of Culture in 2001, is in a state of degradation and obstructs the landscape. The plan involves reducing the building's height to the level of the viaduct, leaving only the lower section for beach support facilities. Mayor Pedro Duarte has long advocated for this change to remove the 'barrier' between the City Park and the sea, with the project expected to proceed following the end of the current concession in 2026.
The coastline is not just a line on a map, nor is it merely a risk zone. It is a living system, and therefore, the answers cannot be purely technical, as they also involve social and political choices. Opinion by Carla Gonçalves.
The ruins of a bar at Ourigo Beach are the only structure in Porto listed in the report, which concerns incidents along the coastline of mainland Portugal between October 2025.
The article titled “Arrancam trabalhos de alimentação artificial de praias” reports on the commencement of artificial nourishment projects for beaches in Portugal. These efforts aim to restore and maintain beach sand levels, combating erosion and ensuring the preservation of coastal environments. The initiative involves adding sand to affected beaches to improve their stability and attractiveness for tourism and local communities. The project reflects Portugal's ongoing commitment to coastal management and environmental conservation.
In the APA report, it is explained that the damage recorded in the municipality of Vagos, in built-up areas for public use and enjoyment, was due to coastal overtopping.
The minister says that in some cases it cannot be a matter of “opening the door and being on the beach. That, as beautiful as it may be, carries a lot of risk,” she warns, admitting that there are bars that will have to be relocated.
The signing of the contract between the Government and the company is scheduled for Friday in Loulé.
