AZORES | International award recognises José Manuel Bolieiro for excellence in ocean protection

The President of the Azorean Government, José Manuel Bolieiro, has been honoured with the international Peter Benchley Ocean Award in the Excellence in National Leadership category, one of the most prestigious global distinctions in the field of ocean conservation.

The award delivery ceremony will take place on May 7, 2026, at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, reinforcing the global projection of ocean leadership led from the Azores and Portugal. 

Created by Wendy Benchley and David Helvarg, the Peter Benchley Ocean Awards are widely recognised as the “Oscars of the Ocean,” honouring individuals and institutions that make outstanding contributions to the protection and restoration of the marine environment each year. 

The “Excellence in National Leadership” category recognises representatives of states that stand out for their ambitious policies on ocean protection and sustainable management, with an impact at a national and international level. In previous editions, recognition in the national leadership and ocean policy categories has been awarded to leading figures such as the then U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Prince Albert II of Monaco, underlining the high standards and prestige of this distinction.

The panel of judges includes some of the most respected names in science and marine conservation, including oceanographer Sylvia Earle, a world leader in deep-sea exploration and ocean conservation.

The distinction now awarded to the President of the Azorean Government comes at a time when the Region, supported by the Blue Azores programme, is internationally recognised for creating the largest Network of Marine Protected Areas in the North Atlantic. It covers around 30% of the Azores sea, with total and high protection zones, complying with international conservation criteria, and as part of an innovative framework of co-governance with scientists, fishers and local communities.

Accordingly, this award represents not only personal recognition but, above all, the confirmation of the Azores and Portugal as leaders in ocean conservation, contributing in a meaningful way to the global goals of protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030. 

GRA/RÁDIOILHÉU