Remote but not isolated; an integrated ecosystem assessment across the marine ecosystem of the Azores

This study presents a cross-sectoral Integrated Ecosystem Assessment (IEA) for the Azores archipelago, a remote mid-North Atlantic oceanic region. It identifies the diversity, interconnectedness, and implications of anthropogenic pressures on marine ecosystems, serving as a versatile tool to assess impact risk and ecosystem vulnerability. Drawing on a comprehensive literature review, expert judgment, and stakeholder engagement, the IEA evaluated 12 economic sectors, 16 pressures, and 28 ecological components across the nearly 1 million km2 Azores Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).The sectoral analysis revealed that fishing, tourism, and shipping collectively account for over 86 % of the cumulative impact risk in the Azores EEZ. Among the various pressures, species extraction, bycatch, contaminants, invasive species, and marine litter alone contribute to 95 % of the total impact risk on the region’s marine environment. Although coastal ecosystems represent less than 1 % of the EEZ, they bear more than 50 % of the total impact risk—primarily affecting demersal fishes, elasmobranchs, and shallow/littoral rocky and reef habitats. Other highly vulnerable components include pelagic and deep-sea elasmobranchs, marine mammals, and seabirds.The study also underscores critical knowledge gaps, with 50 % of impact chains relying on global data due to a lack of region-specific evidence—particularly in deep-sea and abyssal ecosystems. This IEA provides essential insights for Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM), aligning regional monitoring priorities with the requirements of EU marine conservation and spatial planning directives.