Through CCMAR it is possible to access a wide range of marine habitats, including intertidal rocky shores, lagoons, salt marshes, mudflats, saltpans, sites with low anthropogenic impact, coastal and continental shelf (30 miles), planktonic and pelagic communities, kelp forests or coral reefs.

Access vehicles, sampling instruments and an experienced diving team are provided, allowing for in-situ experiments, collection of material or other essential research tasks.

Scientific Diving Centre 

The Scientific Diving Centre aims to promote and support all scientific activities that use diving as a resource in their research Onsite or Remote.
CCMAR has a fully certified scientific diving team able to perform biological sample collection; underwater experimental deployment; sensor/probe deployment and/or testing and video and photography collection.
The objective is to connect the researcher with the underwater world in an efficient and safe way, collecting unbiased data in a systematic approach.

At this centre the researcher can find knowledge and advice to plan and execute scientific diving tasks. All diving equipment, breathing gas, boats and dive guides are available to be used for diving related activities.

Coastal research vessels
CCMAR offer boats fully equipped for research in the coastal area, allowing basic work in oceanography, fishing, and acoustic telemetry studies.
The largest research boat has 9 meters long and a range up to 30 miles, with a maximum of 8 people. 

Its area of navigation is the Atlantic coast of the Algarve (South of Portugal) including the Guadiana River and the Ria Formosa. It is operated by a skipper with the appropriate navigation certificates, and experience on the Algarve coast, and qualified with a VHF radio licence.

Research boat (9 meters and up to 30 miles range) and small boats operating in Algarve Atlantic coast area.

Sampling and environmental monitoring Equipament
Sampling (Niskin bottles, nets, etc.); in situ environmental monitoring (CTD, multiparameter probes, etc.), submersibles, small boats

The EMSO-PT project - European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column Observatory - is part of the European Research Infrastructure Consortium EMSO-ERIC and is integrated in the National Research Infrastructures Roadmap.

The participation of CCMAR in EMSO-PT aims to establish a permanent ocean observatory on the continental platform SW of Cape St. Vincent, about 200 m deep. This observatory is part of the "Iberian Margin node", one of the 8 observatories and 3 test sites that are part of EMSO-ERIC.

Ramalhete Marine Field station

The Ramalhete Marine Station is located at the Ria Formosa lagoon National Park, a unique coastal mesotidal lagoon, separated from the ocean by a system of barrier islands and inlets, with very high biodiversity and an ideal natural laboratory protected by national and international legislation.
The station allows  experimental setups and enviromental and organisms monitoring.on salt marshes and salt pans.

For more information contact: ccmarcts@ualg.pt