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Ricardo Serrão Santos, Honorary Researcher at OKEANOS – Institute of Marine Sciences of the University of the Azores, is participating in the colloquium A Autonomia Açoriana no Portugal Democrático: Balanço e Perspectivas (Azorean Autonomy in Democratic Portugal: Assessment and Perspectives), organised by CHAM Açores – Centre for the Humanities of the University of the Azores. The event is taking place on 26 and 27 October 2026, in Ponta Delgada, as part of the celebrations marking 50 years of Azorean Autonomy.

His presentation, entitled Jogos de Mar: autonomia, soberania e o «mar dos Açores» (Games of the Sea: Autonomy, Sovereignty and the “Sea of the Azores”), is scheduled for 27 October at 12:30 p.m., in the North Auditorium of the University of the Azores, as part of the panel Political Autonomy and Economic Sustainability.

Structured around four dimensions — space, power, wealth and knowledge — the presentation explores the evolution of regional and national responsibilities in ocean governance and questions how the economic importance of the sea is measured, with particular attention to the value of marine ecosystem services.

The development of regional scientific capacity, particularly on Faial Island, is illustrated through decades of research and recent investments in infrastructure, including MARTEC and the research vessel Azores Ocean. The presentation also addresses the conditions required to ensure that these investments translate into effective research capacity, as well as the risks associated with potential deep-sea mineral exploitation.

The reflection centres on one key idea: “The ‘Sea of the Azores’ is defined less by ownership than by responsibility.”