The European project has published a list of EUNIS habitats identified for the Azores region, which includes proposals for new classes (tempera et al., 2013). Identifies 90 benthic habitats previously listed in EUNIS and 81 not included in the list. The authors therefore propose to include them, and indicate 18 previously identified habitats requiring amendment, making a total of 196 EUNIS habitats in the AAR (tempera et al., 2013). The exposure of coastal margins to intense oceanographic conditions is significant, given the small size of island platforms and the sharp drop of the slopes, which are adjacent to the islands of the Azores. In this context, marine habitats in this part of the North-East Atlantic support characteristic habitats of highly exposed waves and ocean currents (Gubbay et al., 2016).

The European project has published a list of EUNIS habitats identified for the Azores region, which includes proposals for new classes (tempera et al., 2013). Identifies 90 benthic habitats previously listed in EUNIS and 81 not included in the list. The authors therefore propose to include them, and indicate 18 previously identified habitats requiring amendment, making a total of 196 EUNIS habitats in the AAR (tempera et al., 2013). The exposure of coastal margins to intense oceanographic conditions is significant, given the small size of island platforms and the sharp drop of the slopes, which are adjacent to the islands of the Azores. In this context, marine habitats in this part of the North-East Atlantic support characteristic habitats of highly exposed waves and ocean currents (Gubbay et al., 2016).

The European project has published a list of EUNIS habitats identified for the Azores region, which includes proposals for new classes (tempera et al., 2013). Identifies 90 benthic habitats previously listed in EUNIS and 81 not included in the list. The authors therefore propose to include them, and indicate 18 previously identified habitats requiring amendment, making a total of 196 EUNIS habitats in the AAR (tempera et al., 2013). The exposure of coastal margins to intense oceanographic conditions is significant, given the small size of island platforms and the sharp drop of the slopes, which are adjacent to the islands of the Azores. In this context, marine habitats in this part of the North-East Atlantic support characteristic habitats of highly exposed waves and ocean currents (Gubbay et al., 2016).

To estimate loss of seabed habitats, impacts were considered to be the main impacts caused by artificial coastal works, submarine cables and pipelines, and submarine scientific observatories. The pressure on port infrastructure, defence and bathing infrastructures analysed by level and degree of coastal artificalisation is considered to be relatively low (10 % of the artificial coastal strip). There are currently 14 submarine communication cables installed in the Azores and the most recent in 2013 (Faial-Flores-CorvoGraciosa) have been completed, with a total length in the EEZ of ca. 3 350 km. For the submarine pipelines, there are 3 in the Azores region located on the island of São Miguel (Ponta Delgada, Lagoa and Vila Franca do Campo), the total length of these structures is 2.6 km. In the Azores Islands, 8 scientific observatories are identified, however, there is no information on their impacts on the seabed.