Project for Beach Monitoring in the Santos Basin Celebrates Ten Years

The largest Brazilian offshore sedimentary basin has been making history—and not just in oil and gas production. The Santos Basin Beach Monitoring Project (PMP-BS), which has just completed ten years, has become a benchmark in biodiversity monitoring.
 
Implemented by Petrobras within the scope of the federal environmental licensing process, conducted by Ibama, the project performs daily and meticulous work involving several institutions and approximately 600 professionals, covering the coastline from Laguna (SC) to Saquarema (RJ), totaling 1,500 km of shore.
 
"Through the project's actions, we have deepened our knowledge of biodiversity with information that has become valuable input for the company, academia, public policy, and local communities," says Petrobras' Environmental Management Manager for the Exploration and Production area, Guilherme Senna. "Implementing a project of this magnitude represents the challenge of integrating science, environmental management, and large-scale logistics along an extensive coastal strip with diverse geographic characteristics," he assesses. 

Monitoring, Rescues, Veterinary Care, and Analyses 

The figures from the PMP-BS highlight the scope of the initiative. Over ten years, professionals responsible for beach monitoring have covered more than 3.2 million kilometers. During this period, 183,000 occurrences were recorded, of which 23,777 animals were found alive but in a weakened state. These animals were sent for rehabilitation, enabling the release of more than 5,500 individuals back into the wild.
 
As for the animals found dead, when in suitable condition, they undergo necropsy—a procedure performed by veterinarians to identify the possible causes of death. This analysis contributes significantly to understanding the environmental impacts affecting marine fauna.
 
To support these actions, the PMP-BS relies on 17 facilities within the veterinary care network, which receive both live weakened animals for rehabilitation and carcasses for necropsy. 

Which Marine Animals Are the "Champions" of the PMP-BS? 

In the ranking of sightings recorded by the PMP-BS, the "champion" is the Magellanic penguin, with 63,552 individuals, followed by the green sea turtle (52,652), the Manx shearwater (8,506), the loggerhead turtle (8,156), the kelp gull (7,785), the brown booby (7,415), and the La Plata dolphin (5,612). 

Turning Data into Science

Over the past decade, the PMP-BS has established itself as a vital tool for the knowledge and protection of marine fauna, bringing together a vast database that transforms information into science. The collected data have been used for the development of scientific studies and conservation strategies, to support public policies, academic research, and environmental education in coastal communities.
 
Based on this data, 81 scientific articles, ten doctoral theses, 29 master's dissertations, 26 undergraduate theses, and 127 conference abstracts have been produced, in addition to providing input for national action plans for the conservation of endangered species.
 
Furthermore, the environmental education activities of the PMP-BS have also reached thousands of people through school lectures, training programs, tourist awareness campaigns, and dialogues with residents of coastal towns and local institutions, reinforcing the project's integration with local communities.

Ten Highlights in Ten Years of the PMP-BS

1. 3.2 million kilometers of beaches monitored;
2. 17 Veterinary Care Network facilities in operation;
3. Participation of six institutions from Remasul (Stranding Network of Aquatic Mammals of the South) and six from Remase (Stranding Network of Aquatic Mammals of the Southeast), plus two Tamar bases and several specialized laboratories;
4. A total of 183,000 recorded occurrences of marine animals on monitored beaches;
5. More than 72,000 records of species threatened with extinction according to IUCN criteria (Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable);
6. The Wilson's storm-petrel (Oceanites oceanicus) is one of the smallest species found by the PMP-BS, measuring up to 20 cm in length and weighing around 25 grams;
7. The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is one of the largest species found by the PMP-BS, reaching up to 16 meters in length and 40 tons in weight;
8. More than 5,550 animals rehabilitated and released back into the wild;
9. Involvement of about 600 professionals at present;
10. More than 140 scientific works produced (articles, doctoral theses, master's dissertations, and undergraduate theses) and over 120 abstracts presented at conferences. 

How to Contact the PMP-BS 

Beachgoers in the municipalities covered by the project can collaborate by contacting the teams whenever they spot a marine animal—alive or dead—through the following phone numbers:

PMP Area SC/PR and Area SP – 0800 642-3341
PMP Area RJ (from Paraty to Praia da Vila in Saquarema) – 0800 999-5151