Aquário da Madeira — Attraction in Porto Moniz

As a diver, it is essential to prioritize ethical practices and the conservation of marine life. Participating in a dive training program in an aquarium where sharks, manta rays, and other sea creatures are held captive contradicts these principles.

Aquariums are not natural environments for these animals, and keeping them in confined spaces can have negative impacts on their physical and emotional wellbeing. Moreover, aquariums frequently acquire animals through unethical means, such as capturing them from the wild or through breeding programs that prioritize financial gain over animal welfare.

By engaging in a dive training program in an aquarium, you are supporting an industry that profits from the exploitation of marine life. This goes against ethical diving practices that seek to minimize harm to sea creatures and promote conservation efforts.

Additionally, completing a dive training program in an aquarium can lead divers to develop a false image of natural behavior of these animals, since many studies have shown, that animals held in captivity often develop unnatural behavior.

Finally, earning the privilege of encountering these animals in their natural habitat can be a more rewarding and fulfilling experience for divers. Observing these creatures in the wild, if they allow it, offers an opportunity to witness them in their natural behavior, and it's a chance to see them in a more natural setting rather than in a tank. It also encourages divers to appreciate and respect the beauty and fragility of the marine ecosystem and inspire them to be better stewards of the ocean.

In conclusion, as a diver, it's unethical to participate in dive training programs in aquariums where marine animals are held captive. Instead, divers should seek out ethical dive training programs that promote conservation efforts and prioritize minimizing harm to marine life, and they should aim to earn the privilege of encountering these animals in their...

A little aquarium built inside a replica of a historic castle. Situated in the very heart of the beautiful Porto Moniz village, it was a lukewarm visit. With the rather hefty admission price of seven euros a person, you get to see one bigger tank (website claims it to be 500,000 liters in volume) and a bunch of smaller ones. Even then, the tour of it all is done in 30-something minutes.

What they have on display is an assortment of the typical Mediterranean and Macronesian species of fish and crab. There are some posters next to the aquariums listing the species that presumably live in the tanks. Unfortunately more often than not we found it hard to find all of the fish listed, prompting us to wonder whether they were all there to begin with. The posters also only listed the names of the species and some very basic info - nothing to really be learned from them. I wished for more of a chance to learn about the species on display.

This is by no means a marine research centre, this is a tourist attraction. The fish live in noticeably crowded tanks, and some display signs of sickness or aggressiveness, at least to a common spectator's eye. It does bring the ethicality of it all into question. Then again, watching the mighty rays and shark circle around within arm's length of you is a breathtaking experience. I would say the aquarium is a quick way to pass a little time indoors and to familiarise yourself with the local sea life. That is, if you're willing to pay up and don't find yourself too troubled with questions of ethics and...

The Madeira Aquarium is located in the replica of the São João Baptista fort. The original fort was built in 1730 in response to the many pirate attacks on the village. The Municipality acquired the ruins in 1998, later restoring them to their original state with help from remaining iconography.

Opened on 4th September 2005 with the goal of preserving and divulging the archipelago's marine biodiversity. In the Madeira Aquarium, there are more than 90 different native species, distributed in 12 exhibitions tanks.

The species that live in the aquarium were all captured within the geographical region of the archipelago. However, most species can also be found in the other Macaronesian Islands, such as the Azores, The Canary Island, and Cape Verde. Part of the species occurring in the seas of Madeira can also be found in the Mediterranean and, to a lesser extent, in the...