Effective January 1, 2026, following legislation approved in October 2024, the Azores’ network of marine protected areas (MPAs) covers 30% of the archipelago’s waters (287,000 km²), making it the largest MPA network in the North Atlantic. It aligns with the global targets of the Kunming-Montreal Framework (“30x30”). Resulting from a participatory process involving multiple sectors (fishing, tourism, NGOs), the network of 63 MPAs is divided equally (50/50). It includes “highly” protected zones (allowing low-impact extractive activities) and “fully” protected zones where all extraction is strictly prohibited. The waters of the Azores (representing 55% of Portuguese waters) are home to a wealth of habitats and species, including cetaceans, sharks, turtles, seabirds, deep-sea corals, and hydrothermal vents. Shortly after the network took effect, a proposal backed by the Socialist Party and the canned tuna industry sought to authorize rod-and-line fishing in the fully protected zones. Following intense controversy and a behind-the-scenes political agreement, the Azores Parliament rejected the proposal to open the total no-fishing zones to fishing. The “no-fishing” principle was maintained in the fully protected zones (while rod-and-reel fishing was permitted only in highly protected areas). Environmental groups hailed the decision as “historic” for the integrity of the reserves, while the Fisheries Federation expressed disappointment, deeming the government’s financial compensation insufficient given the economic impact on the sector.