Pedra da Risca do Meio State Marine Park
Encyclopedia
Pedra da Risca do Meio State Marine Park ("Parque Estadual Marinho da Pedra da Risca do Meio" in Portuguese) is a marine protected area
Marine Protected Area
Marine Protected Areas, like any protected area, are regions in which human activity has been placed under some restrictions in the interest of conserving the natural environment, it's surrounding waters and the occupant ecosystems, and any cultural or historical resources that may require...

 in the state of Ceará
Ceará
Ceará is one of the 27 states of Brazil, located in the northeastern part of the country, on the Atlantic coast. It is currently the 8th largest Brazilian State by population and the 17th by area. It is also one of the main touristic destinations in Brazil. The state capital is the city of...

, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

.

The park was created by state law in September 1997, and was named after "Pedra da Risca do Meio", the popular name given by local artisanal fishermen
Artisan fishing
Artisan fishing is a term used to describe small scale low-technology commercial or subsistence fishing practices. The term particularly applies to coastal or island ethnic groups using traditional techniques such as rod and tackle, arrows and harpoons, throw nets and drag nets, and traditional...

 to a reef
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....

 formation inside the area of the park. It is located about 10 nautical mile
Nautical mile
The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator...

s from the shoreline of the city of Fortaleza
Fortaleza
Fortaleza is the state capital of Ceará, located in Northeastern Brazil. With a population close to 2.5 million , Fortaleza is the 5th largest city in Brazil. It has an area of and one of the highest demographic densities in the country...

, and covers an area of about 33 km².

The park has many underwater reef formations, with an average depth ranging from 16 to 36 meters, rich in marine life. Underwater fishing is forbidden inside the area of the park, however, contemplative scuba diving
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....

is permitted, and the park often receives professional and amateur divers. The average temperature of the water is about 27 °C during all the year.

External links

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