Pedra da Risca do Meio State Marine Park, Marine state park off Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Pedra da Risca do Meio State Marine Park is a 3,320-hectare marine protected area about 18.5 km northeast of Mucuripe port in Fortaleza. Its seabed of sand and gravel holds roughly linear rock outcrops 1 to 3 metres high, called riscas by local fishermen, at depths of 16 to 30 metres. The park also contains the wreck of a Bandeirante airplane, now an artificial reef.
The government established this marine conservation area in 1997 to protect marine species and restore sustainable fishing practices. The creation of this protected zone represented an effort to preserve the sea resources of the region.
Local fishermen call the submerged rock formations 'riscas', which act as natural anchoring points for microorganisms that feed the marine food chain. This local naming reflects how the fishing community understands and uses the marine environment.
Reaching the park requires a boat trip of about 50 minutes from Mucuripe port, where visitors can dive and observe marine life. Allow extra time for travel and check local conditions before planning your visit.
Among the submerged rock formations lies the wreck of a Bandeirante airplane, listed as underwater archaeological heritage and now serving as an artificial reef. Depths across the park range from 16 to 30 metres, and the rocky riscas rise only 1 to 3 metres above the sandy-gravel bottom.
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