The harvesting of limpets in the Azores is raising concerns due to the pressure on the mollusc population. According to the newspaper Açoriano Oriental, the current situation is even more severe than that recorded in the late 1980s, a period when this marine resource collapsed in the archipelago.
Gustavo M. Martins, a researcher at the Centre for Research in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), points out that the existing limpet population is currently smaller than 40 years ago, despite higher harvesting pressure. In 2024, over 100 tonnes of limpets were landed in Azorean markets. Limpets are found on all nine islands, with greater abundance on Flores, Corvo, São Jorge, Pico, and Faial.
