The Regional Secretary for the Sea, Science and Technology stated in Horta the priorities for 2017 in the areas under his jurisdiction: increase in the income of fishers and improvement of their living conditions, management and redevelopment of the coastline, marine environmental monitoring, scheduling and frequency of calls for doctoral and post-doctoral grants, and application to support scientific research.
 
Speaking at the end of the hearings at the Committees on Parliamentary Affairs, Environment and Labour and Economic and Social Affairs, Gui Menezes stated that the planned investment for 2017 in Fisheries, Maritime Affairs and Science and Technology reaches an overall amount of 59 million Euros, representing an increase of about 20% over the previous year.
 
For the Regional Secretary, the investment in knowledge, common to all areas under his jurisdiction, "is the basis for the development of the Region."
 
In the area of fisheries, Gui Menezes stressed the need to promote human capital through increased investment in vocational training, adding that the plan provides for the allocation of support to associations, local and coastal fishing fleet as well as measures to foster the emergence of economic activities such as aquaculture.
 
Gui Menezes also mentioned an allocation over two million Euros to finance various cooperation agreements with IMAR for the sustainable management of fishing resources, fishing surveillance and inspection activities, and the implementation of the new monitoring programme for habitats and coastal resources.
 
With regard to the Maritime Affairs, "the budget for this year provides for an investment of 13 million Euros in the management and redevelopment of the coastal areas" of several islands of the archipelago as part of the Region's strategy for adaptation to climate change.
 
In this context, the government official highlighted the investment on the north coast of São Miguel, more specifically in Rabo de Peixe, as well as the "cooperation with regional municipalities for the protection and stabilisation of coastal areas," through ARAAL contracts.
 
Gui Menezes stated that "the Maritime School, whose works are going at a good pace, will benefit from an investment of about 4.5 million Euros intended for the purchase of the necessary equipment so that it may enter into operation in 2018."
 
With regard to monitoring, promotion, monitoring and marine environmental actions, he ensured the continuity of the Strategic Programme for the Azores Marine Environment (PEAMA), which aims to meet the obligations under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) and the Natura 2000 Network.
 
Gui Menezes also stressed that the Government of the Azores will take all steps towards the introduction of an amendment to the Basic Law on Planning and Management of National Maritime Space and to the Legal Scheme on Planning and Management of National Maritime Space in order to ensure the compliance with the Region's own powers.
 
In regard to Science and Technology, the Regional Secretary stressed "the focus on the frequency and scheduling of applications to support scientific research projects and calls for doctoral and post-doctoral grants."
 
Gui Menezes stressed further investments in the promotion of projects developed in the Space field, the creation of an Aquaculture Centre on Faial and the construction of TERINOV - Science Technology Park of Terceira.