Areia Vermelha

Areia Vermelha lies within the first fully marine protected area on the coast of Paraíba, about 1 km from Camboinha beach, in Cabedelo. The name comes from a sandbank bordered by the reef line, which only emerges at low tide and reaches about 2 km in length.

More than a century ago, the reefs of the northern coast of Paraíba, including Areia Vermelha, were targeted for the extraction of large quantities of coral to produce lime. Until the mid-1990s, Areia Vermelha was used essentially for fishing, and only afterwards did tourism begin. The uses and abuses that took place there led to the creation of the park by State Decree No. 21.263 of 28 August 2000, to protect the reef and regulate tourism and fishing. The gorgonian Plexaurella grandiflora, reported as abundant on the reef in 1904 and in 1970, was not seen in a survey carried out in 2008.

In the natural pools, visitors observe fish, algae and cnidarians, and the park is home to 61 fish species from 31 families. On the reef flat, zoanthids and the corals Siderastrea stellata and Favia gravida can be fully exposed out of the water or sit in pools. The reef is also home to the corals Montastraea cavernosa, Mussismilia harttii, Mussismilia hispida, Porites astreoides and Porites branneri, as well as the gorgonian Muriceopsis sulphurea. The molluscs Voluta ebraea and Turbinella laevigata, endemic to Northeast Brazil, occur in the park and are vulnerable because they are used in the marine ornamental trade. The water in the park is murky for most of the year, and the clear-water season usually runs from December to February, with the calm summer weather.