By 2009, protected areas and Natura 2000 sites covered about 130 000 ha of coastal waters, including all estuaries and rias,33 the most significant coastal lagoons, as well as a significant part of sand dune and rocky coastal area. Five new marine protected areas are being considered under the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR Convention). Portugal is transposing the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC). An action plan to protect the bottlenose dolphin in the Sado estuary was adopted in 2009. About half was co-financed by the EU, including through the LIFE Nature and INTERREG programmes.