The exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Madeira covers approximately 377 thousand km2 (an area 500 times its land surface), including all the sea within 200 nautical miles of the coasts of the archipelago. It takes in the Archipelago of Madeira and the Dragão, Leão, Unicórnio, Ampére, Seine and Suzana seamounts.

The Archipelago of Madeira is of volcanic origin and consists of the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo and two sub-archipelagos, the Desertas and the Selvagens (both of which are nature reserves). The underwater topography of this oceanic archipelago is characterised by the lack of a continental shelf (a rapid increase in depth as the distance from the coast increases), allowing oceanic marine species that inhabit deep waters to come closer to the coast, where they may be more easily sighted.

The seamounts are undersea mountains, volcanic in origin and conical in shape, that rise up at least 1000 metres from the sea floor, without breaking the surface of the sea. They provide habitats for marine species that do not dwell at the bottom of deep oceans. This type of relief can deflect deep currents and shift nutrients into the photic zone, generating upwellings, making them vital stopover points for migratory marine species such as cetaceans.