The U.S. territory of Puerto Rico recently gained \u00ad\u00ad\u00ada new marine protected area off the island\u2019s central north coast.<\/p>\n
The MPA, named Jardines Submarinos de Vega Baja y Manat\u00ed or the Vega Baja and Manat\u00ed Underwater Gardens, spans 202 square kilometers (77 square miles) and is the culmination of a 16-year effort by \u00ad\u00ada coalition of local communities and NGOs.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s comprised of several critically important ecosystems, including coral reefs, mangrove forests and seagrass beds, and is home to more than a dozen threatened species, including the greater Caribbean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus) and several species of sea turtles.<\/p>\n
\u201cJuvenile sea turtles foraging in the shallow coral reef and seagrass habitats will receive added protection with zoning designed to reduce potential conflicts with recreational vessels,\u201d Wildlife Conservation Society scientists told Mongabay in an email. \u201cThis will also afford protection to various species of corals that grow there,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n
The new MPA is also a site for local small-scale fishing and several ecotourism projects. The coalition organized to establish the MPA so it can continue to be used by locals and at the same time protect the resources they rely on for sustenance and revenue.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese ecosystems nourish us and sustain our quality of life,\u201d Ricardo Laureano, leading member of Vegabaje\u00f1os Impulsando Desarrollo Ambiental Sustentable (VIDAS), said in a press release. VIDAS is one of the local groups that organized to establish the MPA.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt took 16 years of hard work, starting in 2007, to get here. Over the years, we rallied neighbors, knocked on doors, and engaged local and national leaders to highlight the critical need to protect this Reserve,\u201d Laureano said.<\/p>\n
Vega Baja y Manat\u00ed joins more than 30 other marine protected areas in Puerto Rican waters. More than 27% of the island\u2019s territorial waters are protected, placing Puerto Rico well on the path of achieving the international goal of protecting 30% of the Earth\u2019s land and water by the year 2030.<\/p>\n
Puerto Rico\u2019s MPAs, including this newest one, are part of the Caribbean Biological Corridor that stretches from Puerto Rico to Cuba. The region is a biodiversity hotspot full of endemic and threatened species, including several species of sea turtles, manta rays, whales and sharks. By establishing a biological corridor of protected areas, local conservation advocates say they hope to connect habitats in a way that allows for safe migration between them.<\/p>\n
The coalition that established Vega Baja y Manat\u00ed is now working on a co-management plan, which will determine what the MPA can achieve in terms of protection.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe vision of the plan is to zone areas within the MPA to reduce conflicting uses that affect the flora and fauna as well as their critical habitats (coral reefs, seagrasses, and mangroves) in the coastal areas,\u201d the Wildlife Conservation Society scientists said.<\/p>\n