After 16 years of grassroots efforts, local communities in northern Puerto Rico are celebrating the creation of a new marine protected area (MPA) – Jardines Submarinos de Vega Baja y Manatí. The newly-established MPA encompasses 202.7 km² (77 square miles) of coastal coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds home to more than 14 endangered species, including the Greater Caribbean Manatee. The area also hosts vibrant small-scale fisheries and a local ecotourism industry, and communities hope that new efforts to formally co-manage Jardines as an MPA will allow its waters to…
Read MoreGrassroots Movement Protects 200 km² of Puerto Rico’s Ocean Ecosystems
