?Protected marine areas management stagnating

TWO YEARS   after the government  declared 13.5% of  the country’s country’s total marine region   a protected area  for the study and conservation  of mountains or geological formations under the sea, “crucial” for migratory species, management plans have not been introduced..

The law that created the reserves, said that  the State had to establish management plans, allocate a budget, and  coordinate the security of reserves and research programs,  none of which has been done says a La Prensa investigation.

There has been no advance in the protection of The Cordillera de Coiba reserves in the Pacific Ocean and Volcan Bank in the Caribbean  according to Hector Guzman, a scientist of the Smithsonian,

The  researchers collaborated  in studies so that both sites acquired the category of reservations.

Isaías Ramos, from the Environmental Impact Center, points out that the biodiversity of these areas makes them “unique”, and it is “regrettable” that apparently were only created to comply with agreements.

However, the Ministry of Environment stated that the goal is to launch the management plans in 2018.