HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 20 (ACN) The Blue Park Award was granted for the first time to a protected marine area in Cuba: the Jardines de la Reina National Park, located south of the provinces of Ciego de Avila and Camaguey, in central Cuba.
The head of Cuba’s mission to the United States, Lianys Torres Rivera, announced on Twitter that the Marine Conservation Institute’s award is for the conservation and protection of coral reefs in the archipelago.
The Marine Conservation Institute is a U.S. non-profit organization for ocean conservation, which works in the identification and protection of vulnerable ocean ecosystems around the world.
According to Travel Trade Caribbean magazine, the Blue Park Awards aim to encourage countries to safeguard marine wildlife, secure sensitive habitats, promote resilience to climate change and safeguard the beauty of the oceans.
So far, 21 marine protected areas have been granted Blue Park status.
Cuba’s Jardines de la Reina National Park is an archipelago stretching 72.5 nautical miles that holds the largest marine reserve in the Caribbean.