United Nations World Oceans Day 2021 : Expansion of the Panama's Cordillera de Coiba Managed Resources Area

United Nations World Oceans Day 2021 : Expansion of the Panama's Cordillera de Coiba Managed Resources Area

by David Shaw

As we celebrate World Oceans Day 2021, I'm pleased to share today's announcement by Panama of expansion of the country's Cordillera de Coiba Managed Resources Area. With this declaration, Panama becomes one of the few countries in the world to protect at least 30 percent of its waters.

A video describing this important initiative can be viewed here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM2TGDquK-4

Congratulations to the government of Panama, Mission Blue, the Blue Nature Alliance and others for this important accomplishment.

I had the honor of traveling to Panama’s Coiba region in 2012 to begin exploration of expanded stewardship opportunities.  Coiba park and associated marine reserves cover approximately 430,000 acres in Panama’s Gulf of Chiriqui. Because of it’s isolation and government travel restrictions, the area has flourished with only limited human contact.  Video from that expedition:

https://vimeo.com/114981329

Happy world oceans day !

David Shaw with Sylvia Earle

David Shaw explores Coiba’s Hannibal Bank via the submersible DeepSea

David Shaw with Minister Rubén Berrocal, (head of Panama’s Secretariat of Science and Technology in - SENACYT - in 2012)