On June 5 at the United Oceans Conference in New York City, Gabon announced that it will now be creating one of Africa’s largest ever marine protected areas. The new network, consisting of nine new national marine parks and 11 new aquatic reserves, means that combined with the country’s three existing marine zones, some 53,000 square kilometres of ocean will be protected.
The new marine parks will protect more than 20 species of whales and dolphins, including humpback whales and Atlantic humpback dolphins, and four species of marine turtles, among them the world’s largest breeding leatherback turtle population and the Atlantic Ocean’s largest breeding olive ridley turtle population. Marine Connection welcomes this news and makes us optimistic for the future survival of the many dolphin and whales species and other marine life that can be found in Gabon’s waters.
