In April, after 10 years of negotiations, Peru’s Council of Ministers approved the creation of the Grau Tropical Sea National Reserve. To Peruvians, it is a much-awaited marine protected area, as it’s one of the most biodiverse stretches along the country’s coastline. The reserve covers just over 115,675 hectares (285,840 acres) of sea off the departments of Piura and Tumbes in northern Peru. Although small, it is significant due to the rich biodiversity found there, according to experts. The IUCN ranked the area among the 70 most important places in the world for marine biodiversity conservation. The head of the National Service of Natural Protected Areas (SERNANP), José Carlos Nieto Navarrete, pointed out that the reserve’s creation will allow Peru to progress towards complying with international commitments for marine area conservation. The creation of the Grau Tropical Sea National Reserve (RNMTG) has been described by experts as a milestone for the country. However, the challenges Peru faces in conserving its seas remain great. Including the new reserve, Peru has protected less than 10% of its marine territory and remains far from the internationally agreed goal of protecting 30% of marine habitat by 2030 (the so-called 30×30 goal). Furthermore, ensuring the effective conservation of this important newly created marine area will be a serious challenge given the existing hydrocarbon-extraction and fishing interests in the area. The richness of the tropical sea The Grau’s Sea is a unique place formed by the convergence of two marine ecosystems: the warm tropical waters of…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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