Dominican Republic

Marine Protected Areas in The Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the eastern side of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti. The Dominican Republic is on the Atlantic Ocean to the North and the Caribbean Sea to the South, and has 1, 288 km of coastline and its Exclusive Economic Zone is approximately 255,898 sq km.

Marine protected areas in The Dominican Republic include national parks, marine sanctuaries, and natural monuments among others. According to the Vice Ministry Coastal and Marine Resources, there are 34 Marine Protected Areas. The effectiveness of marine management in The Dominican Republic is limited due to lack of funding and resources to develop and efficiently implement management plans.

In May of 2008, the government of The Dominican Republic, alongside leaders from other Caribbean nations committed to protecting nearly 20 percent of their marine and coastal habitat by 2020. With support from the Nature Conservancy the Caribbean Challenge was launched, a region-wide campaign to protect the health of the Caribbean’s lands and waters.