Article Summary:

National Geographic is reporting that Costa Rica has just announced the creation of a large new marine protected area (MPA) around Cocos Island National Park. This new 9,640-square-kilometer MPA, called the Seamounts Marine Management Area, encompasses a group of deep seamounts located 35 miles south of Cocos, plus other important waters for shark and tuna nearby.

Purse seining for tuna is now outlawed in this area, but long-lining for tuna in some of its waters will still be allowed, which may still have a significant impact on the shark population. (Image © Conservation International/ photo by Sterling Zumbrunn.)