Reef/WallMarine Protected Area

Jardines de la Reina

Depth: 5–30 mLevel: Open WaterNovember-May

An archipelago of more than 600 cays running 150 km parallel to the Cuban coast. More than 60% of the park is seagrass meadow acting as a nursery for fish and lobster. Local guides tend to say these waters show what the whole Caribbean was like fifty years ago, and the data largely bear them out.

Depth

5–30 m

Recommended level

Open Water

Average visibility

35 m

Protection status

Jardines de la Reina National Park, 2,170 km². Protected as a marine reserve since 1996 and reclassified as a national park in 2010. Hope Spot since 2013

Did you know?

It is the most frequently cited example of what real protection can achieve: since 1996 fish populations have grown by between 30 and 50%, and these reefs hold ten times more sharks and groupers than the surrounding waters. Access is limited to around 2,000 visitors a year through a single authorised operator. There are black corals more than 4,000 years old.

Sources consulted: Wikipedia (Jardines de la Reina); Marine Conservation Institute; Global Conservation; Divernet; Dive The World

Location

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