Daniel Pagán, Secretary Department of Natural and Environmental Resources P.O. Box 9066600 San Juan, PR 00906-6600
re: request for management plans for the Mona Island and Desecheo Island Marine Natural Reserves
Dear Secretary Pagán:
We, the (number) undersigned organizations representing over (number) people, respectfully request that Puerto Rico's Department of Natural and Environmental Resources take immediate action to develop management plans for the Mona Island Marine Natural Reserve and the Desecheo Island Marine Reserve, to halt coral reef damage and depletion of marine life.
The value of Mona and Desecheo's coral reefs has been recognized by the government of Puerto Rico. In October 1997 the Puerto Rico Planning Board created a marine protected area around Mona Island by expanding the already established Commonwealth Natural Reserve to include the coral reefs and marine waters up to 9 miles out from Mona Island. In March of 2000, the Puerto Rico Legislature created the Desecheo Marine Reserve, to include all marine waters within one half mile of the island as well as Desecheo's magnificent coral reefs.
Management plans are needed to prevent damage to these irreplaceable coral reefs from chemical and waste pollution, ship groundings, anchor damage, fish trap damage, and overfishing. The management plans should include mooring buoys, coastal construction buffer zones, limited "no-take" areas to restore fish abundance, and prohibitions on anchoring on coral, setting fish traps near coral and other destructive practices. Shipping Areas To Be Avoided should also be established to prevent ship groundings.
Therefore, we respectfully request that the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources give immediate and top priority to developing and implementing management plans for the Mona Island Marine Natural Reserve, and for the Desecheo Island Marine Reserve.
We look forward to your support for and early response to our request.
Respectfully submitted,
(endorsing organizations will be listed alphabetically)