Dominican Republic - Sanctuary of Marine Mammals Banks of La Plata and Christmas

Marine Mammals Sanctuary Bancos de La Plata and Navidad created by Decree No. 319 of October 14, 1986, is one of the first protected areas of this nature established worldwide, being the largest marine protected area in the Dominican Republic and the first sanctuary of marine mammals created in the Atlantic Ocean. Currently belongs to Category I, Scientific Reserve in the National System of Protected Areas, which corresponds to a Natural Strict / Wild Area of IUCN. The protected area is made up of the Banco de la Plata, the Banco del Pañuelo and the Banco de la Navidad, part of the Samaná bay and the intermediate waters in the banks and the aforementioned bay, including the coastal waters of part of the area North of the island of Santo Domingo between Francés cape and the bay of San Lorenzo, called Scottish bay. The conservation unit has an area of 19,438 square miles. This conservation unit extends from the Banco de La Plata on the northern boundary of the exclusive economic zone of the Dominican Republic, to the coast of Seibo province to the northeast of the island of Santo Domingo.