These are the advances presented by President Duque in the area of ocean preservation in Colombia

This Wednesday, March 23, the opening of the International Forum of Bioceanic Countries was held in the city of Cartagena. The event was attended by the President of the Republic, Iván Duque, who presented the progress and policies promoted by the Government of Colombia to protect its marine ecosystems.

“Colombia is today one of the leading countries in the world in strategies for the conservation of marine areas,” said the president and also warned that “the oceans are clearly being threatened. They are being threatened by the effects of climate change and are being threatened by practices that may end up having a greater impact on the effects and ravages of the climate crisis.”

In this regard, Duque pointed out that it is urgent to orient the policies of the bioceanic countries towards the conservation of marine areas:

“And to have greater and better clarity in the involvement of the private sector, to protect historic atolls and also protect coral reefs, which are a privilege and are home to the underwater life of about 45% of the species that are in the sea.”

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He also added during his speech:

“Every year, practices known today as trawling are dragging the equivalent of 1.3% of the oceans on our planet and destroying coral reefs around the world.”

This is how the first president came to the presentation of the advances in ocean preservation issues that have been made in the country:

“This year we are going to have 30% of Colombia's Marine Areas declared as protected areas,” he explained and at the same time highlighted that Colombia joined Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica last year to create the Hermandad Multinational Reserve, which is “today, by all accounts, the largest marine protected area in the world.”

He also assured that Colombia is proposing to UNESCO that the Gulf of Tribugá be declared as a world biosphere reserve and that it could be a unique place of protection in the world.

In line with the above, he cited the strategy to recover one million corals, in a work with international organizations such as Conservation International.

He also referred to the protection and recovery of mangroves in the coastal areas surrounding the Bay of Cispatá, in the Gulf of Morrosquillo, since these ecosystems are essential for carbon dioxide capture; and in the Isla de Salamanca National Park.

The president also highlighted the prohibition of any form of shark fishing, and the strengthening of mechanisms to combat trawling based on the Environmental Crimes Act.

Regarding oceanography, he said that soon the country will have the ARC Simon Bolivar, the largest oceanographic vessel in Colombia, which is being built in Cartagena, by Cotecmar, with the technical support and support of the Dutch shipyard Dame, which will provide a great capacity for research.

Finally, he presented the Ship Flag Law, the offshore clean energy production agenda and the network of centers, including Invemar, to make precise studies on all the underwater wealth of Colombia.

It should be said that global authorities on issues related to oceans and their sustainable use, as well as representatives of bioceanic countries, participate in the forum.

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