This is a big year for Costa Rica’s one and only Isla del Coco, Cocos Island National Park, as it received this week the “Blue Park” award for its condition as Global Ocean Refuge in the Gold category of the Marine Conservation Institute which promotes Marine Protected Areas that comply with certain standards of management and effectiveness.

Cocos Island was nominated as a candidate back in July this year in an joint effort by the Government, the Ministry of Environment and the foundation Amigos Isla del Coco (Friends Cocos Island) .

“This is recognition of the efforts our country has made historically to protect biodiversity and it motivates us to strengthen the work done for the oceans, of the biggest challenges we have. This is the result of those that were here before our time and made visionary decisions that place us as an example worldwide”, said president of Costa Rica, Carlos Alvarado.

“For Costa Rica it is an honor to have a Blue Park and that our treasured Isla del Coco is part of this network of protected marine areas, recognized globally. This award is an important achievement in matters of conservation and the result of public-private alliances to protect the environment and make a sustainable use of our resources”, commented Minister of Environment , Carlos Manuel Rodriguez.

The Global Ocean Refuge System aims to safeguard marine biodiversity by assembling a strategic network of effective marine protected areas (MPA’s) that includes replicate representation of all marine habitats in each bio-geographic region and supports marine population persistence.

“Our goal is to recognize those MPAs that deliver on biodiversity conservation, really protecting our ocean environment and inspiring others around the world to strongly protect at least 30% of the ocean’s most important places by 2030,” said Dr. Lance Morgan, President of Marine Conservation Institute. “Blue Park recognition provides regional examples of successful efforts and serves as a road map for others as we strive to protect our oceans for generations to come.”

The network now includes 16 Blue Parks covering 1,669,388 km2 or 644,404 mi2 of ocean (approximately the size of Alaska or Iran, or 3 times the size of Kenya). These outstanding marine protected areas are securing lasting protection for marine biodiversity and their hard-won recognition has already inspired others to work towards a Blue Park Award