Sint Maarten Waters Recognized as an Important Shark and Ray Area Under Iucn Global Standard

The Sint Maarten Insular Shelf has been designated an Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA), a global benchmark established by the IUCN Species Survival Commission's Shark Specialist Group. The Caribbean Shark Coalition welcomed this recognition, which identifies the waters off the island's southern coast as critical for the survival of threatened sharks and rays. Covering approximately 72.76 square kilometers and reaching depths of 300 meters, the ISRA overlaps the existing Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area. The designation was based on nearly a decade of field research by Nature Foundation Sint Maarten, Beneath the Waves, Operation Swimway Caribbean, and partners, meeting ISRA criteria for Vulnerability, Reproductive Areas, and Resting Areas.