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Colombia Creates New Marine Reserve, Protecting Coral Reefs and Wildlife in the Caribbean Sea
Remote coral atolls now under protection harbor abundant sealife, including 32 threatened species — corals, sharks, queen triggerfish and more
Photo by Manu San Félix, National Geographic Pristine Seas
(June 11, 2025) — At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice, France, leaders from Colombia announced protection of two remote coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea, remarkable for diverse marine life. Together, the new Serranilla and Bajo Nuevo marine protected area (MPA) encompasses 3,800 square kilometers.
“This new reserve will strengthen our capacity to protect the biodiversity of the territory against pressure caused by fishing and preserve this territory as a protected area for our Raizal ethnic community and for the benefit of all,” stated Quincy Alberto Bowie Gordon, Director of the Corporation for the Sustainable Development of the Archipelago of San Andrés, Providencia, and Santa Catalina (CORALINA), a public entity that spearheaded the establishment of the new MPA. “Furthermore, we are contributing our grain of sand to the commitment to protect 30% of our oceans by 2030. We hope that other countries participating in the United Nations Ocean Conference will join us in announcing bold measures to protect the waters that sustain life on Earth."
Colombia is one of the world's “megadiverse” countries, with a coastline 2,900 km long. The country ranks first in bird and orchid species diversity and second in butterflies, freshwater fishes and amphibians.
Speaking from UNOC3, Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and founder of Pristine Seas noted: “Colombia already achieved the 30% target before 2030, but they aren’t stopping there. Now the San Andrés, Providencia and Santa Catalina province is protecting the two most remote coral atolls in the Colombian Caribbean because they know that protection delivers multiple benefits to society.”
In 2022, National Geographic Pristine Seas partnered with the Colombian Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and the Colombian Ocean Commission for a scientific expedition to study the health of these ecosystems which had rarely been assessed. The team documented a dazzling array of sealife: Serranilla and Bajo Nuevo are home to over 150 species of fish, 40 species of coral, 25 different species of sponges, and many more species of algae (64), molluscs (11), and seabirds (17).
"Bajo Nuevo and Serranilla showcase Colombia's incredible marine biodiversity at its finest - remote reefs where shark populations thrive and Caribbean corals still flourish,” said Juan S. Mayorga, a marine scientist with Pristine Seas. These 3,000 square kilometers represent critical refuges for sharks and marine life that have been lost from much of the Caribbean. This designation is a major win for Colombian ocean conservation and shows what's possible when science and local leadership come together,” he continued.
One notable species found in both reefs is the striking queen triggerfish (Balistes vetula), adorned with blue stripes and lips. Using their strong jaws and sharp teeth, these fish feed on spiky sea urchins and other hard-shelled creatures clinging to the corals and the rocky seafloor. By keeping the sea urchin populations under control, they play a key role in maintaining balance in the complex coral reef ecosystem.
Pristine Seas also documented an impressive diversity of sharks during the 2022 expedition, including four endangered species — such as the great hammerhead shark — and two species of deep sea sharks that had never been seen before in the archipelago. Given the dire status of sharks across the Caribbean, the observations signal that the reefs in Serranilla and Bajo Nuevo are amongst the best conserved in the region.
The new Serranilla and Bajo Nuevo MPA is the 30th marine reserve that Pristine Seas has helped to create through its research work. The team sends its scientists and filmmakers aboard expeditions — at the request of governments — to study the health of the ocean and fill critical data gaps. Pristine Seas then makes recommendations for the most important areas to protect and creates documentaries about local communities’ special connection to the sea.
In Colombia, the expedition team conducted a staggering 46 dives and spent more than 100 hours underwater.
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About National Geographic Pristine Seas
National Geographic Pristine Seas works with Indigenous and local communities, governments, and other partners to protect vital places in the ocean through research, policy, and filmmaking. Since 2008, Pristine Seas has helped establish 30 marine protected areas, spanning more than 6.9 million square kilometers of ocean.
Pristine Seas is part of the global non-profit, the National Geographic Society. Our mission is driven by science and filmmaking — we are fully independent from National Geographic publishing and its media arm.
Pristine Seas' work is made possible through the generous support of the Beagle Charitable Foundation, Allison Bennington, Bezos Earth Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, The Campbell Foundation, Disney Conservation Fund, Don Quixote Foundation, The Heinz Family Foundation, Anne K. Howson, Levy Foundation, LGT Venture Philanthropy, Lindblad Expeditions– National Geographic Fund, Look and See Foundation, Ann Luskey, Oracle, Philip Stephenson Foundation, Postcode Lottery Group, Rituals, Serventi Family Foundation, Tanka Foundation, Ted and Michele Waitt–TTMMC Fund, UBS Optimus Foundation, Walmart Foundation, an anonymous donor, and other individual donors.
About The National Geographic Society
The National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3 million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences, stories and content.
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