Summary
Los Roques Archipelago National Park was created in 1972 to protect a marine
ecosystem of exceptional beauty and ecological value dominated by coral reefs,
mangroves, and seagrass beds. The park, located about 130 km from the
Venezuela's mainland coast, covers 221,120 ha, making it the largest marine
park in the Caribbean Sea. Long before it was declared a national park, an
important fishing practice was establishing in the archipelago, one that developed
into the small native town of Gran Roque Island, which produces 90% of the
lobster for consumption in Venezuela. In 1996, Los Roques was declared a
Ramsar site because of its importance as a reservoir of biodiversity and food
resources. Over the past ten years, tourism has replaced fishing as the main
economic activity. More than 50 thousand tourists, who stay in any of 60 available
lodges, visit the park yearly. Today, the town has more than 1,200 residents and
its tourism services are becoming insufficient.
Biodiversity
This national park protects one of the highest-quality coral reefs with respect to
species diversity, area of live coverage, and low incidence of diseases in all the
Caribbean. Los Roques harbors about 61 species of corals, 200 species of
crustaceans, 140 species of mollusks, 45 species of echinoderms, 60 species of
sponges, and 280 species of fish. In addition, 92 bird species, 50 of which are
migratory, can be seen in the park. Four globally endangered sea turtle species
nest regularly on the islands, including the most important nesting site for
Eretmochelys imbricata in Venezuela.
Threats
Los Roques is one of the best parks in the country in terms of its conservation,
and it boasts an important community of allies; hence, solving its threats is more
feasible in comparison with other national parks. Current threats include the lack
of adequate personnel and infrastructure, solid waste contamination, wastewater
management, and illegal fishing. The growth, both of the tourist industry and the
population of Gran Roque, could become a serious threat to the biological
integrity of this park, which is why ParksWatch considers it vulnerable. However,
implementation of an ambitious insular development project proposed by the
Ministry of the Environment could be the solution to these threats
