Almost six years ago the first dives began in search of an objective assessment of the coral reefs of the La Isleta-Bahía de Nuevas Grandes ecological reserve, in the northernmost of Las Tunas municipalities. 

Las Tunas, Cuba.- Expert eyes from some stations in the country verified the wealth settled on the seabed and that is where the project that today is emerging as an ecotourism destination in Las Tunas was born.

To date, thousands of dives later, the preservation of corals has become one of the central themes of the conservation projects led by the ecological reserve, not only because they are the first barrier to weather events, but also because they have become an important ecosystem for the life of many species that are now seen in its environment.

Diversity, as a result of the health of the corals, becomes essential for the future promotion of ecotourism, a modality that is already managed by the Company for Flora and Fauna in Manatí. Pedro Aguilera González, the main specialist in the area, assures that they are currently implementing a monitoring system to detect the health status of the corals, taking into account the meteorological events that have occurred.

“We are immersed in the creation of nurseries to foster this marine species, the expert points out. Now, stones are collected and treated on the seashore, in the water, to be able to insert the coral. It is something totally new. We are going to take advantage of this technique in order to reforest some parts where there are no corals and we want to increase their population.”

The coral reefs project is the youngest of its kind at La Isleta. The latest dives that include the use of a water camera, an old desire that has finally materialized, allow the development of a better and greater study of these marine species.

The Company for Flora and Fauna in Manatí carries out evaluations, from the ecological point of view, to promote the preservation of the coral reefs that due to its natural values and unique beauty could become a destination that attracts visitors interested in ecotourism.