seaturtle.org : MTN : ARCHIVES : Sign In

Marine Turtle Newsletter 35:10, © 1985

Grounded Ferry Threatens Sea Turtle Habitat

On 15 February 1985, the 330-foot, 3,700 ton passenger and automobile ferry "A. Regina" ran aground on the fringing reef offshore from Playa de Pájaros at Mona Island. Mona lies between Puerto Rico and the eastern end of Hispaniola and is administered by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The island and its surrounding waters support one of the largest known nesting and feeding aggregations of hawksbills (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the Caribbean. All of the sandy beaches on Mona have been designated as Critical Habitat for nesting hawksbills. More importantly, the surrounding reef systems are considered to be prime developmental and feeding habitats for at least four species of endangered and threatened sea turtles.

During the nine months that the "A. Regina" has been grounded on the reef, the DNR has continued to call for its removal and to draw attention to the damage that is being caused to the reef. As the vessel rocks back and forth in the waves, it continues to grind against the coral, sending out a plume of silt that settles on live corals and on sponges. In October, two representatives from Greenpeace International visited the site of the wreck to assess the impact of the wreck on the surrounding environment. In addition to the effects of siltation upon the coral and sponges, further damage (both mechanical grinding and shading of coral) is being caused by debris washing from the interior of the ship. The area surrounding the "A. Regina" is littered with steel, glass, and pipes, and the coral and sponges are covered with plastic, ropes and fabric. It is suspected that the amount of debris will increase as the hull of the ship begins to break up. The physical crushing of coral and the covering of both coral and sponges by silt and debris may well have long term effects on foraging hawksbills in the area. In addition to other debris, an estimated 5 metric tons of diesel oil spilled and drifted ashore before the remainder could be offloaded in early March 1985. In all, 183 tons of fuel were offloaded, about 15 were spilled and some 12 remained aboard. Since that time, divers have seen additional oil leaking from the ship.

Both Greenpeace International and the Department of Natural Resources of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico are continuing their appeals to have the wreck removed before further damage is done, but thus far the response of the owners and insurers of the "A. Regina" have not been encouraging. The continued presence of the wreck constitutes an acute stress on a valuable ecosystem that is of prime importance to sea turtles.

The Greenpeace representatives, naval engineers and a representative of a salvage company have determined that the wreck is removable and a concurrent assessment determined that the removal would cause insignificant additional damage to the reef. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico has reportedly initiated legal action against the vessel's owners and insurers in Admiralty Court. Readers of the MTN are encouraged to obtain further information or to express their support or other views. Those who wish to do so may call or write Sr. Gilberto Cintrón, Department of Natural Resources, PO Box 5887, Puerto de Tierra, Puerto Rico 00906. [Telephone (809) 722-5938] (Based on information provided by Greenpeace International and the Department of Natural Resources of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico).