The fish reserve got its start in the beginning of 1994 with the introduction of Senate Local Bill 9-2 "A local Act to create a Fish Reserve in Sasanhaya in Rota, which shall extend from Põna Point
to the Coral Gardens and for other purposes". This bill was signed by the governor in October of 1994 and the dream of Rota Senator Ricardo S. Atalig became a reality.
This made the Coral Gardens the first M.P.A. (Marine Protected Area) in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
The Reserve encompasses an area from the east end of the sandy beach at Sagua to the wreck of the 7- Screws to the tip of Põna Point. The area is marked by white buoys.
Map courtesy of William "Bill" Pendergrass - BECQ Office - Rota
Rota MPA Notes
 1991 - WWII Shipwrecks, Three Japanese Submarine Chasers and a Japanese cargo ship the "Shoun Maru" were identified, documented
and placed in the National Park Services "Micronesia - Submerged Cultural Resources Assessment". A copy in pdf form is available here: Micronesia Submerged Cultural Resources Assessment
1994 - First MPA (Marine Protected Area) in the CNMI
1996 June 13 - A large section of the Coral Garden dive site area was destroyed when a U.S. Navy EOD team from Guam, with the
blessing of Saipan Governor Frolian Tenorio, detonated WWII Japanese depth charges.
1999 February 11 - Rota is first to intentionally sink two impounded Chinese human smuggling ships as diving sites.
The MPA area currently has six shipwrecks within its boundaries - Three Japanese WWII Submarine Chasers, one Japanese WWII cargo
ship "Shoun Maru" and Two modern Chinese ships (1 Trawler - Fishing boat & 1 River boat)
The Following Activities Are Prohibited!
No Fishing of any form
No Harvesting of any Marine Life
No Fish Feeding or Baiting
No Removal of live Corals
No Anchoring - Use only BECQ approved moorings
Penalties and fines for violations of the above prohibited activities
 $100 - $2500 / Sasanhaya Fish Reserve, Rota
Thought to Remember
"You can create all the marine parks you want, but unless the regulations are enforced, the parks mean nothing."
Back to Coral Garden page / Back to Dive Sites page
Dive Rota, P.O. Box 941, Rota MP 96951
E-mail: mark@diverota.com
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