Mexico City, Nov. 25 (IANS): The Mexican government has created a large marine reserve around a group of islands home to hundreds of species including rays, whales and sea turtles.
The Revillagigedo Archipelago is a group of volcanic islands off the country's south-east coast, BBC reported on Saturday.
With a protection zone of 150,000 km, it has become the largest ocean reserve in North America.
The move will mean all fishing activity will be banned, and the area will be patrolled by the navy.
The park was designated by a decree signed by Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto. It will also forbid natural resources being extracted from the land or the building of new hotel infrastructure.
The area, which is about 400 km south-east of the country's Baja California peninsula has been described as the Galapagos of North America, because of its volcanic nature and unique ecology.
