Aibat, Saad ad-Din and Saba Wanak Marine Protected Area (Zeila Archipelago)

PERSGA-designated marine protected area near Zeila (Saylac), Somaliland/NW Somalia, covering Aibat and Saad ad-Din (Zeila Archipelago) islands plus the adjacent Saba Wanak coastline. About 300 km2; contains the largest coral-reef area in the Gulf of Aden, extensive mangroves/salt-marsh, major seabird colonies and turtle nesting. Selected for PERSGA's regional MPA network under the Dec 2005 Protocol; IUCN and local authorities established protection and monitored fishers here after the 2004 tsunami. Coral collection and turtle/shark exploitation are flagged threats the MPA aims to control.