Reserva Marina Bajo Cope (Bajo Cope Marine Reserve)

Multiple-use SNAP marine reserve created in 2018, located about 17 nautical miles off Montanita (Manglaralto parish, Santa Elena province), protecting rocky-reef habitat ('Bajos Rocosos') used by manta rays, whale sharks and reef fish. Official visitor rules (Ministerio del Ambiente) restrict access to authorized tourism operators for diving and wildlife observation only; as with the other continental marine reserves, extractive sport/recreational fishing including spearfishing is restricted to what the management plan and zoning permit under Art. 127 of the fisheries law, with extractive use otherwise limited to a registered artisanal-fisher census.