REMACOPSE
| 🌊 REMACOPSE | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Reserva de Producción Faunística Marino Costera Puntilla de Santa Elena |
| Declared | 2008 |
| Marine area | 52,231 hectares |
| Terrestrial area | 203 hectares |
| Managing authority | Ministerio del Ambiente (MAE/MAATE) |
| Key features | La Chocolatera, Punta Carnero, Mar Bravo, REMACOPSE cliffs |
ECUAWIKI › THE PENINSULA › NATURE
The Reserva de Producción Faunística Marino Costera Puntilla de Santa Elena, universally known by its acronym REMACOPSE, is a marine and coastal protected area covering the western tip and southern coastal edge of the Santa Elena Peninsula. Declared in 2008, it is one of the few marine protected areas on Ecuador's Pacific mainland coast.
Why It Exists
The reserve was established to protect the exceptional marine biodiversity at the convergence of the Humboldt and Equatorial ocean currents at the westernmost point of the South American continent. This oceanographic meeting point creates nutrient-rich upwelling that supports an unusually dense and diverse marine food web — including humpback whales, sea lions, dolphins, sea turtles, sharks, rays, and hundreds of fish species.
The terrestrial component protects coastal cliff habitat, dry forest remnants, and the nesting and resting areas of seabirds.
Coverage
The reserve covers:
- La Chocolatera — the westernmost tip, inside the Naval Base
- Mar Bravo — the south-facing surf beach west of Salinas; flamingo habitat in the salt flat margins
- Punta Carnero — the southern headland of the Salinas canton
- The offshore marine zone extending from these points, including rocky reefs and open-water habitat
- Sections of the coastal cliff (acantilado) between these points
Marine Life
| Species group | Notable species | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Cetaceans | Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) | Jun–Sep |
| Cetaceans | Bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin | Year-round |
| Pinnipeds | South American sea lion (Otaria flavescens) | Year-round (resident colony at La Lobería) |
| Reptiles | Pacific green sea turtle | Year-round (most common) |
| Reptiles | Leatherback sea turtle | Occasional |
| Elasmobranchs | Hammerhead sharks, whale sharks | Seasonal |
| Fish | Corvina, pargo, mahi-mahi, bonito, albacora | Year-round |
| Birds | Blue-footed booby, magnificent frigatebird, Peruvian pelican | Year-round |
| Birds | Flamingo | Dry season at salt flat margins |
Visiting
Most of REMACOPSE is accessible only from the water or at specific public access points:
- La Chocolatera: Inside the Naval Base compound. Access requires valid ID (cédula or passport). Open to civilian visitors during designated hours — check current schedule at the base gate. The viewpoint from the tip offers the best land-based whale watching on the peninsula.
- Mar Bravo beach: Accessible by road from Salinas; signposted. The beach itself is open to the public; the Mar Bravo (rough sea) designation means it is not suitable for swimming.
- Punta Carnero: Accessible by road; viewpoint on the headland is public.
Boat tours entering the marine reserve are regulated. Licensed whale-watching and marine tour operators depart from Salinas malecón and from Ballenita.
Conservation Status
The reserve faces documented threats including:
- Maritime piracy and illegal fishing affecting the marine ecosystem
- Wastewater discharge from the Punta Carnero oxidation ponds
- Informal settlements adjacent to protected land
- Tourism pressure at La Chocolatera (315,000 visitors in 2022)
- Plastic pollution from ocean currents
See Also
- La Chocolatera
- Punta Carnero
- Mar Bravo
- Whale Watching (La Peninsula)
- Salinas — canton overview