Ministerial Decision No. 5/GM/I/2015 creating the Natural Aquatic Reserve within the Coastal Area of Suco de Batugade.

This Ministerial Decision, consisting of 8 articles, creates the creating the Natural Aquatic Reserve within the Coastal Area of Suco de Batugade in the Sub-District of Balibó, District of Bobonaro. This Natural Reserve aims at protecting biological diversity of fish by achieving the following objectives: supporting the rehabilitation of degraded fishery habitats, including beach areas, mangrove forests, seagrass and coral reefs; managing these habitats through local regulations, organization of the marine protected area, management and implementation of the community action plan; prohibit resource extraction within the designated aquatic nature reserve and strengthening national laws regulating fisheries in surrounding waters; monitoring the impact of aquatic nature reserve in terms of improving the state of the ecosystems and fisheries; meeting national and international commitments on environmental conservation, sustainable development and regional commitments under the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI).