Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument

Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument protects marine waters and submerged lands around Saint John in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Established on January 17, 2001, it set aside 12,708 acres, including Hurricane Hole and waters north and south of the island, to better protect sensitive coral reef habitats. Its significance lies in the wider coastal system that supports reef health, linking coral reefs with sandy bottoms, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests. After severe coral bleaching in 2005, research in Hurricane Hole revealed corals growing on submerged mangrove roots and stems, along with many coral species and sponges, underscoring the area’s unusual ecological importance.

Saint John