Agoa Sanctuary, Marine mammal sanctuary in the French Antilles, France

Agoa Sanctuary is a marine protected area in the Caribbean that encompasses the waters surrounding Martinique, Guadeloupe, Saint-Martin, and Saint-Barthélemy. The protected zone covers vast ocean expanses designed to safeguard dolphins, whales, and other marine mammals living in these tropical seas.

The sanctuary was established in October 2010 to provide stronger protection for marine mammals across the region. Two years later, the Cartagena Convention formally recognized it, strengthening the international commitment to safeguard these waters.

The sanctuary brings together islanders who share a commitment to protecting the marine mammals living in their waters. On Martinique and Guadeloupe, visitors can join observation programs to learn how local communities view these animals as part of their natural heritage.

Visitors can take observation tours from the coasts of Martinique and Guadeloupe to see dolphins and whales in their natural habitat. Timing visits during warmer months offers better chances of encountering these animals in shallower waters closer to shore.

The name Agoa refers to Maï d'Agoa, mother of the water spirit in Amerindian mythology. In 2008, before the sanctuary was created, an aerial survey across the whole area inventoried humpback whales, dolphins, sperm whales, beaked whales and mesoplodons, along with fishing vessels and macro-waste.