In a bold decree by President Oscar Arias, Costa Rica became the first country in Latin American to provide a marine sanctuary for whales and dolphins on both its Pacific and Caribbean coasts.

The decree forbids the pursuit, capture, injury, netting or commercialization of all whale and dolphin species traveling along the country’s expansive 580 square kilometer marine territory, the largest in Central America.

“Today we have another peace agreement to sign and another military force to abolish,” said Arias referring to his vanguard Peace with Nature program launched last year.

Costa Rica is visited by 29 of the world’s 85 species of dolphins and whales, including humpback and false killer whales, as well as bottlenose, spotted and tucuxi dolphins. Arias also gave special importance to protecting the waters off Caño Island National Park, Marenco Point and Cuajiniquil Bay, known nursing grounds for endangered humpback whales.