Kehpara Island (closed Jan–Jun)
Closed January to June: the Kehpara MPA is closed to diving and snorkelling from 1 January to 30 June each year. In the open months a channel patrolled by blacktip, whitetip and occasionally silvertip sharks, beside a wall of sea fans, sponges and anemones.
Facts
- Region: Micronesia – Yap, Pohnpei & Kosrae
- Area: Pohnpei (incl. Ant Atoll)
- Level: intermediate
- Current: moderate
- Type: channel, wall
- Coordinates: 6.84097, 158.32961 (approximate)
- Highlights: blacktip reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, silvertip shark, sea fans, anemones
- Permit: Diving inside Pohnpei's marine protected areas needs a state permit from the Division of Forestry and Marine Conservation. The 2014 MPA regulations list a non-resident snorkel/scuba user fee of US$5 (one time), US$10 (monthly) or US$30 (yearly), plus a separate boat registration fee, children 12 and under exempt; current amounts may differ. In practice the dive operator holds the permits. The Kehpara MPA is closed to diving and snorkelling from 1 January to 30 June each year.
- Issuer / contact: Division of Forestry and Marine Conservation, Dept. of Land and Natural Resources (Pohnpei State)
- Website: https://www.pohnpei-adventure.com/mpa/
- issuer named in the 2014 MPA regulations (permits sold Mon-Fri 9:00-16:00); no phone or email published there
- Unverified: Position is approximate: no published GPS was found; the pin places the site on the correct side of Pohnpei's reef/atoll only. Your dive operator knows the exact spot.
- Tips: Check with your operator that the season is open and the permit covers Kehpara.