VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwire) -- 04/09/09 -- Cardero Resource Corp. ("Cardero" or the "Company") - (TSX: CDU)(NYSE Alternext US: CDY)(NYSE Amex: CDY.A)(FRANKFURT: CR5) announces that, pursuant to its 2002 Incentive Stock Option Plan, it has granted incentive stock options to a consultant allowing it to purchase up to an aggregate of 225,000 common shares in the capital stock of the Company. The options are exercisable at a price of CAD 1.39 for a period of two years ending April 9, 2011.

ABOUT CARDERO RESOURCE CORP.

Cardero's focus through 2009 is to realise the considerable value it believes is locked in the Company's significant iron ore assets in the Marcona District of southern Peru, the Baja district of Mexico and in Minnesota, USA, while continuing to progress its base and precious metal exploration projects in Argentina and Mexico. The common shares of the Company are currently listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (symbol CDU), the NYSE Amex (symbol CDY) and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (symbol CR5). For further details on the Company readers are referred to the Company's web site (www.cardero.com), Canadian regulatory filings on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and United States regulatory filings on EDGAR at www.sec.gov.

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of CARDERO RESOURCE CORP.

Hendrik van Alphen, President

The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release, which has been prepared by management.