Important Notice: All users please disinfect your gear before and after each dive/snorkel day
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Protect Our Reef
Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease
Many countries and islands in the Caribbean have been fighting with a disease called Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD) for almost a decade. Recently, it was detected on Bonaire’s reefs. SCTLD is a novel white plague-type coral disease that is highly lethal and fast-spreading. SCTLD was first reported off the coast of Florida in 2014. Since then, it has spread to 22 different countries and territories in the Caribbean. For a long time, the southern Caribbean was one of the last places in the region where SCTLD had not been detected, but with the recent outbreak in Bonaire this year and the detection in Trinidad and Tobago in 2022, it seems the disease has now spread throughout the entire region. This disease spreads rapidly and causes tissue loss in corals causing them to die. It affects >20 coral species in the Caribbean.
In Bonaire, it has been found on 9 coral species, the most common being: Flower coral (Eusmilia fastigiata), Grooved Brain Coral (Diplorialabyrinthiformis), Great Star Coral (Montastrea cavernosa) Knobby Brain Coral (Pseudodiploria clivosa), Boulder Brain Coral (Colpophylia natans), and Maze Coral (Meandrina meandrites). The disease’s persistence in affected areas and continued spread represent one of the most important threats currently facing our reefs.
Your help is vital to monitor and contain its spread. We urge park users to follow the SCTLD guidelines, marine park rules (keep away from pointer sticks, gloves, touching, removing, have good buoyancy etc.) and exercise caution, protecting our marine ecosystem. Together, we can mitigate this disease’s impact on our underwater paradise. We advise all marine park users to disinfect their gear before and after each dive day, know the status of sites, and plan your dive and snorkel trips ahead by using the stoplight system. Some things you can do to be extra helpful is report your sightings to agrra.org, limit dives to one area of the island per day, and avoid the infected zones (orange & red). Bonaire’s reefs have shown to be resilient to other disturbances in the past and we hope they can fight through this one as well.
Help Us Protect The Reef From SCTLD
What are we doing?
Follow These 3 Simple Steps
Sites Detected
How to decontaminate gear
Download Materials
- Decontaminate your gear before and after each dive day.
- Follow status of sites : enjoy green areas and check temporary closures ->Click here for map
- Plan trips ahead. Use the stoplight system when diving and snorkeling. Meaning swim from green to orange/red and from orange to red. This is to avoid swimming in a healthy area after being in an infected area. Click here for map
- For extra help: Report Sightings Here, limit dives to one area of the island per day, and avoid infected zones.
Follow this map before going on a dive to see which zones are infected and which are healthy. Make sure you are not entering a red or orange zone. Do not enter a green zone after being in a contaminated area. We will update the map as we continue to monitor.
- Green = no concern
- Orange = caution advised
- Red = SCTLD actively spreading
It’s essential for everybody to clean their gear before and after every dive day.
- Non-sensitive gear – soak 5 mins in 10% bleach solution, rinse 10 mins in freshwater.
- Sensitive gear – soak 5 mins in 7% lysol solution, rinse 10 mins in freshwater.
- Extra sensitive gear – rinse in soap then fresh water
- Dry – hang gear, plan dives, avoid contaminated zones
Help us spread the word by sharing the following SCTLD materials. If you are a company /organization and would like materials for your guests, please email us at communications@stinapa.org and we’ll gladly deliver them to you. Delivery is made on Fridays, request must be made latest by Wednesdays.
Infected Areas Map
Zoom in on this map to see which sites have been detected and which are healthy. Plan ahead before going on a dive to make sure you are not entering a contaminated zone.
Plan Your Dive
The North & Washington Slagbaai National Park Are Closed For Diving
- Carel’s Vision
- Taylor Made
- Candyland
- Nukove
- Wayaka
- Slagbaai
- Bisé Morto
- Playa Funchi
- Playa Benge
- Boka Bartol
Klein Bonaire Open until 2 PM
Decontamination Station
The park and north sites are still open for swimming and snorkeling. There are three decontamination stations. One at the entrance of the park where it is mandatory to rinse your masks and booties prior to entering. The second one is at STINAPA HQ available for everybody 7 days a week. And another one at BOPEC.
Bonaire National Marine Park
The Marine Park includes all the waters surrounding Bonaire and Klein Bonaire, from the high-tide mark to 60 meters (200 feet) of depth. This is an area of about 27 km² (6672 acres) and includes the coral reef, sea grass and mangroves. Lac and Klein Bonaire are both a RAMSAR site and therefore internationally recognized as important wetlands areas.
Looking for Activities?
For more information about the many ways to enjoy our marine park, please visit Tourism Corporation Bonaire via www.bonaireisland.com
What we do
Stinapa's role in Bonaire National Marine Park
The primary challenge of managing the Bonaire National Marine Park is dealing with the varied groups and individuals who use the waters around Bonaire, and encouraging the sustainable use of natural resources.
STINAPA main responsibilities include: mooring maintenance, law enforcement, research and monitoring, and serving as an advisor to the island government.
Please check out the Bonaire National Marine Park Management Plan for more details.
Protecting important species
Bonaire is home to a number of important protected and keystone species. Please enjoy the wildlife from a mindful distance to ensure their safety as well as yours.
Sustainable Use of the Park
Introduction
Diving
Kite and Windsurfing
Boat & Mooring
Swimming & Snorkeling
Kayaking
Fishing
To ensure the safety of all users and inhabitants of the Bonaire National Marine Park, it is important to adhere to the rules and regulations.
All visitors entering the sea surrounding Bonaire and Klein Bonaire (called the Bonaire National Marine Park) have to pay the mandatory nature fee by law to make use of the sea. The nature fee is $40 for all users. It includes all activities such as swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, wind surfing, boating, and kite surfing. It also includes free entrance to the Washington Slagbaai National Park.
Its no secret that the jewel of Bonaire lies beneath the water’s surface, to ensure the safety of divers and the reef inhabitants the following rules are in place:
– Complete the mandatory orientation dive upon arrival
– Conduct buoyancy check
– Secure all equipment to avoid accidental impacts with the reef
– Use of gloves or knee pads is prohibited
– It is prohibited to remove anything (dead or alive) from the Marine Park
– It is prohibited to use disposable chemical light sticks.
Kite and wind surfing has both become increasingly popular among locals and visitors. In order to ensure your safety and the safety of others the following rules and regulations are in place:
– Know the surfing zone to ensure you are in the allocated areas
– Kite and windsurfing are only allowed in the dark blue waters (75m from shore)
– Check your surroundings and look for divers underneath
– It is prohibited to land or start from Klein Bonaire.
Exploring Bonaire from the sea can be quite the adventure, but we ask you to keep the following rules and regulations in mind:
– Anchoring is prohibited however, small boat (no longer than 4m) are allowed to anchor by using coral stones.
– Overnight buoys are bi-colored buoys, which may not be tied to directly, plus use a tie-on line (max boat length 18m).
– Yellow or orange buoys are free of charge, first come first serve, max boat length of 15m and have a 2 hour limit.
– Always navigate on the seaside of the mooring buoys in the dark blue waters.
– Pass at least 50m from a boat tied to a buoy
To ensure the safe use of beaches by locals, visitors and wildlife alike please keep the following rules in mind:
– Please give animals their space
– No campfires
– Place all trash in the designated bins
– Do not feed the animals
– Use reef safe sunscreen (free of toxic chemicals: oxybenzone and octinoxate)
– Do not touch or take anything (dead or alive) from the marine park
Kayaking is a great way to explore the calm waters around Bonaire. Please keep the following rules in mind
– Always pay attention to your surroundings
– Do not feed the animals
– Do not litter
– Use reef safe sunscreen
– Do not touch or take anything (dead or alive) from the marine park.
Fishing is a popular activity for both locals and visitors alike. Please keep the following rules in mind:
– Fishing is limited to traditional methods only.
– Spearfishing or hand spearing is strictly prohibited.
– Hunting of lionfish is allowed with the use of an ELF obtained from STINAPA.
Areas
World famous dive sites
Bonaire’s National Marine Park is world famous for its easy access and has ranked in the top 5 shore diving destinations for many years.
There is a strict no anchoring policy within the marine park, a testament to the health of the reef today. With a total of 86 public dive sites, it is home to over 57 species of soft and stony coral and more than 350 recorded fish species. Many of the dive sites have access by boat or shore. From the shore, dive sites are marked with names on yellow stones. The site moorings are yellow buoys with the names of the site.
