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

 STINAPA has been actively monitoring the spread while being in close contact with local and international professionals and stakeholders to find solutions. We’re collecting samples and documenting everything as we go. Also, we’re looking into treatment and intervention options that could help slow the spread. We have been informing the community of our findings and will continue to do so to the best of our abilities.
For more information click here

 

  • 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.

Click here for map 

  • 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

 

Click Here To Watch Video 

 

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

All sites from north of Karpata (Karpata is open) to Malmok including Washington Slagbaai National Park is closed until further notice due SCTLD.
Sites closed:
  • Carel’s Vision
  • Taylor Made
  • Candyland
  • Nukove
  • Wayaka
  • Slagbaai
  • Bisé Morto
  • Playa Funchi
  • Playa Benge
  • Boka Bartol
The reason being that a Wekua Point has been identified as a natural barrier that could prevent contaminated water from flowing north, creating a possibility for the north to be guarded. We are not taking this decision lightly but it’s essential to protect our precious reefs & marine life. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation in this challenging moment and please remember to follow the regulations implemented above to slow down the spread.

Klein Bonaire Open until 2 PM

Recently, SCTLD was discovered on Klein Bonaire. To help our corals out, we need to ease some pressure from the reefs in that area by assuring that everyone who goes snorkeling/diving are doing it as their first trip of the day. This way, we can reduce the chances that visitors are going from a contaminated area to the reefs in Klein Bonaire.
 
Effective May 22nd, 2023 until June 19th, 2023, Klein Bonaire will be open from Monday to Saturday, 7 AM to 2 PM. Sundays, Klein Bonaire will be open from 7 AM to 7 PM as regular, except no diving and snorkeling after 2 PM. We will reevaluate the situation by June 19th, 2023. 

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

Download the Marine Park Brochure

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

The mission of the Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP) is to protect and manage the island’s natural, cultural and historical resources sustainably. Visitors and residents alike are invited to come explore Bonaire’s underwater park and encouraged to be aware of their impact on this environment. Through sustainable use of the park we can ensure the marine park is here for many generations to come.

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.

Read more

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.

View Interactive Dive Map >

Closed Areas

Don't forget

Pay your nature fee

The Stinapa Bonaire nature fee is mandatory for all users of the Bonaire National Marine Park and the Washington Slagbaai National Park.

Valid per calendar year JAN-DEC

Pay your nature fee