Rules and Regulations
Beaches, Swimming and Snorkeling
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 or touch 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
– Do not park in sandy areas near the beach, park only in the coral rubble. (This is to protect sea life)
– Dog walking is prohibited in sea turtle nesting areas. If caught walking your dog on one of these protected beaches you could be fined up to $170.
Dogs are prohibited on the following beaches (map available here):
Playa Lechi (Sunset Beach)
Playa Lechi Suit (Boulevard)
Playa Chachacha
Playa pal’i mangel (Donkey’s Beach)
Forn’i kalki (Bachelor’s Beach)
From Saliňa (salt pier) to Lacre Punt (Willemstoren)
Sorobon and Cai
Piedra haltu (Thousend Steps)
Tolo
Klein Bonaire
Diving
Diving is allowed throughout the Marine Park with the exception of two Marine Reserves (Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander Reserves) and dive sites closed due to SCTLD. There are 88 marked dive sites along Bonaire’s West Coast and Klein Bonaire. Diving along the east coast is for advanced divers only and STINAPA recommends only attempting these dives with an experienced guide.
– Stay up to date on the latest rules related to SCTLD
– 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.
– It is prohibited to use pointer sticks.
When using the SCTLD link below, red indicates dive sites where the disease is actively spreading, yellow indicates caution advised, and green indicates areas of least concern.
Kite and Windsurfing
Kite and wind surfing have 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:
– Kitesurfing is only allowed in the Marine Park at the entry and exit zone of Atlantis.
– Windsurfing is only allowed in the Marine Park at Lac Bay.
– Kite and windsurfing is allowed outside of the Marine Park in the dark blue waters with a minimum distance of 75m from shore.
– Kite and windsurfing is not allowed at Klein Bonaire (within 500 m of a RAMSAR site).
– Foiling is not allowed within Marine Park (Lac included). Foiling is allowed outside of the Marine Park.
– Downwinders are allowed only with the written consent of STINAPA, which can be requested at marinepark@stinapa.org.
– Check your surroundings and look for divers underneath
– It is prohibited to land or start from Klein Bonaire.
Mooring
Exploring Bonaire from the sea can be quite the adventure, but we ask you to keep the following rules and regulations in mind:
There are three types of moorings which can be used by mooring up with the front of the boat:
Public Moorings (yellow or blue)
– Everyone is allowed to use a public mooring with a boat no longer than 13m, for 2 consecutive hours at a time.
– First come, first use.
– One boat allowed over 4m, three boats allowed under 4m.
– It is prohibited to obstruct boat traffic.
Private (owner determines type of mooring)
– Ownership STINAPA, use with resident
– To apply for use via form with copy of Sedula and boat registration with the Harbor Office.
– Currently STINAPA has a waiting list
– Maximum length of boat: 18m.
Overnight mooring (bi-colored mooring)
– To be used by visiting guests
– Before use, register at the Custom Office and Harbor Village Marina.
– Use is only allowed for the time frame allocated to your visa
– No commercial activities allowed while using overnight moorings.
– May not be tied to directly, plus use a tie-on line (max boat length 18m).
Always navigate on the seaside of the mooring buoys in the dark blue waters.
Boating
– Maximum speed in the Marine Park is 10 km/hr.
– Maximum speed outside of the Marine Park is 20 km/hr (until 12 sea miles from shore)
– Be mindful around sailing through the mooring field: maximum speed 5 km/hr.
– Keep distance when sailing through harbors or near piers.
– Pass at least 50m from a boat tied to a mooring.
– Anchoring is prohibited: small traditional fisher boats (no longer than 4m) are allowed to anchor (by using coral stones).
– Be mindful of fisher boats who maybe to trawling in or outside of the Marine Park.
– No watersports behind the boat within the Marine Park.
Fishing
Fishing is a popular activity for both locals and visitors alike. Please keep the following rules in mind:
– When fishing from a boat, please adhere to all rules and regulations listed above (Boat & Mooring)
– There are several areas where fishing is prohibited or limited, please see map to see where these areas are located. Trawling is allowed throughout the Marine Park.
– There are two no fishing zones from Chachacha pier until the entrance of Plaza Marina as well as from the entrance of Harbor Village Marina until the gate of Hato (see map below).
– There are two Marine Park Reserves: Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander Reserves which can not be used.
– Fishing is limited to traditional methods only.
– Spearfishing or hand spearing is strictly prohibited.
– Snorkel fishing is only allowed from Harbor Village Marine to Chachacha Beach as well as from Plaza Marina to Punt Vierkant.
– Fishing is not allowed with the RAMSAR site Pekelmeer, but it is allowed in the inlets.
– With prior approval and signed contract with STINAPA, it is possible to place a net (reda) in the Marine Park which may not obstruct other use.
– In Lac Bay, fishing is allowed but you can not fish within the seagrass beds.
– It is not allowed to fish/take conch (karko) within the Marine Park.
– Lobster season is from 1 May to 31 October. You can only take lobster from the east coast, from land and not while diving.
– Hunting of lionfish is allowed with the use of an ELF obtained from STINAPA.
Kayaking
Kayaking is allowed throughout the marine park.
