The Marine Park in St Maarten is home to numerous marine life and an abundant population of sharks, such as the Caribbean Reef shark and Nurse shark. The Nature Foundation manages the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area, which was established December 31st of 2010. The designation of the marine protected area was a groundbreaking achievement for St. Maarten as it became the country’s first legally protected area.
The Man of War Shoal Marine Park is now a sanctuary for whales, dolphins, numerous species of sharks, sea turtles, coral reefs and a wide array of fishes. It is also a breeding site for three IUCN Red List species, 10 CITES Appendix I species and 89 Appendix II species.
The purchase of your Man of War Shoal Entrance Tag is mandatory for entering the Marine Park, Tags can be purchased at naturefoundationsxm.org. Any additional income generated through the sale of the tags and “nature fees” goes directly towards the management and maintenance of the marine protected area.
