Ramsar areas

Ramsar is an international agreement on the protection of important wetlands. Bonaire has four areas designated as Ramsar sites. These areas are important for birds, sea turtles, fish, and plants.

What does this product or service mean?

What should you pay attention to?

Do you want to carry out an activity in a Ramsar area on Bonaire? If so, you must take extra care to protect nature. In some cases, you will need a permit.

The Ramsar Convention was established in 1971 in the city of Ramsar, Iran. Its purpose is to protect and wisely use important water areas. These areas are called wetlands.

Wetlands are places with water, such as bays, salt lakes, lagoons, and mangroves. These areas are important for nature and for people.

Countries that participate in the Ramsar Convention must manage their wetlands properly. This means they must protect nature and prevent damage. This is called wise use. You may use nature, but without causing damage.

There are four Ramsar areas on Bonaire:

Lac Bay
Lac Bay is located in the southeast of Bonaire. It is a shallow bay with seagrass and mangroves. This area is important for fish, shellfish, sea turtles, and waterbirds.

Klein Bonaire
Klein Bonaire is a small island off the west coast of Bonaire. The island is uninhabited. Its beaches are important for nesting birds and sea turtles. The coral around the island is also important for many marine animals.

Washington Slagbaai
This area is located in the north of Bonaire. Here you’ll find salt lakes, beaches, dunes, mangroves, and tropical dry forest. Many birds rest here during their migration. Flamingos also forage here.

The Pekelmeer
The Pekelmeer is located in the southern part of Bonaire. It is a salt lake with dikes and shallow water. This area is an important breeding ground for flamingos. Sea turtles also use the beaches to lay their eggs.

When can you apply for this?

You must not cause damage to plants, animals, or the water.
You must comply with the applicable rules.
You must apply for a permit if required.
You must use the area with care.

How do you apply for this?

Do you wish to build, conduct work, or carry out any other activity in a Ramsar area? If so, you must first verify whether this is permitted.

You must:

check whether you need a permit
take nature and wildlife into account
prevent damage to the area

The Public Entity of Bonaire will assess whether your activity is permitted. The goal is to ensure that nature and wildlife remain protected for the future.

Who can you contact?

Directorate of Supervision and Enforcement (T&H)
Adress: Kaya Grandi 56-58
Telephone: (+599) 790 0707
Email: bisami_th@bonairegov.com

Opening hours
Monday through Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Where can you find more information?

Ramsar

What do we do with your personal data?

When you submit an application or report, the Public Entity of Bonaire needs your personal data. The Public Entity of Bonaire handles your data with care.

The BES Personal Data Protection Act specifies how the Public Entity of Bonaire must do this.

The most important rules are:

The Public Entity of Bonaire only requests data that is necessary for processing your application or report.
They record and process your data securely, confidentially, and with care
Your data will only be used for the application or report, or for something directly related to it.
Your data will not be retained longer than necessary for the application or report.
Other organizations will only receive your data if required by law.
You may ask how your data is being used and what happens to it.