Association de la Réserve Naturelle de St Martin
16, Route de Coralita - Quartie d'Orléans
97150 Saint Martin
Tel: 0590 29 09 72 Fax: 0590 29 09 74
History
The idea of creating a marine and coastal preserve in the Eastern part of the Island arose in the 1980s.
A first association for the protection of nature, ''Oualichi'', was at its origin.
Also the associations ''Protection des Ressources Naturelles'', ''Préservation environnement''.
Since this idea evolved through the intermediary of ''Action Nature'', which made up the preserve's first proposals so as to obtain the creation decree, dated September, 10 1998.
With the creation, the same day, of the preserve of the Island of Désirade, that of Saint Martin is now the fourth preserve of the Guadelupean Archipelago.

Geograpic Situation (seee Map Reserve)
The preserve streches out over an area of 8561 acres of which 427 acres on land and 7133 acres at sea.

Earth Park
The cadastral lots corresponding to the fifty geometric paces and to the following sites:
The Creole Rock
Bell Point
Pointe des Froussards
Easter Point and Grandes Cayes
The vicinity of the Orient Salt Ponds
and as well as the parts of path located between the land lots # 8 and 545, 39 and 40, 37 and 38, 45 and 546.
The vicinity of Fish Pond # AW 43 and 546, as well as the part of path located between these two lands lots.
Embouchure Bay and Coconut Grove, #AW 23.
Pinel Island # AT 36 'tp the exclusion of the beach landing area bordered on the cadastral map annexed to the present decree, and AT 125.
Little Key # AT 38 and 39
The Island of Tintamarre # AX 1
Green Cay # AW 24
The ''Islets'' of Embouchure Bay # AY 56, 57 and 58
Thus a total surface of approximatly 3060 hectares, 153,4 of which lie on land.

Marine Park
1° A circular area are the limit of which is located 250 meters from the coast of Creole Rock.

2° An area bordered of by a line going from the Point des Froussards (Coward's Point) in the North 500 meters to sea, to point # 1: (63°02, 31 W and 18°07 N).
Then a line going from point # 1 East Nord-East until 500 meters North of the Spanish Bass to Point # 2: (63°00,32 W and 18° 08,00 N).
Then a line going from point # 2, East South-East until 500 meters of the North-East tip of Tintamarre, to point # 3 (62°58,00 W, 18° 06,72 N).
Then a line going from point # 3 located on the uniform depth of 20 meters, South East of Tintamarre, until point # 4 '62°58,00 W and 18° 06,72 N).
Finally by a line going from point # 4 South-West towards the tip of Babit Point, Point # 5 (62° 59,38 W and 18° 04, 96 N) is located in the middle of this segment.
3° The marine public domain of the Orient Bay Salt Ponds and Fish Pond.

The following areas are excluded from this perimeter:
The inner part of Cul de Sac, until a line joining the North and South extremities of the bay.
The inner part of Orient Bay, until a broken line joining the Northern extremity of this bay to point '63°01,00 W, 18° 05, 93 N).
Then to its extremity (Club Orient).

Fauna & Flora
The earth park is in part made up of rocky coast, cliffs and beaches sheltering numerous species of marine birdlife (Sterns, Fou de Bassan, Frigates, brown Pelicans
ospreys...) as well as the Great Herons, water fowl, kingfishers... encountered in the mangroves, nesting in the various mangrove trees, some of which are also called ''Dragon blood'' from their reddish sap, indigenous to the Caribbean Bassin.
Amongst the mammals, the Racoon and the Mongoose feeding on crabs, eggs, and small fish living in the mangrove and the many coral reefs of our coasts.
The Marine Park is made up of sea prairies (marine pharmerogames for the most part) and numerous coral formation.
The sea prairies are of primordial importance to the sandy shoals as they are the sea water oxygenerators, by slowing down the sand movements and the water-carried particles, thus resulting in clear waters.
These prairies, like the coral reefs, shelter numerous species of invertebrates and molluscs 'starfish, sea urchins, lobsters, sea cucumbers, conch and other seashells) as well as very many fish species: Coffer Fish, Grouper, Surgeons, -diodons - Parrotfish, - Tarpons - Barracuda, Angel fish, Stingrays...)
Diving into these very colorful warm water (20°-28° C) will delight you.
To meet a Royal Angel fish slipping between the seaweed, gorgons, sea anemones, and other sponges against a backdrop of corals is startling in beauty and elegance.
The most remarkable of all sights is to encounter the graceful flight of one of the sea turtles in this fragile ecosystem that one owes it to oneself to protect of all pollution threats and human activity.

The ministerial decree issuing the creation of the Nature Preserve of Saint Martin stipulates means of ensuring the protection of the site and species.
It is thus forbidden:
- To disturb the animals, not to trouble them and not to try to have access to them;
- To pick, destroy or introduce vegetals;
- To throw away rubbish or pollute the environment;
- To practice water skiing as well as sea scooters;
- To hunt;
- To gather sand, mineral or fossils;
- To fish using a line, net or fish trap;
- To organise commercial activities without authorisations.
May be authorized:
- The practice of sports and tourist activities (Prefect's authorization);
- The practice of traditional grazing with the animals tied to post;
- Casting a net to fish bail and professional fishermen dragging fishing nets on the seabotton.
(If authorized to do so by the Sous-Prefect)