Saba Marine Park,
officially declared a national park in 1998, is involved with the protection
of coral reefs. Diving is considered to be one of the most important
economic activities on the island, and many businesses on the island
(taxis, hotels, restaurants, dive operators
) benefit from the
Park.
The Saba Conservation Foundation (SCF) is a non-profit foundation established
in the Netherlands Antilles and governed by a board of directors. On
behalf of the island's government, SCF is responsible for managing the
Marine Park and other nature areas around the island.
The park follows a legislative code in order to conserve and preserve
the natural environment.
This code states what is sustainably appropriate and inappropriate in
regards to the environmental conditions of the Park. It also defines
environmental terms so visitors can properly define and understand these
codes. The following states a few of the regulations found in the code:
- Activities which
are harmful to the marine environment are not permitted in SMP;
- It is prohibited
to kill, break, catch or collect corals or other bottom dwelling invertebrates
and plants on the sea floor;
- It is prohibited
to discharge any substance in, or flowing out into the SMP, with the
exception of fish, fish parts, chumming material, cooling effluent
and effluent of marine sanitation devices of vessels;
- Developments
or modifications of the coastal zones which may influence the marine
environment of SMP must be preceded by an independent environmental
impact assessment.
Information
provided in this section can be attributed to the following;
Saba Park Website
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