Page 100 - The Dutch Caribbean Isles

n 1978 and 1980 a worldwide first took place in

Ithe Bonaire Marine Park: at least 40 permanent

moorings were placed on dive sites, specifically
for dive boat use. Each of those first moorings
was made with two 55-gallon drums (donated
by WEB, Bonaire’s power and water company),
connected to each other with re-bar (scrounged
by Marine Park staff, personally, from a failed
construction project), and filled with concrete.

Bonaire and The Netherlands Take a Leading Role

The Governments of Bonaire and The Netherlands to protect this
Natural Wonder are un-paralleled.

B onaire is the world leader in marine preservation. Very early on it was noted that anchoring
is very damaging to the coral reef. One of the first actions during the establishment of the
Bonaire Marine Park was to place moorings. The initiative came from the dive industry in coopera-
tion with the newly established Marine Park.