The St. Maarten Nature Foundation has started to place demarcation buoys marking the boundary of the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area (MPA). The demarcation buoy was placed on the Carib Cargo dive site which sits on the Western Boundary of the Man of war Shoal Marine Protected Area. The buoy serves to let the public know where the boundary of the MPA lies so as to avoid confusion with regards to the activities allowed and not allowed within the Marine Park. The buoy will also serve as a Dive Mooring.
The boundaries of the MPA are between 18 degrees N and 17 degrees -57.0 degrees N and 63 degrees -01.03 degrees W and 63-04.05 degrees W, in an area better known as "the Proselyte Reef Complex ". This area includes the island’s most ecologically and economical important marine habitat, including extensive coral reef areas and seagrass beds. This area was chosen to be a priority for official conservation because of its intrinsic ecological, economic and cultural value. The Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area is a home and migratory stop over or breeding site for 3 IUCN Red List Species, 10 CITES Appendix I species and 89 Appendix II species. It is an area with a relatively healthy population of marine mammals including migratory whales and dolphins, numerous species of shark, sea turtles and numerous fish species. Studies conducted by the St. Maarten Nature Foundation have shown that biodiversity in this area, particularly coral reef density, is high and the economic goods and services which the ecosystem provides are in excess of fifty million dollars annually. The establishing of the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area is also in accordance with the Specially Protected Areas of Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol and with the Federal Decree on Maritime Management.