WILLEMSTAD – The Minister of Health, Environment, and Nature (GMN) has officially submitted the final development plan for Klein Curaçao to the Council of Ministers. The comprehensive proposal, drafted in collaboration with the Waitt Institute and the CARMABI Foundation, is designed to ensure the sustainable protection of one of Curaçao’s most ecologically valuable areas. The plan has now been forwarded to the Interministerial Working Group on Klein Curaçao for further action.
The development plan aligns with international obligations under the Ramsar Convention, which designated Klein Curaçao as a Wetland of International Importance in 2018 (Ramsar Site #2355). The small, uninhabited island boasts one of the most pristine coral reefs in the Caribbean, home to endangered elkhorn and staghorn corals. It also serves as a critical nesting site for protected sea turtles and terns.
Unregulated Tourism a Major Threat
The report identifies unregulated tourism as the island’s primary threat. Tour operators currently bring hundreds of visitors daily without any form of permits or environmental oversight. This has resulted in habitat disturbance, vegetation damage, illegal construction, pollution, and boats anchoring directly on fragile coral reefs.
To address these issues, the plan outlines six strategic policy goals, centered on the introduction of a permit system. Access to the island will be subject to strict conditions focused on environmental protection, behavioral guidelines, and infrastructure management. Operators and visitors will be required to follow specific rules on waste disposal, avoiding sensitive zones, and refraining from feeding or touching wildlife. The use of motor vehicles and drones will also be tightly restricted.
Key Measures Include:
Ban on anchoring except at fixed mooring buoys
Limits on the number and type of vehicles allowed
Mandatory use of composting toilets
Prohibition on shell collecting, feeding animals, and drone usage
Enforcement, Restoration, and Public Awareness
The plan also calls for enhanced enforcement through inspections and on-site supervision to ensure compliance and prevent environmental degradation. Restoration efforts will be introduced to rehabilitate damaged areas and protect native species.
Additionally, the strategy includes public education and awareness campaigns aimed at both visitors and the local population, highlighting the ecological significance of Klein Curaçao. Ongoing scientific monitoring will assess the effectiveness of the plan and guide adaptive management.
Structural funding mechanisms are also proposed to guarantee the long-term sustainability of the island’s management and conservation efforts.
No Tour Operator Consultation
One notable aspect of the process is the lack of consultation with tour operators, a decision made deliberately. According to lead researcher Mark Danielson, the Ministries of GMN and VVRP advised against including the tourism sector in the drafting phase to avoid delays and obstruction—issues that hampered previous attempts to regulate the area.
The Interministerial Working Group on Klein Curaçao, established by national decree in 2019, is now tasked with finalizing the plan’s implementation framework.
