Queen Triggerfish

Saint Barthélemy offers compact Caribbean diving around rocky pinnacles, coral formations, walls, and sheltered bays shaped by the island’s ancient volcanic and marine geology. Reefs and seagrass habitats support sea turtles, rays, reef fish, lobsters, and occasional Caribbean reef sharks. Several important sites lie within the Saint-Barthélemy Nature Reserve–Nicole Aussedat, established on October 10, 1996, to protect marine habitats, species, and geological heritage. The reserve covers 1,200 hectares divided among five marine sectors, including waters near Colombier, Fourchue, Frégate, and islets outside Gustavia. Diving is regulated by zone: it is permitted in designated protected areas but prohibited in the reserve’s highest-protection zones.

Fun Fact: Scientists have recorded 51 coral species around Saint Barthélemy, placing the island among the most coral-diverse areas of the French Antilles.