Marine Conservation
Formed in mid 1998, the North Sulawesi Watersports Association (NSWA) has adopted as its primary goal the promotion of North Sulawesi as a world-class marine tourism destination through fostering high standards of service and safety and especially by promoting more environmentally-friendly watersports activities within the Bunaken National Park, Lembeh Strait and all marine areas of the North Sulawesi province. The NSWA strives for environmentally-responsible and socially-acceptable common solutions to problems that affect not only the marine tourism sector, but also those which generally effect the health of North Sulawesi's valuable marine ecosystems and thereby the local communities which also rely upon them for food and employment.

Since March 2001 the local government of Manado have implemented a new regulation for environmental protection. All people visiting the National Park Sea Garden Bunaken are now required to pay an entrance fee of US$15.00. The entrance tags, which are valid for a full calendar year, must be carried at all times that the guest is within the park boundaries. Entrance tags and tickets can be purchased through all marine tourism operators in Manado.

© Photo by www.silent-symphony.com