Near the Salines beach lies a vast protected area that includes the Salines pond (l'étang des Salines in French). This large pond shelters exceptional fauna and flora. Although today it is a protected site, in the past—thanks to its location and the resources it offered—it hosted a sugar plantation, and later served as agricultural land. Toward the end of the 20th century, viticulture was introduced at the Salines pond.
Since 1998, the pond has been protected by the Coastal Conservatory. In 1999, it was recognized as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Today, the Association for Memory and Heritage of Sainte-Anne (AMEPAS) helps visitors discover this unique site in Martinique. The pond has been developed with a boardwalk trail that allows you to admire the local fauna and flora up close. Its bottoms are muddy, grassy, and sandy.
The Salines pond is a haven for wildlife. Thirty-eight species of fish, five species of shrimp, and ten species of crabs live here. Both freshwater fish and those adapted to saltwater environments can be found (such as garfish, mullet, pike, eel, moray, and sole).
You can also observe migratory birds. These birds, coming from North America, stop here for a few hours or days—sometimes for reproduction—before continuing their journey to spend the winter in South America. Migratory birds are mainly visible during the last quarter of the year.
