The Bouches de Bonifacio natural reserve, created on September 23, 1999 and covering an area of 80 000 ha, constitutes the French part of the Parc Marin International; it is located between Corsica and Sardinia and is the most important natural reserve of metropolitan France. It is completed on the maritime and island areas by the Natural reserve of the Cerbicale Islands (Ministerial Decree of March 3, 1981) and by the fishing sections.

The biodiversity of the reserve is of the greatest importance and is concentrated at the level of the islands and islets, notably by the cosmopolitan character of its flora that includes west Mediterranean and even African plants. The reserve’s scientists devote particular attention to all the endemic Corsican and Sardinian species and to the colonies of nesting seabirds such as the Shags, Audouin’s Gulls, Stormy Petrels or Cory’s Shearwater that have so greatly enhanced the ornithological reputation of the Parc Marin International.

Underwater, one can easily admire specimens of Groupers, Brown Meagres, Dentis or Sea fans.