The Bamboung Community Marine Protected Area is located in the Saloum Delta Biosphere Reserve located in the estuarian part of the Sine-Saloum watershed, administrative region of Fatick. It was set up in 2004 with the aim of preserving marine biodiversity, rebuilding habitats and improving the living conditions of local communities. It was followed by the creation of six other Marine Protected Areas, including 2 in the Saloum Delta Biosphere Reserve. Based on our observations and the results of previous work, we have carried out an evaluation of the criteria retained by the authors for the creation of a geosite in this Marine Protected Area of Bamboung. Thus, the scientific value (representativeness, integrity, rarity and degree of scientific knowledge), ecological, cultural, touristic, socio-economic, scientific and educational values evaluated seem relevant to us. It benefits from a national and regional policy supported by international conventions. However, we recommend to modernize and improve tourist infrastructure, promote effective resource management mechanisms in the polarized area, prohibit or regulate the exploitation of shell middens and further explore the educational side by setting up a secure educational circuit.

As part of the inventory of the diatomic flora of Séné-Gambia and the reconstruction of the history of Senegal’s estuaries, a sampling mission was carried out along the Saloum estuary in the upstream parts of its three branches which are the northern branch (the main inlet), the middle branch (the Diomboss) and the southern branch (the Bandiala). The samples were taken using a Russian auger. The bottom of the mud has always been reached, but at very variable depths. A total of six cores were made and the study of diatoms carried out. A total of 150 species of diatoms belonging to 70 genera have been inventoried. The most represented genera are Nitzschia (14 species) and Coscinodiscus (8 species). The microflora is dominated everywhere by Cyclotella striata except at Néma Ba where it admits Nitzschia granulata as co-dominant. Euryhaline species dominate everywhere and confirm the dual marine/freshwater influence, the degree of which has varied over time and space. These results, combined with the lithological data, allow the following conclusions to be drawn: (i) the filling deposit of the Saloum estuary, begun in Nouakchottian, is marked by an abundance of sands and a poverty or absence of diatoms; (ii) at the end of the Nouakchottian transgression, the development of the mangrove allows the deposit, in the upstream part of the main inlet, of peat incompatible with the conservation of diatom valves; elsewhere, the sands diminish in favor of lutites and allow the development of diatoms; (iii) between 3500 and 2500 years B.P., primary paleo-productivity and specific diversity increase everywhere and the Bandiala receives fresh water from the Nema River; (iv) after 2000 years BP, the growing influence of the Nema River leads to an increase in oligohalobic forms along the Bandiala; (v) at the top of the sedimentary series, the agitation of the environment caused the deposit of coarse sediments and the absence of diatoms.