Booby Pond first gained its status as a protected area in 1993, when "Booby Pond and Rookery" was protected under The Animals (Sanctuaries) (Amendment) Regulations, 1993. It was designated a
Ramsar site in 1994 and subsequently came under the management of the
National Trust for the Cayman Islands, which started managing the site as the Booby Island Nature Reserve beginning in 1995. The majority of the reserve is owned by the National Trust, with privately-owned regions at the southern edge protected under the Cayman Islands’ Animals Law (2003 Revision). In 2017, neighbouring Crown land and private plots were added to the Booby Pond Nature Reserve under the National Conservation (Protected Areas) Order, 2017. In 2025, a new airport was proposed to be constructed near Booby Pond, replacing the old Edward Bodden Airfield, which reportedly lacked a number of safety features required for it be re-certified. The proposal faced opposition from locals due to concerns surrounding
overtourism, impact on the breeding sites and migratory routes of Booby Pond's birds, and flooding due to the impact on nearby mangroves. ==Description==