Findhorn Bay was designated by The Moray Council as a Local Nature Reserve in September 1998 as a protected area for the conservation of wildlife. With significant numbers of waders and wildfowl in winter it is no surprise that birdwatching is an important activity in attracting visitors to the Bay.
The Bay is also a popular destination for people to go walking and the Moray Coast Trail runs along the eastern edge of the Reserve. The beach is also popular year round and in summer swimming is available from the shallow sandy beach.
Findhorn Bay has been long associated with seafaring and was once a small port and fishing village. Although these activities are now a thing of the past, today the Bay is extensively used for a variety of water sports.
In winter, wildfowling takes place on the Bay.