Header Yucatán
Laboratorio Nacional de Resiliencia Costera GEF PAE-GEM
E

REPORT CARD

Coastal-Marine Zone

Yucatán 2025

Yucatan Coast by the NUMBERS

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Coastal-Marine Zone Yucatán Imagen 2
Photo: LANRESC-UNOPS
Coastal-Marine Zone Yucatán Imagen 2
Photo: LANRESC-UNOPS

Importance of the Yucatan Coastal-Marine Zone

The coast of Yucatan is a valuable natural asset that provides essential ecosystem services, including coastal protection, tourism, and commercial and recreational fisheries. Its mangroves, seagrass meadows, dunes, and coral reefs protect biodiversity and buffer the impacts of climate-related events. Since pre-Hispanic times, this coast has been a center of maritime trade, with underwater archaeological remains and renewed colonial localities such as the port of Sisal. Today, the expansion of the Port of Progreso, population growth, and human activities pose challenges for the water table and coastal wetlands, while also creating opportunities to strengthen sustainable practices that bring development and coastal conservation into balance.

Implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem (PAE GdM)

This initiative brings together Mexico, through the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), and the United States, through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), to protect and restore shared marine and coastal resources. Through actions that reduce pollution, overfishing, and ecosystem degradation, this effort improves water quality, promotes sustainable fisheries, and conserves coastal habitats. The project is implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), through the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Coastal-Marine Zone Yucatán

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A Very High B High C Moderate D Low E Very Low SD No data

INDICATORS

Coastal-Marine Zone
Yucatán

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A Very High B High C Moderate D Low E Very Low SD No data

STORIES FROM THE COAST

Sisal
Photo: Antonio Ponce Márquez

Fishery Refuge Zone

Celestun, Yucatan

A refuge zone, a future zone

In Celestun, women and men fishers respect the sea and have learned to listen to it. One day, they understood that the abundance of the species they depend on is not infinite, and that the future is not secured with full nets, but with responsible decisions. This is how the Celestun Fishery Refuge Zone was created, as a strategy for sustainable and respectful fishing. The community chose to give the sea, time to recover and allow species to reproduce. They understood that protecting an area does not mean giving up their work, but ensuring that fishing can continue for longer. Today, the refuge represents a collective commitment of which fishers, young people, and older generations feel proud. In Celestun, they learned that coexisting with the sea is more valuable than trying to dominate it.

Coastal-Marine Zone Yucatán

Photo: LANRESC-UNOPS

COASTAL-MARINE ZONE
YUCATÁN

THROUGH TIME

Environmental events
Climate events
Socioeconomic events
Regulations
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EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED: people and nature


The social-ecological system (SES) corresponds to the coastal-marine study area. It is made up of continuous interactions among three interdependent zones: the continental zone, the coastal zone, and the marine zone. These areas do not function in isolation. The 'Everything is connected' diagram shows the environmental, social, economic, and cultural interactions that occur among them, integrating natural processes and human activities within a single system.

Everything is connected
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RECOMMENDATIONS

Establish an integrated system for continuous monitoring of coastal water quality, with an emphasis on physicochemical indicators and community participation, to generate information accessible to all users.
Promote respect for environmental rules and regulations among fishers and consumers, in order to use fishery resources responsibly.
Design and implement restoration actions and mitigation measures to reduce the degradation of mangroves and coastal dunes.
Promote social equity in community activities to strengthen economic growth, well-being, rootedness, and sense of belonging.
Encourage community-based economic diversification, using local resources and capacities to access national and international funding sources.
Ensure compliance with environmental regulations, especially in areas affected by real-estate speculation and poor waste management, to prevent negative impacts on the socioecosystem.
Generate more studies on the vulnerability of coastal municipalities to extreme events, incorporating a complex-systems perspective and nature-based solutions.

PARTICIPANTS

Participantes - Yucatán
Participants ▼

Zapata Granja, N., AFEET Yucatán; Uc Puc, F.Y., AMMEYUC; Carcaño Concha, A.C., Santana Cisneros, A.D., ASIPONA Progreso; Rivas, C., Bemaya; Aguilar, C.D., Martín Segura, R.H., CANACO Tizimín; Cauich Couoh, D., González Cab, P.M., Martínez Castillo, A.A., Martínez, R., Rodríguez, M.J., Valle Chim, R., Vázquez Lira, K.R., Vera Pech, C., Chelemeras; Acosta González, G., Caballero Vázquez, J.A., Gómez, P. A., CICY; Aguirre Macedo, M.L., Cinco Castro, S.G., Cota Lucero, T.C., Herrera Silveira, J.A., Nava Islas, F.N., CINVESTAV-Mérida; Cerón González, R., Chaparro Ruiz, M., COFEPRIS; Rocha, L., Comunidad y Biodiversidad, A.C; Caballero Aragón, H., Cerdeira Estrada, S., CONABIO; Argüelles Ferrera, F., López González, E., Uc Ayala, R.A., CONAGUA; Alva Basurto, J.C., Hernández Méndez, M., Méndez Can, L.R., Navarrete Lara, R.A., Núñez Pérez, M.P., CONANP; Chac Maldonado, J.J., Chan May, J.L., Cruz Pérez, L.A., Plata Mata, M.A., Uh Chay, E.E., CONANP-RB Ría Celestún; Chan Cupul, J.A., Collí Cámara, L.A., Gamboa Marfil, I.I., Hau Nahuat, M.E., Maldonado Soberanis, J.J., Masa Alcocer, A.E., Pacheco Chay, J.O., Sansores Marfil, J.C., Torres Solis, M.A., CONANP-RB Ría Lagartos; Huerta Bello, M.A., Zamora García, N.I., CONAPESCA; Alcocer García, A.A., Conservación Internacional México; Díaz Erales, G., Consultora; Dzul Colli, A.Z., Cooperativa; Alcocer Puch, M.A., Marfil Castillo, R.I., Muñoz Puch, L.A., Puch Marfil, G., Sansarer Alcocer, F.E., Cooperativa Turística "La Perla del Oriente"; Xool Vargas, M.V., Descubre Sisal; Ramírez Armenta, M., Dicap Desarrollo; Cerón Gómez, J.A., Díaz Aguilar, C., DUMAC A.C.; Andrés, A., Chalé Tzab, S.F., Idelfonso, I., Osalde Pech, J., Tzab Pool, R., Ejido Chuburná; Carrillo Galaz, J.L., Federación Mexicana de Cooperativas Pesqueras; Domínguez Aké, F.A., Gobierno Estatal; Ángeles, A., Aremy, A., Asunción, A., Canul, W., Dulce, D., Dzib, J., Erly, E., Isaí, I., May Choch, C.N., Tec Yam, M., Tony, T., Uh Canul, A.G., Uh Canul, J.I., Uh, M., Wicab, S., Guardianes de los manglares de Dzinitun; Aguiñaga, L.M., Pech Martínez, A.K., Valerio, A., Hotel Valerios; Soler Jiménez, L.C., Toro Ramírez, A., IMIPAS; Cob Pech, E.F., Del Moral Flores, L.F., Poot Salazar, A., Wakida Kusunoki, A., IMIPAS-CRIAP Yucalpetén; Gómez Balandra, M.A., Piñón Flores, M.A., Rodríguez Romero, A.J., Saldaña Fabela, P., IMTA; González Chi, L.B., INAES; Barba Meinecke, H., Pizá Chávez, A.R., INAH-SAS; Arano Recio, D.E., Valdés Lara, A.C., INAH-Yucatán; Rodríguez Hernández, A., INECC; Manzanilla Cano, A., INEGI; Hueda Tanabe, Y., INPI; Vera Alpuche, J., ITESM; Bacelis González, J.P., Cupul, M.A., González Durán, J.A., González Nadal, M.A., González Salas, J.L., González Salas, M.A., Lastra y Perera, F.A., Palma Massa, J.A., Palma Massa, J.G., Trejo May, J., Tun Can, D.L., Los Restauradores del manglar DB; Briceño López, D., Cervantes Chávez, O., Dzul Cab, M., Manrique Briceño, G., Palomino Angulo, F., Manglares de Dzinitun; Gerardo, G., Marina Akumal; Ricardo Cruz, E.R., Motoventurs; Vidal Hernández, L.E., NAM-FC UMDI Sisal; Reyna, M., Oceana A.C.; Martínez Ramón, R., Nava Martínez, G.G., Rangel Ávalos, M.A., Oceanus A.C.; González Medina, J.A., Lizarraga Véliz, J.A., PROFEPA; Trujillo Córdova, J.A., Pronatura Península de Yucatán A. C.; Gómez Uc, E., López Castro, M.C., Pronatura Península de Yucatán, A.C.; Castro, M.C., Chalé Jiménez, R.N., Espadas Keb, S., Lara, S., Osalde Pech, A., Uc Reyes, R., Restauradoras de duna Lirios de Mar Chuburná; Camara, A., Camara, N., Celiz Vallejos, J.C., César, C., Diego, D., Dzab Canché, R., Flores, J., G.B., J.C., Glez Canto, A., Hernández Ventura, V., Hernández, S., Herrera May, U., Isaia, I., Jijano Estrada, M.J., León Esquivel, L.A., López Urban, A.I., Lugo Pastrana, E., Martín, J., Massa Borges, U.J., Mata, E.P., Morales Ojeda, S.M., Ortega Ruíz, H., Ortega, P., Osvaldo, O., Pastrana Palma, B., Peraza Iuit, J.M., Peraza, F.A., Puch, F., Puch, F., Puch, V., Puerto, E., Rivas, D., Santibáñez, N., Trejo Aguilar, R., Valencia Erosa, G.M., S/I; Alfaro González, L.F., Cuevas Vázquez, J.F., Perera Trejo, C., SADER; Ancona Pech, R.A., De la Cruz Ferreira, J.A., Ferreira Tejeda, M., Solorio Pech, P., SCPP El Cuyo; Celis Marfil, S., Marfil Marrufo, A., Marfil Marrufo, G., Marfil Molina, B., Marfil Vallejos, S., Tabasco Marfil, R., SCPP Manuel Zepeda Peraza; Durán, D., Uicab Campos, E.M., SDS; Cahum Kauil, A., Secretaría de Desarrollo Rural; Cerón Portuguez, P.I., SECTUR; López Mejía, S., Morales Cruz, J.A., Muro Hidalgo, K.A., SEDATU; Navarro Favela, M.A., Paz Noriega, R.A., SEFOTUR; Díaz González, W.V., Guzmán Lerma, D.E., Morales Gutiérrez, W., Pérez Chacón, E.J.B., SEMAR; Hernández Cázares, M., Manzano García, S., Noguez Hernández, R., Rodríguez Barrientos, J.A., SEMARNAT; Avilés Gómez, J., Díaz Carballido, P.L., Frías Castillo, L.R., Maas Carrillo, A.G., Sosa Hernández, A., SEPASY; Díaz García, M.R., SESA-DPCRS Quintana Roo; Pritzem Cruz, W.E., Sociedad Cooperativa Buúl Kooyé; Basto, J., López Pomol, C.J., Rosado, J.E., Sociedad Cooperativa Legítimos de San Felipe; Estrada, A., Rivas Solís, R., Varguez Iuit, A.B., SSY; Cortés Useche, C., Sureste Sostenible A.C.; Urrea Mariño, U., TAMUCC-HRI; Zepeda Centeno, C., The Nature Conservancy; Cuevas Flores, E.A., UABC; Aguilar Perera, A., UADY; García, L., UAM Unidad Xochimilco; Cervantes Rosas, O.D., UCOL; Díaz Torres, E.R., UCOL-FACIMAR; Flores Palacios, M.F., Pinkus Rendón, M.A., Rubio Herrera, A., UNAM-CEPHCIS; Coronado Castro, E.V., Hernández Herrera, I.C., Rodríguez, K., Teutli Hernández, C., Torres Irineo, E., Xool Koh, M.J., UNAM-ENES Mérida; Guadarrama Chávez, P., Ponce Márquez, M.A., Rosas Vásquez, C., Simoes, N., Valdez Iuit, J.O., UNAM-FC UMDI Sisal; Ávila Foucat, V.S., UNAM-IIEC; García Frapolli, E., UNAM-IIES; Afonso de Almeida, P.S., Cerezo-Mota, R., Franklin, G.L., Medellín Mayoral, G., Pacheco Castro, R.B., Torres Freyermuth, A., UNAM-IINGEN LIPC; Arcega Cabrera, F., Noreña Barroso, E., Rodríguez Fuentes, G, UNAM-UQS; Hernández Cuevas, F.I., Villanueva Poot, R.R., Universidad Marista de Mérida; Bustamante, A.K., García Martínez, M., Garzón Sosa, S.B., Ingalls, A.F., Rosales Ángeles, F., UNOPS; Castillo Infante, F.R., Domínguez Varela, R., WWF-México; Mex Tejera, C.E., Ziz Ha Tours; Caamal Flores, L.A., Chuil Moo, N.L., Martínez García, D., May Uc, Y., Mendoza, R., Novelo, A., Novelo, R., Ortiz Peña, L., Pech, L., Varguez Chuil, D., Yama Aguayo, J., Yervez López, P.J., Zona de Refugio Pesquero Celestún.

LANRESC Core Team ▼

Carmona Escalante, A., Gallegos Fernández, S., Granados Martínez, K.P., Hernández Cristerna, M.J., López Alcántara, V., Morales Méndez, D., Ortigosa Gutiérrez, J.D., Pérez Rivera, E.F., Reyes Aguilar, A.X., Rodríguez González, M.P., Vázquez Verdín, J.M.

Project Leads ▼

Salles Afonso de Almeida, P., Ávila Foucat, V.S., Simões, N.

Graphic Designer ▼

Guerra, A.

Participants by sector

CSO: 104; Government: 79; Academic: 36; ND: 35; Private: 12

Participants by sector
104 CSO
79 Government
36 Academic
35 ND
12 Private

ABOUT THE REPORT CARD

The initiative ▼

This Report Card was developed from two virtual workshops held from October 2 to 4, 2024, and from September 10 to 12, 2025, with a total of 128 participants. A field phase was also carried out from November 9 to 15, 2024, with 138 participants interviewed and 10 key communities visited. The report card followed the guide for developing report cards by Costanzo et al. (2017), adapted by LANRESC.

Acknowledgements ▼

This Report Card was produced with funds from the subproject 'Development of five Report Cards in the Gulf of Mexico,' code UNOPS012, executed by the National Laboratory for Coastal Resilience (LANRESC) and administered by the Institute of Engineering of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), within the framework of the GoM SAP Implementation project, financed by the GEF and supported by UNEP, UNOPS, and SEMARNAT. It was co-financed by the Coordination of Scientific Research of UNAM. We thank Erick Soto and Isis Hernandez for their support during fieldwork.

Legal notice ▼

The content of this document is intended for educational and general outreach purposes. The information was provided and validated by the workshop participants themselves. The data supporting this Report Card were collected as of November 21, 2025. The purpose of this tool is to support informed decision-making; however, decision-making should not be limited only to the information presented in this document.