Bacalar, Quintana Roo — The Federal Government will soon publish new General Navigation Rules for Bacalar Lagoon in the Diario Oficial de la Federación (Official Gazette of the Federation), designating the Chetumal Port Authority as the federal entity responsible for their enforcement, supervision, and oversight.
New Regulations Based on Technical and Social Proposals
The announcement was made during a meeting held at the Bacalar Naval Club, attended by representatives from the Secretariat of the Navy (Semar) through the Chetumal Port Authority. Also present were members of the Hotel Association of the Center and South, the Bacalar Nautical Association, the College of Civil Engineers Southern Zone, the Chetumal National Chamber of Commerce (Canaco), the Bacalar Lagoon Community Council, and other authorities including the Integral Port Administration of Quintana Roo (Apiqroo), the National Water Commission (Conagua), and the state Secretariat of Tourism (Sedetur).
Port Captain Román Bustos Gómez stated that the new regulations are based on technical and social proposals submitted since 2020 by business organizations, civil associations, and ejidos (communal lands). The rules aim to regulate navigation without requiring the lagoon to be declared a Protected Natural Area (ANP).
Bustos Gómez explained that the publication of the rules was delayed due to jurisdictional changes, as the General Coordination of Ports and Merchant Marine was transferred from the Secretariat of Communications to the Secretariat of the Navy. This shift legally assigns the administration of the lagoon to the Port Authority.
Key Provisions of the New Navigation Rules
The General Navigation Rules for Bacalar Lagoon include the following measures:
- Decentralizing Boat Traffic: Reducing congestion in the central perimeter near the town and extending navigation to underutilized areas, given the lagoon spans over 60 kilometers.
- Protected Subzones: Prohibiting all navigation, swimming, or contact that could harm stromatolites in designated coastal areas of Bacalar and Xul-Ha lagoons.
- Cenote Caution Zones: Restricting motorized vessels to speeds no greater than 4 knots (7.4 km/h) and banning swimming, snorkeling, and diving—except for research purposes with Port Authority authorization.
- Bird Island Precautions: Prohibiting loudspeakers or amplified sound within 300 meters of the island’s shoreline.
- Swimming Safety Zone: Establishing a 50-meter-wide shoreline buffer for swimmers, marked with buoys (subject to Port Authority approval), while respecting docking areas.
- Speed Limits: Enforcing speed restrictions for boats, pontoons, and jet skis.
Focus on Sustainable Development
Captain Bustos Gómez emphasized that the new rules prioritize technical and social considerations, incorporating local knowledge to promote sustainable economic development.
Business representatives urged authorities to avoid overregulation, suggesting instead a focus on ensuring lagoon users comply with vessel cleanliness standards. They also called for deeper environmental measures, including reforestation, stricter controls on agrochemicals, improved stormwater infrastructure, and sewage system upgrades to mitigate sediment, chemical, and wastewater runoff. Additionally, they proposed dredging historically natural drainage areas in the lagoon.
The regulations aim to balance ecological preservation with tourism and economic activity in one of Quintana Roo’s most treasured natural landmarks.
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