New Bacalar Lagoon Rules: What You Need to Know

Chetumal, Mexico — Román Bustos Gómez, the head of the Port Captaincy, confirmed that a socialization process for the new operational rules of the Bacalar Lagoon is underway. He clarified, however, that the agreement which formally designates the Port Captaincy as the entity responsible for applying specific regulations by zone and activity type is not yet official, as it has not been published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación (DOF).

Bustos Gómez stated that these outreach efforts have been reinforced to decrease potential risks associated with the use of the lagoon. He recalled that following an initial meeting held in August, it was clarified that these operational rules are currently valid only for the Bacalar Lagoon up to the "rápidos" (rapids) zone due to its tourism potential, explicitly excluding the Xul-há area.

Navigation Rules and Public Feedback

"The navigation rules were established based on the practices carried out in the lagoon body, with some exceptions in specific areas to prevent accidents from vessel traffic and the use of personal watercraft," Bustos Gómez explained. "So far, we have not received any observations."

He added that they are awaiting the publication of the agreement in the DOF so that tourism service providers and residents of Bacalar can submit their observations, which will be used to determine potential modifications to the rules.

Regulations for Personal Watercraft

Regarding the use of personal watercraft on the lagoon, Bustos Gómez said that two zones have been demarcated for the use of units offered for rent by tourism service providers. For privately-owned units, he said a recommendation is made for users to respect the designated areas to reduce the risk of accidents.

He further reported that there is currently a registry of just over one thousand vessels that navigate the lagoon and the Chetumal Bay. A specific number for vessels using only the lagoon is not available, as the figure varies depending on the season.