Bull Shark Diving Hits Carrying Capacity in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Bull shark diving in Playa del Carmen has reached the carrying capacity established for the activity, said José Juan Domínguez Calderón, director of the Mexican Caribbean Biosphere Reserve. The limit defines how far tourism can expand in a given area without placing damaging pressure on the ecosystem.

Domínguez Calderón said the limits are set through technical studies. He noted that capacity has also been reached in the whale shark area and in Akumal, where visitors swim with turtles, while other sites require fresh assessments in the face of growing tourism pressure.

Studies are currently under way to determine the carrying capacity of beaches in Tulum. These evaluations are used to decide whether the number of visitors, vessels or authorized activities needs to be adjusted within natural areas.

In Mahahual, the limit set by the current study has not yet been reached. Even so, Domínguez Calderón warned that the port’s physical capacity to receive boats is practically maxed out, and he said conditions there should be reviewed again.

The director said the studies also incorporate input from local communities. He explained that the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) seeks to balance conservation with economic activity, weighing both the protection of ecosystems and the needs of those who depend on them.