Foreign Divers Without Permits Damaging Coral Reefs in Riviera Maya, Activists Say

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Local divers and environmental activists are calling on federal authorities to investigate foreign divers who they say are damaging coral reefs in the Riviera Maya without proper permits.

José Gómez Burgos, president of the Mar Caribe Tourism Cooperative in Playa del Carmen, said most divers exploring the reefs are foreigners and many lack permits from federal authorities.

Activist Ángel de la Mora Gutiérrez said there is no effective regulation of marine activities, leading to the degradation of natural resources due to excessive visitation. Local fishermen have permits from the Port Captaincy of Playa del Carmen for their water activities, but there is overcrowding in reef areas that is causing damage, he added.

The high volume of tourist visits poses serious risks to the reefs, affecting their physical structure, biological health, and ability to regenerate. “When the number of visitors exceeds the ecosystem’s carrying capacity, the impacts are cumulative and often irreversible,” said activist Carlos Jiménez.

According to the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (Semarnat), most coral reefs are in shallow waters near the coast and are vulnerable to human activities. The agency notes that many of these practices are tied to the social and economic fabric of communities, but they face threats from coastal development, dredging, destructive fishing gear, boat anchors, and recreational misuse such as touching or extracting corals.

Mora Gutiérrez made an urgent call to the Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (Profepa) to step up actions to prevent irreversible damage to the reefs, which are one of the main attractions of this tourist destination.