IBANQROO Holds First 2026 Session of Sea Turtle Sanctuary Subcouncil

Tulum, Quintana Roo — The Biodiversity and Protected Natural Areas Institute of Quintana Roo (IBANQROO) held the first regular 2026 session of the Subcouncil for the Management of the Xcacel-Xcacelito Sea Turtle Sanctuary, a participatory forum aimed at coordinating efforts to protect the state’s protected natural area.

The session was held in a hybrid format, with 15 subcouncil members representing government agencies, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and community groups.

Among the main agreements, members elected and swore in the subcouncil’s new presidency, a process that renews participatory leadership and strengthens democratic governance within the reserve.

Officials presented general activity reports and key projects for the sanctuary. One initiative, “Strengthening coordination and capacities for the management of the transversal biological corridor of the Xcacel-Xcacelito Sea Turtle Sanctuary and the central zone of the Mexican Caribbean Biosphere Reserve,” is funded by MARFund and KfW, with administrative support from Pronatura Península de Yucatán, A.C. The project aims to improve coordination and management effectiveness through comprehensive actions and operational equipment.

The association Flora, Fauna and Culture of Mexico, A.C. also reported on conservation efforts carried out at the sanctuary in coordination with IBANQROO, highlighting recorded nesting by loggerhead and green sea turtles, beach cleanup days, and environmental awareness programs.

Javier Alberto Carballar Osorio, IBANQROO’s general director, stressed the importance of consolidating these participatory spaces, saying that combining efforts and coordinated work between society and government is essential to promote actions for the state’s biodiversity and natural heritage.

Miguel Mateo Sabido Itzá, IBANQROO’s director of Protected Natural Areas, Regulatory Improvement, and Archives, said projects such as the one funded by MARFund seek to strengthen operational and management capacities, while active collaboration and constant participation are key pillars for ensuring sustainable management and the well-being of the sanctuary’s ecosystems.