Shark Conservation Success in Mexican Caribbean Boosts Tourism

Isla Mujeres Records Increase in Sharks in Mexican Caribbean

Isla Mujeres, Mexico — Conservation efforts driven from Isla Mujeres have allowed the recovery of thousands of sharks in the Mexican Caribbean, which is transforming the marine ecosystem and strengthening sustainable tourism.

The increase in sharks reflects the recovery of the marine ecosystem in the Mexican Caribbean. Through the Tiburón de Isla Mujeres initiative, more than 20,000 specimens of various species have been saved in the last three years in the Mexican Caribbean, leading to an increase in sightings by the population.

Pamela Vázquez, a member of Saving Our Sharks, indicated that they are implementing a protocol to document and understand the presence of sharks at various points along the coast.

“Sharks have always been there, they came very close to the coast, then they were seen less, they returned when beach recovery was carried out and they stuck to this small island that was there. They were not documented, or anything, but surely it is because they were fished,” she said.

The Tiburón de Isla Mujeres initiative has protected more than 20,000 specimens. The increasing presence of sharks has not only been in Cancún, but also in Cozumel, Puerto Morelos, and throughout the Caribbean region, which also boosts tourist activity.

“Diving with hammerhead sharks, they haven’t been seen for 20 years and that means a lot of tourism is attracted, obviously this generates that there is a sighting protocol,” she said.

Regarding the presence of sharks, the instruction to bathers is not to approach, not to make sudden movements or shout, and to exit the water slowly. Likewise, they were asked to notify through a link—available on their social networks—to have a better notion of the areas where they are returning.

Specialists call for respecting sighting protocols. The interviewee recalled that previously 80% of shark fishing in the state was carried out through this Isla Mujeres cooperative, so, by reducing its activity, the shark population is recovering and retaking the places where they used to have presence.

“More of everything is seen, more sharks, more rays, the Mexican Caribbean is being repopulated thanks to the colleagues,” she said.