Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo — The municipal government is implementing a program to regularize and recover beach access points, commonly known as bocacalles, aimed at benefiting both local residents and tourists visiting the destination daily. Soledad Che Celis, Director of Planning, stated that the initiative seeks to restore public access to Isla Mujeres' beaches for the enjoyment of the island's residents.
Discrepancy with Federal Regulations
Che Celis added that the program also includes the regularization of beach chairs and beds to ensure concessionaires comply with permitted spacing. "A five-meter strip must remain free from where the waves break, allowing island families and tourists to walk freely along the shoreline," she emphasized.
However, it is worth noting that, according to SEMARNAT (Mexico's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources), the federal maritime-terrestrial zone (ZOFEMAT) is defined as a 20-meter-wide strip of land adjacent to the beach, measured from the high-tide line. This means that, despite the regularization efforts, the municipal government appears to be allocating 15 meters of beachfront to concessionaires, contrary to federal guidelines.
The program has raised concerns over compliance with environmental regulations and equitable public access to coastal areas.
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