New MARAP App Opens Anonymous Environmental Reporting in Playa del Carmen

Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo — Residents, tourists, fishers and water-sports operators in Playa del Carmen can now log sightings of marine wildlife and file anonymous alerts about environmental violations through MARAP, a free app launched by the conservation group MarAlliance.

Cecilia Gutiérrez Navarro, a member of the organization, said the tool lets users document the species they observe during beach walks and while snorkeling, diving or fishing. Those sightings and catch records feed into the group’s monitoring of marine megafauna in the Mexican Caribbean.

“We want everyone to have access and to help us build this knowledge,” she said.

The platform includes a section for reporting possible illegal activity or practices that harm ecosystems. She cited fishing in restricted areas, improper diving practices and wastewater discharges as examples.

“Many times people don’t want to file a complaint for fear of reprisals, but with this new tool we can report it anonymously,” she said.

Gutiérrez Navarro added that the information gathered can be shared with authorities. Participation is open to anyone, with no specialized knowledge required.

“You don’t have to be a scientist to take part; what we want is for the whole community to join in,” she said.

Beyond feeding the monitoring effort, MARAP also works as a personal log where users can keep a record of their marine life observations.