Community leaders from Yucatan Visit Sea Shepherd’s “Sharkwater”

On May 17, 2025, a group of community leaders from Yucatán visited Sea Shepherd Conservation Society’s vessel “Sharkwater”. The visitors are members of the Advisory Councils for the Scorpion Reef and Bajos del Norte National Parks and represent various sectors of the state, including fishing, civil society, and academia. As council members, their role is to offer suggestions and observations to support the effective management of the national parks and their resources by the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP).

The visit began with a presentation on the campaign to protect the Scorpion Reef and Bajos del Norte, conducted by the Government of Mexico in collaboration with Sea Shepherd. Officials from CONANP and representatives from Sea Shepherd shared that four monitoring campaigns have been carried out in these protected natural areas, particularly to prevent and detect illegal fishing. They also presented information on research dives aimed at identifying the presence of invasive species such as lionfish.

The visitors expressed their support for the campaign and highlighted the importance of maintaining it as an ongoing effort to foster the growth of marine species populations and protect the reef. They also expressed their gratitude for Sea Shepherd’s commitment to dedicating vessels, specialized equipment, and staff to safeguard their marine environment.

Scorpion Reef National Park was established in 1994, and Bajos del Norte National Park in 2024. Together, they form a biological corridor of over 6,000 square miles.

The collaboration with the Government of Mexico and the social support for this new campaign represent a success for the protection model developed in recent years by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in Mexico.

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