Bahia de los Angeles, equipped with the best instruments for its conservation

The Bahía de los Ángeles (Bay of Angels) region holds the most productive oceanographic system in the Gulf of California. Its cold and nutrient-rich waters are habitat of large population of whales, dolphins, sea birds, turtles and fish, including the Whale Shark.

The Government of Mexico established the “Bahía de los Ángeles, Ballenas and Salsipuedes Channels” Biosphere Reserve on June 5th, 2007. Along with the protected areas in Valle de los Cirios, Archipelago of San Lorenzo and the Islands of the Gulf of California, this decree granted legal protection to nearly one million hectares of prioritary marine and terrestrial habitat. Since then, Pronatura Noroeste has devoted itself to develop the tools required to guarantee the effectiveness of this protection.

The presidential decree that created this reserve required seven years of negotiations, and after six additional years, its Management Plan was finally published. This document provides the guidelines for conducting the economic activities that depend on the natural resources of this protected area.

Once the Management Plan was published, we signed a set of agreements with the Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), required to increase the presence of inspectors in the area, acquire equipment, and inform users about the current regulations for the area.

Thanks to these agreements, surveillance Bahía de los Ángeles was increased by 1580% between 2007 and 2013, and 81% of the boats observed within the area during 2013 were reported to fully comply with the existing legal framework.

Nowadays, Pronatura Noroeste is integrating the management programs for the main fisheries of the region, in order to recover, conserve and promote the sustainable use of its fishing resources.

Now, more than ever, Bahía de los Ángeles is in a position to establish itself as a model for marine protected areas in the country.