To promote coordination between institutions, Pronatura Noroeste organized the Inter-institutional Collaboration Forum for Coastal-Marine Inspection and Surveillance in Northwest Mexico.

Inspection and surveillance are “a central issue in advancing the mission of conserving priority flora, fauna and ecosystems to promote the development of society in harmony with nature. Without effective inter-institutional coordination, the chances of success are very slim,” said Alejandro Castillo López, director of public policy management at Pronatura Noroeste, during his welcoming remarks at the event.

In this forum, which took place on September 5 in La Paz, B.C.S., five inter-institutional working groups were analyzed to develop cooperation models that would allow the three levels of government, civil society, and users to unite their capacities to increase compliance with regulations in natural protected areas (NPAs) and fishing zones.

Castillo López explained, “in this region, there are multiple efforts that have exemplary elements that could serve to strengthen actions in other sites.” In addition to the analysis of these case studies, important agreements were reached at the local level to improve the operation of all the working groups and to reflect on how to scale these efforts to the national level.

The working groups focused on the priority regions: Upper Gulf of California, Great Islands Region, Loreto Bay, Cabo Pulmo, and Marietas Islands.

Saúl Colín, delegate of the Federal Attorney General’s Office for Environmental Protection in Baja California Sur, mentioned as part of his final reflections that “we must be convinced that working together is the best way to achieve our objectives. We must be willing to work with other institutions and civil society organizations.

This meeting brought together high-level representatives from the National Commission for Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), the National Commission for Aquaculture and Fisheries (CONAPESCA), the National Security Commission (CNS) – Environmental Gendarmerie, the Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), the Specialized Unit for the Investigation of Crimes against the Environment and those foreseen in Special Laws of the Federal Attorney General’s Office (PGR – UEIDAPLE), the Secretariat of the Navy (SEMAR) and the Secretariat of Fisheries of Baja California (SEPESCA). The civil society organizations Red de Observadores Ciudadanos de La Paz, Bahía Unida de Bahía de Banderas, and Pronatura Noroeste also participated.