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Bay of Loreto National Marine Park

Parque Nacional Bahia Loreto (The Bay of Loreto National Marine Park) was created by a Presidential Decree and approved by the Mexican Federal Congress on July 19, 1996. The creation of this new national park was an amazing feat considering the idea for this protected marine area merged the considerable efforts of the community of Loreto, B.C.S, and the local conservation organization, Grupo Ecologista Antares A.C. (GEA). Under jurisdiction of the Mexican government, the new park is regulated by a local branch of SEMARNAP--Secretaria de Medio Ambiente, Recursos Naturales y Pesca (Natural Resource and Fishery Agency). The Bay of Loreto Park is the third such protected marine bioregion in the Gulf of California, joining ranks with the Upper Gulf /Lower Colorado Biosphere Reserve to the north and the Cabo Pulmo Reserve to the south. The Park covers 2,065 square kilometers in the Sea of Cortez. The marine park consist of five islands Isla del Carmen, Isla Catalina, Isla Coronado, Isla Danzante and Isla Montserrat. The Park is home to over 800 species of marine life. The primary mission of the Parque Nacional is to balance the needs of Loreto's people with the protection and sustainability of the biological resources found inside its boundaries. Before the park was created there were no restrictions on commercial fishing companies and shrimp trawlers. It is now illegal for any industrial fishing or shrimp trawlers to fish within the park. Sport fishing is only permitted in the protected area of the National Maritime Park, however they are working on banning that as well. Below is a map of the Marine Park in Loreto it shows areas that are protected.