Land and Stormwater Management
The main purpose of this initiative is to identify and support the voluntary adoption of good practices.
The Guide to Good Environmental Management Practices for Marinas in Mexico is the result of an open collaboration among a diverse group of people, organizations and institutions who are committed to the idea that environmental protection is a key function of marina operations and the Coastal Resources Center, University of Rhode Island, financed principally by the David and Lucille Packard Foundation. The work with the marina industry in Mexico aimed to identify and aid in the volunatry adoption of good practices through codes of conduct. Initial expressions of interest can lead to sustained implementation by creating a network of researchers, businesses and natural resources managers who are committed to sustainable uses of coastal resources. In addition, providing information and advice on good practices in siting and operations of marinas to public officials will also aid in avoiding the negative environmental impacts and enhance the flow of economic benefits of recreational boating to local communities.
Coastal tourism is an important sector of the world economy. In 2002 Mexico's tourism industry was ranked number 3 in the world due in part to its cultural and ecological attractions. One of the key components of this tourism industry is recreational boating, especially in the Gulf of California, which has a uniquely beautiful coast line and diversity of ecosystems and natural seascapes. The Mexican government seeks to accelerate the growth of this sector, prompting an intense debate over the role of recreational boating and marinas in regional economic development. At the core of this debate is concern over the scale of the proposed investments in relationship to the fragility and vulnerability of the Gulf's marine and coastal environment.
Mexico needs a sustainable tourism industry that helps it conserve the cultural and environmental resources which attract both national and international visitors to its coasts. It is important to utilize a wide range of tools and methods to manage these resources so that they can sustain economic development of the marine tourism sector and at the same time provide benefits to the local communities which host recreational marina facilities. A study by the international firm EDAW in 2002 concluded that marina related facilities will need to increase by 6 per cent per year in order to accommodate the expected growth in recreational boaters. This means that the number of marina slips will increase from a base line of 2600 in the year 2001 to about 6000 by the year 2015.
Sustainable development of the marina sector requires attention to the needs of the investors, the quality of life of communities where marina development is occuring, and the ecological conditions of coastal waters and adjacent lands. When a marina chooses to voluntarily adopt good environmental practices it is making an important statement in favor of assuring the future growth of recreational boating by affirmatively including environmental protection and conservation as routine concerns in daily operations of its facilities.
The guidelines contained in these pages were prepared with the assistance of a working group comprised of experts and marina professionals in the business, government and non-profit sectors. These diverse perspectives greatly enriched the discussions leading to the final version presented here.
As a result, the Guide to Good Marina Environmental Management Practices in Mexico offers an innovative approach to fostering sustainable development by reflecting a consensus view of what the marina industry can and wants to do. These guidelines will hopefully lead to a greater mutual understanding among all of the actors interested in the quality of marine and coastal resources. Although this Guide had not been adopted in the form of an industry code of conduct as of its posting in October, 2005, it remains an important tool that can lead toward that desired result. Most of the recommendations included in this website have been tested and proven throughout the world as effective ways of insuring that recreational boating and marina development remains environment-friendly.
As professionals with a long-term interest in and commitment to natural resource conservation and coastal management, we are offering this material not simply as useful information but also as a way to evaluate progress and lead to the creation of a certification program for Mexico that could foster a sustainable recreational marina indsutry that can play a prominent role in the future economic development of the Gulf of California.
Pamela Rubinoff
Martha Patricia Celis-Salgado
Download the Spanish Guide in PDF